Of Bird and Cage is a story-driven music game developed by Capricia Productions and published by All in! Games. You play as Gitta, a 25-year-old drug addict trying to escape both a physical and mental prison. Unlike traditional narrative games, Of Bird and Cage intertwines its heavy metal soundtrack into the storytelling. Players can expect to solve puzzles, make decisions on the fly and test their reflexes with quick-time events, all while fighting for survival.
The gameplay sounds engaging in theory, but the execution is flawed. Notably, the game provides no additional information whenever given an objective or puzzle to solve. You’ll be asked to do things like put out a fire or distract your boss with no sort of indicator on how to do so. This becomes a greater issue as each section of the game is finite and timed with the music, adding further tension. The lack of basic direction led to frustrating moments where I wished for either more time to solve puzzles or a stronger guiding hand. It’s also easy to become distracted by the soundtrack as it explains the story, which can ultimately impact your reaction times.
Of Bird and Cage is ultimately an absurd two-hour musical narrative experience that’s hard to recommend to others. The title offers a fantastic soundtrack with subpar-to-decent gameplay. However, with an absolutely bizarre story, lack of guidance, and a weak aesthetic, it’s easier to avoid leaving the cage entirely. Of Bird and Cage is available on May 20 on Steam for the price of $14.99.
Watch our full Review in 3 Minutes for Of Bird and Cage.
