With Shining Eyes

I came across this game and was roped in a little by it's colour palette and seemingly strange nature, then decided to play it when I noticed that it was free. This short walking sim type game is surreal, abstract, and just plain ODD, but I also found it intriguing and really enjoyed its aesthetic overall. This is very much something that you might enjoy if you like arty weird types of things, but could very easily be seen as just weird or pretentious otherwise. I would be lying if I really knew what was going on half the time I was just happy to be there and look at all the lovely colours. Beyond that, there honestly isn't too much to say about this, it's short and free so honestly it's worth just experiencing for yourself. It has a bit of that small dev team jankiness to it, but I liked it, and honestly was intrigued by it enough to quickly play through it a second time to take in what was around me a little better. One thing I was curious about with this game was the "puzzle" element it mentions in the tags and in the descriptions. As someone that plays a lot of puzzle games and is particularly fond of the first-person puzzle genre, I personally would not categorise this as a…

An eerily beautiful world... in pastels. It is incredibly exciting to come across a world like With Shining Eyes. It manages to be unsettling and haunting while wrapped in a surreal, colorful palette. This short, first-person adventure by Lucas Fisher is the kind of experience that lingers long after you’ve closed it. I don’t feel it’s quite right to call it a rummaging through someone's memories or a diary, yet it gives you that exact feeling - of peeking into a past and inhabiting a space that isn't yours. As you uncover secrets and wander through the halls of Bellamy Academy, your curiosity is allowed to run free in a way that feels both cozy and deeply uncanny. A lovely, haunting little pastel adventure that I'm sure I will be returning to time and time again.

Beautiful surrealist experience (with some mini-games crammed in there). Up there with Off-Peak in my book, as well as a few others. Interactive Arthouse, like arthouse film, is a great way to explore all kinds of ideas and scenarios, ultimately resulting in ethereal and sometimes transcendant experiences. I doubt the developer will see this review, but I would really hope that a potential sequel would go back and elaborate on the ride section; I think that's a great wellspring for further ideas - and my favourite part by miles,

A wonderful abstract game. It's free and short. Great vibes. 5 out of 5.

Simple and sweet, yet such a visually stunning game. I initially found this game off some random person's profile and was immediately intrigued with the store page banner art alone. This game is a little odd at first to understand what exactly you're taking in, but it quickly settles any confusion as soon as you're trying out each door. [b]Pros:[/b] • Short game - about 30min long • Beautiful visuals for someone who is into a lot of dreamcore/vaporwave/weirdcore and more kind of aesthetics • Very easy to understand and play • Most of the puzzles are very unique and fun to figure out even if they're fairly easy • Beautiful reminders about taking care of yourself throughout the game • I personally feel this game wraps itself up very well for such a short amount of time it has to be taken in • The [spoiler]projector puzzle[/spoiler] was my favorite personally, but I loved the visuals of the [spoiler]"past" classroom[/spoiler] [b]Cons:[/b] • Lacks volume controls in the game, but this isn't a huge deal • I don't find myself likely to replay this again as it lacks replay value, but the one time experience was great nonetheless • Certain spots should just allow you to easily walk ov…

It’s a surreal yet also very calming experience.