BirdGut

About

BirdGut is a single player casual puzzle game with horror and comedy themes. It was developed by Micah Boursier and was released on May 9, 2019. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

BirdGut is a hand-drawn 2d puzzle-platformer from the perspective of an outcast bee who gets eaten by a bird, and discovers that the bird's internal organs are not organs at all, but facilities in which the consumed insects are brainwashed and enslaved. Experience this bizarre one-man project for yourself.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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95%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,017 reviews

story229 positive mentions

stability18 negative mentions

The game features a charming art style and humorous storyline that keeps players engaged.
It's a fun and challenging platformer with a good balance of difficulty and frequent checkpoints.
The game is free, making it accessible to a wide audience and worth trying out.

Some sections of the game, particularly the moving platform and final boss, can be frustratingly difficult and lack sufficient checkpoints.
The controls can feel a bit clunky and unresponsive at times, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
There are occasional bugs that can disrupt gameplay, such as getting stuck in certain areas or losing items after saving and quitting.

story
368 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
35%
3%
The game's story is widely praised for its humor, creativity, and unique premise, often revolving around quirky characters and unexpected plot twists. Players appreciate the engaging narrative that complements the gameplay, with many noting its charming art style and the emotional depth behind its seemingly simple storyline. While some found the story to be light or lacking in depth, the overall consensus is that it adds significant value to the gaming experience, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “Genuinely one of my most favorite games I've ever played, incredible storytelling, incredible art, makes me giggle every time.”
- “This game is worth playing for the wacky, but touching story and thematics.”
- “The story is interesting and the overall product is extremely undervalued.”
- “The game is not very good, the plot makes no sense, the ending is unhappy, and it is unbelievably difficult out of nowhere at the end of the game.”
- “Given the unusual premise, I was expecting much more story than I ended up getting.”
- “Especially the second half of the game is devoid of plot or lore, and the final boss and epilogue could be the dictionary definition of 'anticlimax'.”
graphics
324 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
42%
1%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players praising its charming hand-drawn art style and unique aesthetic that enhances the overall experience. While some describe the visuals as simplistic or reminiscent of early digital art, others appreciate the creativity and humor embedded in the design. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's quirky atmosphere, despite occasional performance issues.
- “The art style is charming and the music is very well done.”
- “The hand-drawn graphics are gorgeous, and the soundtrack, while not outstanding, is nicely inoffensive.”
- “The art style is simple yet elegant and consistent.”
- “Visually, this features mediocre hand-drawn style 'baby's first Wacom tablet' art instead of contemporary graphics.”
- “It's hard to say if this was because the developer didn't have the skill to do the job of creating 3D visuals, or couldn't afford to hire someone who does, but it also doesn't matter.”
- “Around the maze part (small intestines I believe?), the graphics start flickering and generally causing a lot of eyestrain, but I was able to get through that section without too much extra difficulty, and the flickering stopped by the time I got to the colon.”
humor
235 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its quirky, absurd, and often dark comedic elements, enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate the funny dialogue, amusing character interactions, and entertaining storylines that keep them engaged, despite some frustrations with gameplay mechanics. Overall, the humor is a standout feature, making the game a delightful and memorable experience for many.
- “The humor infused throughout the game adds an extra layer of fun, complemented by simplistic yet effective graphics.”
- “The game’s dark humor and creativity are captivating.”
- “Birdgut is a brilliant mix of challenging, funny, and surprising.”
gameplay
221 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
56%
6%
The gameplay of "Birdgut" is characterized by its engaging puzzle platforming mechanics, charming art style, and humorous tone, making it a delightful experience overall. While many players appreciate the variety of challenges and the smooth controls, some express frustration with certain mechanics, particularly towards the end of the game, where difficulty spikes and new mechanics can disrupt the flow. Despite these issues, the game is recommended for its creativity and accessibility, especially given that it is free to play.
- “It’s consistently charming and inventive, not only in its hand-drawn art style, but also in the implementation of its simple but engaging puzzle platforming mechanics, and in its overall tone and humor: I mean, it’s set in the guts of a bird.”
- “With its unique premise, captivating gameplay, and attention to detail, it offers an experience that's both entertaining and memorable.”
- “The gameplay is simple but fun, and the art style is good.”
- “After some of the supposed updates made to this game, I was tempted to revisit and see if the developer improved the game and I could beat the boss, but I guess it was just bugs and technical stuff that got improved and not the gameplay.”
- “By my 80th try, I was already an expert but the joy of the gameplay was completely gone, and by the very end, the mechanics that take place had nothing to do with the rest of the game; beating the final boss doesn't feel epic or awesome, it's only tedious.”
- “The gameplay is not very fun.”
music
112 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
33%
3%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its fun and fitting nature that enhances the overall atmosphere, while others note a lack of variety or presence in certain sections. Some highlight standout tracks, particularly during boss fights, and commend the soundtrack for its ability to evoke emotions and complement the game's art style. Overall, while the music is generally well-received, there are calls for more consistent and varied musical elements throughout the gameplay.
- “The game’s unique art style, combined with its eerie soundtrack, creates a chilling atmosphere that keeps you on edge.”
- “The music matches the art style; it's simple, but does its job of setting a mood for different situations and places you encounter during the game.”
- “The soundtrack is phenomenal, with the final battle and acid sea themes in particular being fire.”
- “I really wished there was some fitting music.”
- “Warning: there isn't much music in this game.”
