Expanding upon the foundations of its predecessor, Beyond Blue: After The Storm brings its underwater exploration to VR, offering players an immersive yet structured journey into marine conservation. The game follows Mirai, a marine biologist investigating the impact of a tropical storm on an underwater research station and the surrounding ecosystem. With its educational aspirations, the game blends narrative-driven gameplay with interactive documentary elements, though the execution is a mixed bag.
The narrative builds on the themes of environmental awareness, presenting a world where players must assess damage, aid wildlife, and uncover a deeper mystery. Mirai’s interactions, voiced by Erika Ishii, lend personality to the experience, and the inclusion of an AI-powered robot, Kanaloa, introduces cooperative gameplay mechanics. However, the storytelling remains relatively straightforward, and the short runtime – clocking in at around 90 to 100 minutes – limits the depth of character and plot development.
Core gameplay revolves around scanning marine life, repairing environmental damage, and using tools such as a cutter and sealant gun to complete tasks. Swapping between Mirai and Kanaloa adds variety, with the robot handling heavier tasks while Mirai focuses on finer technical work. Despite these elements, the gameplay often feels simplistic, as objectives are heavily guided by dialogue and waypoints. Tasks like scanning, fixing broken equipment, and healing sick creatures lack the challenge or depth that might keep players engaged beyond the initial novelty. The absence of puzzle elements or meaningful decision-making makes Beyond Blue: After The Storm more of a guided educational experience than a traditional game.
The VR adaptation provides an immersive oceanic setting, but movement mechanics leave something to be desired. Players are restricted to using analog stick navigation or hand propellers, rather than natural swimming motions. While this design choice prioritizes comfort, it diminishes the potential for a more engaging movement system. Additionally, the enforced vignette effect during movement, which cannot be disabled, may frustrate experienced VR users who aren’t in need of comfort options like that. The lack of physical interactions further limits immersion – players can’t touch or interact with marine life directly, and tools materialize from thin air instead of being visible on the avatar’s body.
Visually, Beyond Blue: After The Storm presents a charming underwater world, but its technical shortcomings on Meta Quest are noticeable. While stationary moments allow players to appreciate the aquatic scenery, pop-in issues frequently disrupt immersion when moving. The textures and details take time to load, and resolution inconsistencies make the game feel more like an early-generation Quest title rather than one optimized for Quest 3. Despite these setbacks, the overall art style captures the beauty of marine life, offering moments of visual serenity.
The audio design helps reinforce the game’s meditative tone, with ambient underwater sounds and marine life vocalizations creating a relaxing atmosphere. The voice acting is competent, though repeated dialogue lines can become tiresome over the game’s short runtime. A soothing soundtrack complements the exploratory nature of the game, reinforcing its role as an educational experience rather than a high-intensity adventure.
Ultimately, Beyond Blue: After The Storm succeeds in delivering a short but meaningful experience for those interested in marine conservation, but it struggles to provide engaging gameplay. While its message and presentation hold value, its simplistic mechanics, brief runtime, and technical issues prevent it from being a must-have VR title. Players looking for a relaxing, narrative-driven experience with educational elements may still find enjoyment, but those expecting deep interaction or replayability may come away disappointed based on this one’s merits as a game.
Score: 6.4/10
Press Play Media 