[Update March 26th 2024)
Hello everyone !
What is the list of video games on consoles accessible to blind people and, therefore, accessible to visually impaired people? That's what we're going to see here for Playstation 5 and 4, Xbox Series, and Switch.
There are a thousand ways to be visually impaired, but in principle, a game accessible to a blind person is also accessible to a visually impaired person, so let's focus today on games that can be played independently from start to finish by the blind.
On PlayStation 5
The Last of Us 🧟 Let's start with PlayStation 5 games.
Obviously, there are The Last Of Us Remake and The Last Of Us Part 2 Remastered, the explosive narrative adventures of survival and horror in a cruel world filled with zombies. Navigation assistant, aim assist, high-quality voice narrator, screen reader, audio description, sound signals, fine adjustments of difficulty and various settings: everything is there! It's the triple-A accessibility experience on console. ⚠️Note: these two games address violent and dark themes.
Mortal Kombat 1 🥋
There is also Mortal Kombat 1, a versus fighting game, gore, and very complete. It is the most accessible fighting game to date and it continues to receive accessibility patches. It notably includes audio description, a menu narrator, and tons of audio signals in battles.
Brok the InvestiGator 🕵️ Next, we have Brok The InvestiGator. This game from the French studio Cowcat Games mixes ultra-narrative adventure game and scrolling fighting game. The hero will conduct a multifaceted investigation in a futuristic world populated by hybrid half-human, half-animal beings. Menus, dialogues, puzzles, combat: everything is accessible, including a screen reader and audio description. The numerous voices are in English, the texts are offered in different languages but only on PC it is possible to vocalize them in a language other than English.
As Dusk Falls 📺 As Dusk Falls is an interactive drama that interweaves the lives of two families. You'll have to make moral choices to progress through the plot. The game contains narrated choices and menus, and now audio description is available.
Sports Games ⚾
There are also series of sports games from Electronic Arts known to be accessible to blind people. These are the latest versions of NHL Hockey and Madden NFL for American football.
The Vale: Shadow of the Crown ⚔️ Immerse yourself in the captivating adventure of The Vale, where you take on the role of a blind princess navigating a heroic fantasy realm. This independent audio game delivers a one-of-a-kind experience that will captivate you for approximately 5 hours.
Marvel's Spiderman 🕸️ Available only on the PS5, Marvel's Spiderman 2 is a triple-A single-player open-world game. It features audio description, screen reader, near-constant contextual hints, the option to skip puzzles and to adjust difficulty, and a rather effective navigation assistant. ⚠️It is a highly commendable game that offers a generally accessible experience for visually impaired players, however, some sections still present obstacles despite the developers' efforts. These sections occasionally require the user to follow a guide on the Internet or to be assisted by a sighted person. Updates may be implemented in the future to enhance the accessibility of the game even further, allowing players, for instance, to respond to spontaneous criminal activities in the city without the need for tedious navigation to pinpoint their exact locations on the map.
On PlayStation 4
A handfull games Unfortunately, the list is very limited on PS4: The last of us part 2 (but not remastered), As dusk falls and The Vale, which we've already mentioned above for the PS5.
On Xbox Series
Forza Motorsport 8 🏎️ First, we have Forza Motorsport 8, a circuit racing game, demanding but ultra-accessible triple A. It includes various driving assistance options, a menu narrator, audio description, etc. It is simply the most accessible racing game ! The game is available on Xbox and PC.
Flight Simulator ✈️
The flight simulation game Flight Simulator benefits from a screen reader, in English only. It is supposed to be accessible. Developers are increasingly incorporating auditory cues, tactile feedback, and voice-controlled interfaces. These advancements allow blind individuals to engage with flight simulators, navigating and controlling aircraft through soundscapes and haptic responses that convey the intricacies of flight dynamics.
Brok The InvestiGator, Ask Dusk Falls and Mortal Kombat 1 are also available on Xbox, games that we have already presented for PlayStation 5. There are also Madden NFL and NHL Hockey for sports enthusiasts, which are reputed to be accessible. Additionally, there are two independent audio-only games, completely devoid of graphics. Their presence adds a refreshing diversity to the gaming landscape, especially on consoles designed primarily for screen-based experiences :
A Western Drama 🏜️
A Western Drama is a spaghetti western ambiance game with super nice music and a very successful atmosphere. There are dueling phases, horseraces, shootouts, colts... you can almost smell the gunpowder in your nose. It is very successful. There are also some infiltration scenes.
The Vale : Shadow Of The Crown ⚔️
The Vale is a small adventure game with progression, with real-time combat. We embody a blind princess in a heroic fantasy world.
These two independent audio games end in approximately 5 hours. They cannot compete in content and technical qualities with higher-budget games, but they are successful and provide a good time.
On Nintendo Switch
Console accessibility ♿
Note: unlike the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series, Nintendo's console is not directly accessible to blind people.
That is to say, you cannot buy or install digital games, or change console settings on your own if you are blind because there is no console screen reader.
Otherwise, you can play Mortal Kombat 1, Brok The InvestiGator, The Vale: Shadow of the Crown and A Western Drama on Switch, which we have already discussed.
Alt Frequency 📻
And finally, we have Alt Frequency. You play a radio operator who will conduct a small investigation. The gameplay is very particular because the adventure takes place in the world of radio. The only thing you can
do in the game is change radio frequency, but in doing so, you will be able to follow a small investigation and solve puzzles. A handful of hours is enough to finish it but it's not bad with a very qualitative sound atmosphere.
So, what are you waiting for to go play? 🎮 There may be omissions in this list, so please feel free to send us your comments.
Comments