The Eyes of Ara review for Nintendo Switch, PC

The Eyes of Ara is one of those games that didn?t get its start in the mobile gaming world, but it feels like it should have. It?s one of those games that feels like it?s best experienced on a phone, with touch controls, graphics that are nice to look at, and not a whole lot else.

By that, of course, I mean that even if The Eyes of Ara talks in its store description about secrets and mysteries and adventure, the reality is there?s not a lot of depth here. It?s the sort of game where you solve environmental puzzle after environmental puzzle, without much to hold your attention beyond that.

To be fair, of course, some of these puzzles are outstanding. In a way, it kind of reminds me of The Witness — only I hated The Witness for its obscure internal logic, and The Eyes of Ara doesn?t really have anything like that. Rather, it?s just lots of puzzles placed in a way that hint at something deeper, but if you look closely you?ll realize: nope, just lots of puzzles.

Mind you, look closely and you?ll also see a very nice-looking game. The Eyes of Ara consistently dazzles you with its environments, even if they don?t go any deeper than what you see on the surface. It?s a little too shiny at times, considering we?re supposed to be talking about a decrepit castle, but I?m not going to complain too much about that.

And honestly, I?m not complaining too much about any of it. I may criticize The Eyes of Ara for lacking depth, but if you just want a puzzle game, it?ll deliver just that. Sometimes you don?t want to bog quality puzzles down with excessive plot — and in those times, The Eyes of Ara is just about perfect.

100 Stones Interactive provided us with an Eyes of Ara Switch code for review purposes.