Birds Watching

About

Birds Watching is a single player open world simulation game with horror, mystery and post-apocalyptic themes. It was developed by Studio Ortica and was released on March 6, 2026. It received very positive reviews from players.

Birds Watching is a short psychological horror about bird watching. An endless global fire destroyed the world, and you are now alone, the last human being. You survive on the top of a mountain, the only place still untouched by the flames, and your only occupation is watching with your binoculars the wild birds escaped up there with you. It is a peaceful, isolated, desperate life. Un…

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91%

Audience ScoreBased on 104 reviews

story9 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

Unique and intriguing psychological horror concept blending birdwatching with unsettling and post-apocalyptic themes.
Strong atmosphere and aesthetic with well-crafted tension, creepy ambiance, and effective storytelling that leaves a lasting impression.
Engaging dialogues with memorable bird characters, surprising plot twists, and multiple endings encouraging replayability.

Inconsistent tone with vulgar, crude, and sexually explicit content that some players found unnecessary and disruptive to the experience.
Several technical issues including bugs, softlocks, and lack of a save or checkpoint system that make replaying frustrating.
Short gameplay length and limited variation across multiple playthroughs may reduce long-term replay value.

story
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
52%
12%
The story is generally praised for its intense, subtle, and thought-provoking narrative, rich atmosphere, and psychological horror elements, though some find it rushed, confusing, or lacking cohesive direction. Players appreciate the detailed dialogue and unique twists but note occasional issues with pacing, clarity, and game progress affecting story access. Overall, it offers an engaging, immersive experience that rewards close attention despite some frustrations.
- “The story is subtle and rewards paying attention to small details, which I really enjoyed.”
- “The atmosphere is amazing, the dialogue and story are interesting and really well written.”
- “Really unique and cool story with some fun twists along the way.”
- “But before that it's so rushed in a way that you'll do 3 minor things and the story will be like 'you have to make this insane decision to progress with next to no explanation or context,' do 3 more minor things 'you have to make another insane decision,' and the dialogue you're offered is 90% 'yes - no - cry.'”
- “In the end I did all the endings in an attempt to understand any sort of cohesive story but it couldn't commit to any storyline, and you're just left wondering 'so what was that then...' but not in a thought-provoking way at all, just a 'could they not decide what one to do and did both and chose none in the end?' way.”
- “This resulted in my first playthrough being doomed to a non-ending where I hadn't gotten all the birds (nor could I, because my book already had them discovered) and I hadn't completed Caio's quests (nor could I, because the game clock still remembered it was 18:30, not enough time to get to Gran Toc). I replayed it, but from what I've seen if you play then log out before finishing your run, this is just a thing that happens.”
atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
64%
9%
The atmosphere is widely praised for being tense, unsettling, and immersive, effectively blending elements of body horror and unease. Many appreciate its compact, focused experience with a changing narrative that keeps players intrigued and questioning reality. Overall, the game's disturbing yet well-crafted atmosphere, combined with strong writing, significantly enhances the experience.
- “The atmosphere is tense and unsettling, and the game slowly reveals strange details that make you question what's really happening.”
- “This is a game with a disturbing atmosphere, the underlying idea is very interesting, and I also liked how the story unfolds.”
- “The atmosphere is amazing, the dialogue and story are interesting and really well written.”
- “It felt completely out of place and had nothing to do with the story or the atmosphere the game seemed to be going for.”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The gameplay is generally straightforward and enjoyable, complemented by a great environment and ambiance. While it may not be groundbreaking, it offers a satisfying experience with simple mechanics and a decent story, especially for its price and short duration.
- “Straightforward gameplay, great environment, good ambiance.”
- “Less than 5 euros got me a truly enjoyable story and a nice gameplay mechanic.”
- “I have achieved one ending as of this review and it took about an hour, the gameplay is pretty straightforward which is good for a short game.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The game's retro-style graphics effectively create a compelling, eerie, and lonely atmosphere that enhances the mood. However, the visuals can be overly dark at times, which may make certain activities, like bird watching, less enjoyable. Overall, the graphics contribute well to the horror ambiance through environmental design rather than explicit visuals.
- “The retro-style graphics and overall aesthetic work really well for the mood and give the world a lonely, eerie feeling.”
- “The vibes and whole aesthetic of the game is awesome and compelling but honestly it stops hard there.”
- “The horror part is not particularly graphic, but it's well proposed in the environment: the ambient is creepy, the air is thick, the birds keep singing in silence, and the temperature won't stop increasing.”
- “Unnecessarily dark in graphics, making the watching part of bird watching a chore.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The humor in the game receives mixed feedback, with some players finding it clever and well-written, while others feel it is forced, distracting, and excessively edgy without adding to the story. Overall, opinions vary between appreciating the wit and finding the humor unhinged or unnecessary.
- “Also, I feel I need to say it: some of the humor in this game is unhinged lol.”
- “I loved this one, it's really well written and it's really funny.”
- “No reason for all that; it doesn't contribute to the story and it's not funny (nor does it seem meant to be). It's all just edge for the sake of edge.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game experiences occasional soft locks, glitches, and unpolished areas, impacting stability somewhat. Some audio bugs, like repeated dialogue when skipping quickly, are noted, but overall these issues are understandable given the recent release.
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional experience is mixed, with initial moments evoking amusement but later interactions creating discomfort rather than enjoyment. Improved pacing and additional features could enhance the overall emotional impact.