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Gamer Won't Let a Little Thing Like Blindness Stop Him

by Terrence O'Brien on February 22, 2011 at 02:50 PM

The idea of a blind man playing video games might seem a bit odd, but Terry Garrett, a mechanical engineering student from Colorado Springs, isn't about to let a little thing like not being able to see stop him from being an avid player. The 23-year old lost sight in one eye when he was 5, and was totally blind by age 10.

His lack of sight does limit him somewhat in terms of what he is able to play. Although he is capable of getting around in 3-D games, he has a preference for 2-D titles, which are easier for him to navigate. In particular, Garrett is a fan of the 'Oddworld' series of platformers because, he says, the sound design is engrossing and allows him to track his progress better than many other titles.

Garrett has beaten 'Oddworld: Abes Exodus' several times, and can play through it near perfectly now. He accomplished this largely through trial and error. When playing a game for the first time, he'll ask a sighted friend to help him learn to navigate the menus, but he notes his progress simply by listening. He counts footsteps, learns to identify the sounds of obstacles, and memorizes the timing of levels. It's an impressive feat, to say the least. Check out the below video, in which Garrett talks about his love of gaming and how he copes with his lack of vision -- along with actual footage of the Colorado native making his way through 'Oddworld.'

Tags: blind, blindness, gaming, oddworld, terry+garrett, TerryGarrett, top, videogames

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