Bird Watcher

About

"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 Play through the game's story or campaign solo

56%

Audience ScoreBased on 27 reviews

story12 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a touching story that is engaging and enjoyable, making it a relaxing experience.
The music is pleasant and fits well with the atmosphere of the game.
The graphics, while not perfect, have a decent aesthetic that adds to the overall experience.

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 appreciate the narrative.

story
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
40%
12%
The game's story is described as a short, potentially touching narrative that can be engaging but suffers from issues such as poor translation and voice acting, which detract from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the atmospheric elements and the brief exploration of themes, many find the dialogue and clarity of the plot lacking, making it difficult to fully connect with the story. Overall, it offers a simple, albeit flawed, narrative experience suitable for a quick playthrough.
- “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 interactions with notes and items. 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 playthrough.
- “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%
13%
38%
The music in the game is consistently praised for its relaxing and enjoyable quality, effectively complementing the walking simulator experience. While it features a limited soundtrack, primarily a single track, it aligns well with the game's mood and atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience.
- “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.”
- “+ 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%
25%
38%
The graphics are generally considered decent but mediocre overall, fitting the game's aesthetic without standing out significantly. While there are moments of originality, the visuals alone do not justify the game's value, especially when paired with poor voice-over work. Overall, the graphics contribute to an agreeable atmosphere, but they fall short of elevating the experience.
- “If these were corrected, I could easily recommend this on the visuals alone.”
- “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.”
- “The overall graphics are decent, and the gameplay is enjoyable.”
- “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.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
100%
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, resembling a walking simulator.”
- “The game's atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing players into its beautifully crafted world.”
- “Every detail in the environment 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 (a.k.a. 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 to be well optimized, noting effective light effects and a generally smooth performance.
- “The game seemed well optimized considering the decent light effects.”
- “It seems optimized (for me at least).”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
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 atmosphere, enhancing the enjoyment of the short 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 laughing out loud at the quirky character designs and their hilarious antics throughout the game.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players express that the grinding required in the game is excessively time-consuming, suggesting that it feels like a task that could take a lifetime to complete.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “Grinding takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Players note that the game offers replayability primarily for those looking to complete all achievements, suggesting that multiple playthroughs can enhance the experience for completionists.
- “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 engaging.”
- “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.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
- “The game lacks meaningful choices that would encourage multiple playthroughs.”