Apple Arcade review #114: Beyond Blue

Inspired by Blue Planet, the BBC TV series, this is an attractive and chill game about the deep blue sea…and whales. Lots and lots of whales.

I played Beyond Blue on the iPhone, but I really wanted to play it on a big-screen TV, in full surround. It’s that kind of immersive experience, and the game appears to be designed for such a setup. The virtual joysticks are, as ever, a mixed bag. Movement on the left “stick” works okay, but the camera on the right is finicky and lacks precision. I had a difficult time targeting things. Luckily, the game is forgiving and doesn’t require quick responses.

Visually, Beyond Blue mixes beautiful models of fish and whales and nice environmental (oceanic?) effects, with a surprisingly unpolished user interface, some awkward diver animations, and visual bugs. The field of view is also very wide, which is probably a good thing for observing the aquatic life, but stretches your diver so much that she looks almost alien. Overall, though, Beyond Blue is a pretty game, especially on a small screen.

The same cannot be said for the Apple TV version. The frame-rate (on the most recent 4K box) is subpar, and the environments lack detail. What looked great on a phone screen doesn’t look half as attractive on a 65” TV, though the animals still look great and are beautifully animated. Xbox controller support is pretty solid, but there are issues: sensitivity has to be adjusted, and for the life of me I couldn’t figure out how to swim faster. Again, there’s a lack of polish here that detracts from the overall impression.

Beyond Blue is educational and relaxing, and the kind of game that would integrate well with school courses about the ocean and preservation. I want to play more, on a big screen, but I’ll hold out for the Xbox or PlayStation versions.

Link: https://apps.apple.com/no/app/beyond-blue/id1466830738