Deaf Game Review – HyperDot

Coty Craven2 minute read

HyperDot Deaf Accessibility

A gorgeous game without a single barrier for deaf and hoh players.

Score

10 out of 10

Game reviewed on Xbox One.

Review copy provided courtesy of Glitch.

I am not good at HyperDot. Not at all. I swear at it a lot. I quit and walk away. I come back to it because it’s just so pretty. Rinse and repeat. BUT, friends, I am not not good at this game because of poor accessibility, as is far too often the case. I am bad at HyperDot because that’s just who I am as a person.

You see, Tribe Games set out to make HyperDot inclusive and accessible from the start. They even listed accessibility consultant Aderyn Thompson in the credits! Their commitment to creating an inclusive game shows in so many ways. Here’s what the studio themselves say about their accessibility:

PLAY WITHOUT COMPROMISES: HyperDot features high contrast and colorblind modes, full gameplay integration Xbox Adaptive Controller and eye-tracking, and a suite of flexible features optimized for accessibility

Tribe Games

Despite being remarkably challenging (by design), HyperDot is approachable and welcoming right from the start screen.

The deaf/hoh accessibility is fantastic in that no part of this gorgeous game relies on sound. Visual cues are stellar and it’s just so damn pretty! I feel like I’m playing art, even when I’m cussing at the levels and the shapes that chase you.

Gameplay GIF
GIF courtesy of Glitch

Your only goal in HyperDot? Steer your dot to avoid the enemy shapes for the specified amount of time.

Illustrating the survival time timer.
Gameplay GIF

I can’t recommend this game enough. Even if this type of game isn’t your jam, I encourage you to get HyperDot just to support studios like Tribe Games and their commitment to accessibility.

Links to purchase provided by Glitch:

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Coty
CravenFormer Director of Operations and Workshop FacilitatorThey/Them

Founder of CIPT and former Director of Operations and Business Development. He/They

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