Bird Watcher

About

Bird Watcher is a single player action game. It was developed by First Game Studio and was released on February 19, 2018. It received neutral reviews from players.

"Bird Watcher" is an interactive, first-person "walking simulator" centered around a poignant narrative. Players help Claire, a young girl living with a cruel aunt, find her freedom and solve the mystery of disappearing pigeons. The game features full voice narration, immersive sound design, and a calming autumn environment, with simple gameplay and realistic graphics.

Genres & Tags

Indie

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

56%

Audience ScoreBased on 27 reviews

story12 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a beautiful and engaging story that is relaxing to experience.
The music is pleasant and fits well with the atmosphere of the game.
The game is short enough to be enjoyed in one sitting, making it a good option for a quick gaming snack.

The voice acting is poor, with many mispronunciations and awkward pauses that detract from the narrative experience.
The game is extremely short, lasting only about 15-30 minutes, which may leave players wanting more content.
The translation issues lead to confusion in the story, making it hard to fully engage with the plot.

story
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
40%
12%
The game's story is described as a short, potentially touching narrative that explores a child's perspective, but it suffers from translation issues and poor voice acting that detract from the overall experience. While some players found the story engaging and visually appealing, others criticized its clarity and depth, leading to a mixed reception. Overall, it is seen as a brief walking simulator with a simple plot that may appeal to those looking for a quick, atmospheric experience.
- “A beautiful short story game.”
- “Okay, it's not Dear Esther, but the story was engaging, it was visually interesting, and there was a tiny bit of challenge, which for me was perfect - I don't like to work hard.”
- “A short and touching story about one day from a courageous girl's life.”
- “The English isn't great, the story isn't great, there's nothing to really see or do.”
- “I could barely understand the plot through the broken English.”
- “I found the story quite confusing because of the translation problems.”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The gameplay is characterized as a linear walking simulator with enjoyable yet simplistic mechanics, involving item collection and interaction. While some players appreciate the easy and relaxing nature of the gameplay, others criticize the controls for being unresponsive and express a desire for more content. Overall, the experience is deemed decent for its low price, making it suitable for a brief, casual play session.
- “The overall graphics are decent, and the gameplay is enjoyable.”
- “Easy and relaxing gameplay, pleasant voice, and very impressive colors.”
- “The gameplay is not great, as I'd find the controls badly responsive.”
- “As to the gameplay, this is a linear, walking simulator at heart.”
- “It does little to break free from the typical expectations/mechanics that are inherent to the genre.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
12%
38%
The music in the game is consistently praised for its relaxing and enjoyable quality, effectively complementing the walking simulator experience. While the soundtrack primarily features a single track, it aligns well with the game's mood and enhances the overall atmosphere. Users appreciate the pleasant voiceover and the simple yet engaging audio elements, despite some humorous translation quirks.
- “The music is spot on and fits the mood I feel the game was trying to go for.”
- “It is a short and sweet 15-30 minutes walking sim with very nice music, some simple interaction, and letters to be found and read, along with a pleasant sounding non-native English voiceover that is easy to understand.”
- “+ enjoyable soundtrack”
- “First of all, this game has not much to offer than just a walking simulator with a relaxing music theme.”
- “It’s only a single track but given how short the game is, I understand why there isn’t much variation in a musical sense.”
- “It is a short and sweet 15-30 minutes walking sim with very nice music, some simple interaction and letters to be found and read.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The graphics of the game are generally considered decent but mediocre overall, fitting the game's aesthetic without standing out significantly. While some players appreciate the originality in certain visual elements, the overall impression is that the graphics are serviceable yet do not elevate the experience enough to justify the game's price.
- “The overall graphics are decent, and the gameplay is enjoyable.”
- “If these were corrected, I could easily recommend this on the visuals alone.”
- “This is a Unity engine title, and while it carries somewhat of a stigma, I can say it does seem like there’s at least some flair of originality here in some parts of the game when it comes to the graphics.”
- “There's the semblance of an interesting story here, and a generally agreeable aesthetic both visually and aurally, but even the current asking price of two dollars isn't justified by the rather anaemic product on offer.”
- “The graphics are mediocre but fit the game suitably.”
- “This is a Unity engine title and that carries somewhat of a stigma in itself, but I can say it does seem like there’s at least some flair of originality here in some parts of the game when it comes to the graphics.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a potentially touching story centered on a courageous girl's experiences, but its emotional impact is diminished by poor translation and voice acting, which fail to convey genuine feelings. While the narrative has promise, the execution leaves players feeling disconnected from the character's journey.
- “A short and touching story about one day from a courageous girl's life.”
- “Good, touching story.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its charmingly quirky translations from Russian to English, which add a lighthearted touch to the experience. Players appreciate the pleasant voiceover and the overall whimsical tone, enhancing the game's short and sweet walking simulation.
- “It is a short and sweet 15-30 minute walking sim with very nice music, some simple interactions, and letters to be found and read. The pleasant-sounding non-native English voiceover is easy to understand, despite some funny-sounding Russian to English translation choices.”
- “The humor in the game is cleverly woven into the dialogue, making even the simplest interactions feel entertaining and engaging.”
- “I found myself chuckling at the quirky character designs and the witty remarks scattered throughout the game, which added a delightful layer of fun to the experience.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express that the grinding aspect of the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of effort akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “I spent hours grinding, and it still feels like I'm nowhere.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
33%
Players note that the game offers replayability primarily for those seeking to complete all achievements, suggesting that multiple playthroughs may be necessary to fully experience the content.
- “There's great replayability if you didn't unlock all the achievements on your first try.”
- “The game offers multiple paths and choices, making each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
- “With various character builds and strategies to explore, you'll find yourself coming back for more.”
- “But there's replayability if you didn't get all the achievements on the first try, I guess.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
The atmosphere in "Bird Watcher" is highlighted as a key element, with users noting its strong narrative focus and immersive visuals typical of walking simulators. Overall, the game successfully creates an engaging environment that enhances the storytelling experience.
- “Bird Watcher is a short narrative experience that focuses on the atmosphere and the story, akin to a walking simulator.”
- “The game's atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into its beautifully crafted world.”
- “Every sound and visual detail contributes to a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that lingers long after the game is over.”
- “Bird Watcher was a short narrative experience that focused on the atmosphere and the story (aka walking simulator).”
- “Otherwise, I think the game is not so bad when it comes to visuals and atmosphere.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users find the game's optimization to be satisfactory, noting decent light effects and a generally smooth performance. Some players specifically mention that it runs well on their systems, indicating a positive reception in this aspect.
- “The game seemed well optimized considering the decent light effects.”
- “It seems optimized (for me at least).”