A blind man is able to complete games such as Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus using only what he hears.
Terry Garrett is surprisingly good at playing videogames, considering that he’s blind. The Oddworld website recently highlighted the 23-year-old’s ability to beat platformer Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus flawlessly without the use of his eyes.
Garrett completely lost his vision when he was 10. At the time, his brother tried to get him into videogames, but it didn’t work out. However, when the two later tried Abe’s Exoddus for the PlayStation, Garrett began to give gaming more of a concerted effort.
Today, Garrett can play Exoddus from beginning to end without any help. It took him about a month to perfect his methods. He says that he can see the levels in his mind simply by listening to the sounds he hears, like footsteps, flowing water, and the beeps of bombs. Exoddus is particularly suited to Garrett’s play style due to the widespread use of sound throughout each element of the game. He adds that even the music can be a cue toward something dangerous about to happen.
Garrett does need some assistance when playing certain games, to explain cutscenes or dialogue text, but with a little help he’s also able to play other titles such as Legend of Zelda and Metal Gear Solid to an extent. Not every game has the level of sound design he needs, but some like Exoddus do.
It’s very uplifting that Garrett is able to enjoy a gaming habit just like anyone else. Hopefully his incredibly positive attitude will rub off on the rest of the internet.
Source: Oddworld
