Blindscape Review

Games like Blindscape are a testament to the fact that even mobile gaming should be considered an art form, especially when done like this. Although short, this is an emotionally-involving experience that takes the player on a journey though the 'eyes' of a young man who has been punished for his crimes against the state, costing him his sight.

The story takes place in a totalitarian future, where the arts and any form of self-expression has been outlawed. Punished for stowing away movie posters, our newly-blinded protagonist is forced to rely on hearing and touch alone if he is to escape to the "old city". As this is a strictly visual experience (besides a few hints and the credits), players have to use gestures and their sense of hearing to navigate the world, which is completely dark (even the app logo is void of colour). There is no way to pause the game once it has begun, though this just adds to the experience in my opinion, so a spare 15 minutes set aside for playing is a must.

One con is obviously the very short length of the game, although I heard things on my second play-through that I didn't hear the first time, which only furthered my interest in the world Gavin Brown has created. The tapping sections did prove to be tedious though, as I found myself tapping first where I thought a doorknob would relatively be, then furiously at every inch of the screen until I found it. This messes with the suspenseful atmosphere slightly, but otherwise it's a minor complaint.

I think labelling this as a 'game' is undervaluing what Blindscape represents, which is that creating a memorable experience on iOS takes more than tremendous graphics or immense replay value. It is free to play at the moment, so I highly recommend giving it a try.