Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 73 | 42 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 88% | 82 | 758 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 92% | 87 | 216 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Feb 12, 2025) · 216 reviews sampled · 142 total reviews in window · weighted 88.3 up / 7.2 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (67)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 65
“If you're the type who likes to relax with the calming sites and sounds of an ocean life documentary, Beyond Blue will allow you to get more interactive with it. The educational and narrative moments don't fully gel with the undersea exploration, and the visuals get murky on the Switch, but that won't matter when you're exploring these deep, safe waters.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“While the game may be a short experience at around 2 hours long, it’s definitely worth the look, especially if you can catch it on sale. I had fun swimming around, scanning different species, and taking in the game’s narrative, it was quite the relaxing experience if anything. If you’re a fan of games like Endless Ocean or ABZÛ, it’s a pretty easy recommendation.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“There’s something strangely endearing with Beyond Blue that’ll keep you playing through to the end. The simplicity of its scan/travel gameplay loop does become tiresome by the end but the calming, meditative state of exploring the ocean and watching these creatures in their natural habitat is worth persevering for. The story has some nice emotional beats too and the characters each have their own motivations and a decent level of depth. It may not be as good as Subnautica or Abzu but it does have the edge over those games when it comes to educational content. For that alone, Beyond Blue is well worth playing through and a reminder of how precious and beautiful our watery world really is.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Writing that's worth wincing at does little to drag down a hyper-relaxing and educational diving game. Beyond Blue lets you take a breath in a medium packed with games that try their hardest to make your blood pressure skyrocket.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Beyond Blue has noble intentions, with an urgent and vital message about our impact on the Earth. However, it doesn't do itself justice. Although there is some decent content in here, videos, music, sound design, gameplay, narrative, those parts do little to support or enhance one another. Gameplay is soothing but one-note, the video documentaries don't frame the missions and neither are well connected to the narrative. While there are moments of majesty in exploring the ocean, the limited draw distance and pop-in frequently interrupt the awe. Edutainment's a hard one to pull off, and Beyond Blue feels less like an awesome rock concert about dolphins and more like your science teacher trying to do a rap.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Perhaps it’s the pandemic or the challenges of parenthood talking, but as much as I enjoy blowing things up or slashing them to pieces there’s real power in games that help you calm things down and find some inner peace...”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The E-Line Media developers and publishers have clearly worked tirelessly to bring a heightened awareness that has a heavy focus on conservation and environmental issues that are pressing today. They have enveloped all these issues into a relaxing environment to enable people to be involved directly with these themes in the interactive and safe environment of Beyond Blue. There are no threats, which overall makes this work of art a safe space to explore in comfort at their own pace. If there is an expectation of this to be a true dive with threats and a different experience each time, it is likely disappointment will be experienced and a feeling of boredom may creep in fairly quickly, but if the aim is to relax and learn about the ocean, this truly is a wonderful title.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“I still stick by my feeling that this isn’t a game but an educational tool but it’s a bold attempt and overall it does work well, anyone with an interest in the Ocean will find plenty to learn and discover and for that alone this is worth being applauded. If you want a chillout experience with some great mood melodies and you have a thirst for education, Beyond Blue is worth a look. For anyone else, it is probably not going to float your boat.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Beyond Blue excels in presenting gorgeous marine environments stuffed to the brim with fascinating ocean life and interesting places to explore. Whether you're swimming with humpback whales or exploring underwater caverns, this is an experience that really does make waves.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Beyond Blue struggles as a narrative adventure game but shines as an educational tool that brings awareness and reveals some of the ocean’s secrets. Its few characters don’t quite stand out and the simple core gameplay loop of swimming, scanning and following waypoints comes off as rather bland.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Beyond Blue is a relaxing experience that will appease players who cannot get enough nature documentaries on Netflix. I loved taking my time and scanning creatures and just exploring the ocean. There is a lot of interesting info wrapped around a solid gaming experience. Beyond Blue is the kind of game that players will just know they will enjoy by looking at it.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Based on diving and following different marine species and with a strong educational and contemplative component, Beyond Blue also provides a plot that lets players discover more about its lead character. Beyond Blue's simple gameplay and concept also ends up becoming its main shortcoming, as there could have been a lot more to this, especially regarding the exploration of the submarine world, and the game's graphics that fall behind the threshold of what is required for such an experience.”
read full review ↗
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Patch history
- A Massive Free Update is Available Now for Beyond Blue!Feb 12, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Fixed: Save Issues (v1.4.16201)Dec 23, 2020
- Photo Mode Is Here! 1.4 Patch Notes and MoreOct 20, 2020
- 6/18 Patch NotesJun 19, 2020
- An Update About Beyond BlueDec 6, 2019