- “Most of the time there's no background music, which amplifies the sharp sound effects.”
atmosphere
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
35%
15%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique art style, eerie soundtrack, and emotional depth, creating a chilling and immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the effective use of black and white graphics, hand-drawn aesthetics, and a mix of creepy and dystopian elements that enhance the overall mood. While some find the atmosphere reminiscent of classic titles like "Limbo" and "Silent Hill 2," others appreciate its blend of humor and tension, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The game’s unique art style, combined with its eerie soundtrack, creates a chilling atmosphere that keeps you on edge.”
- “This game does an excellent job making the atmosphere feel sad and hopeless, aided by the black and white graphics.”
- “The best aspect of the game is the atmosphere from the art style and music, though, with some entertaining dialogue here and there.”
- “It's the flash game version of Limbo, Portal, and Half-Life 2, but with a bare-bones atmosphere and dull physics puzzles you've seen for decades.”
- “Everything looks demented; even the main character is grotesque, and the other characters and graphics add to this anxious atmosphere.”
- “The general atmosphere reminds one of the Cave Johnson part of Portal 2.”
emotional
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a strong emotional impact from the game, highlighting its touching story and themes that evoke feelings of joy, sadness, and fulfillment. Many express that the narrative can be heart-wrenching, with moments that resonate deeply, while others appreciate the game's wholesome and fun aspects despite its challenging gameplay. Overall, the emotional journey is a significant draw, making it a memorable experience for players.
- “This game is worth playing for the wacky, but touching story and thematics.”
- “I cried when I was forced to abandon the plobus.”
- “Everything from the music to the story was exceptionally well done and the end result was a game that left me quite emotional.”
stability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many users reporting various bugs and glitches, including control issues, screen freezes, and visual glitches. While some players found these problems to be minor and not game-breaking, others experienced significant disruptions that affected gameplay, particularly during challenging sections. Overall, the game is described as enjoyable despite its stability issues, with many recommending it for its unique graphics and writing.
- “Might be a me-thing, but I get these ridiculous screen-freezes that totally ruin my momentum and really mess with the challenging bits of the game.”
- “Only downside is that in the later levels (particularly the final boss fights) the controls are pretty buggy with the deformed bee walking its own way - as if some key has been stuck down.”
- “It seems like it would be a nice little game but every time I try to play it, it glitches out like crazy.”
grinding
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
18%
76%
Reviews highlight that grinding in the game can be a tedious experience, particularly during certain levels that feel excessively long and repetitive. While some players found parts of the game enjoyable despite the grind, others felt it detracted from the overall experience, making the gameplay feel less engaging and more like a chore. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a mixed bag, with moments of frustration balanced by enjoyable gameplay elements.
- “One long, tedious grind.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “By my 80th try, I was already an expert, but the joy of the gameplay was completely gone. Beating the final boss doesn't feel epic or awesome; it's only tedious.”
- “I finished it, but it was quite tedious and boring.”
replayability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
39%
23%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the multiple endings, secret collectibles, and achievements that encourage revisiting, others find the experience short and lacking in substantial replay value. The presence of secrets and problem-solving elements adds some depth, but the game's brevity and simplicity may limit its appeal for repeated playthroughs.
- “With three different endings to discover and a secret room waiting for those who collect all the secrets, 'birdgut' offers ample replay value.”
- “The achievements are encouraging and its replay value is great!”
- “It takes around 2-4 hours to play and provides replayability in the form of achievements, collectibles, chapter selection (after completion), and multiple endings.”
- “Fun but short, not much replayability.”
- “There's exactly 1 collectible secret per level, so there isn't too much replay value, and you don't even need to finish a level after finding a secret.”
- “Although this is a 2-4 hour game for the average player (maybe even less), and has no replay value (except for the achievements of course), the simplicity of the game itself is what captivates me.”
character development
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development in the game is highlighted by its fun and memorable designs, which contribute to an engaging art style and world-building. Players appreciate the quirky character designs and dialogue, enhancing the overall experience and making the protagonist feel unique, while the puzzles complement the character interactions without being overly challenging. Overall, the combination of appealing visuals and character depth adds significant value to the game.
- “I think it's actually great for its price, with a memorable art style and story, an interesting world with some really cool character designs, some surprisingly catchy music in places, and a slightly inauspicious protagonist.”
- “The character designs and dialogue also help to build a nice game.”
- “The art style and character designs are amazing.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with players experiencing significant performance issues, including low frame rates and visual glitches, particularly on older hardware. While the gameplay remains enjoyable, the inconsistent optimization detracts from the overall experience, especially in more demanding levels.
- “I also ran into performance issues in this game.”
- “Fun game, but the performance is poor at times, and I have a capable PC.”
- “I can say one bad thing about this game: optimization sucks in some levels. There are just too many things moving off-screen, which causes some FPS drops on older processors.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game features a completely free model with no microtransactions, DLC, or advertisements, providing a straightforward and enjoyable experience without additional costs. However, some users question the emphasis on a diverse cast of characters, noting the limited dialogue available.
- “No ads, no microtransactions, just a good quality free game.”
- “No microtransactions, no DLC, no anything.”
- “I'm also not sure why Micah is advertising 'a diverse cast of insect characters', as the total amount of dialogue could probably fit on half a piece of paper.”