Of Bird And Cage – Review
Our Rating: 7/10
Of Bird and Cage tells the tale of Gitta, a 25-year-old drug addict who has been living in darkness since she was a child. Between the drugs and the violence, life has never been kind to her. Of Bird and Cage is a story-driven game in which our decisions and actions will shape Gitta’s fate. The game tells us a two-and-a-half-hour story. However, which will be replayable to discover the four possible outcomes.
Story Overview
The story of Bird and Cage starts with the main character Gitta Barbot witnessing her alcoholic father abusing her mother. The game then shows Gitta working as a waitress in a dead-end job where she is sexually harassed by her boss regularly while also being addicted to an expensive drug.
On top of all this, she also has to deal with her abusive father. Find a way to pay her drug dealer boyfriend, and is eventually kidnapped by a man named Bres Lupus, who seems to know more about her past than she does.
As the player progresses through Of Bird and Cage, he or she will be able to make decisions that will affect the plot and determine how many standard live-action visual novel adventures end.
Gameplay
Of Bird and Cage’s gameplay revolves around exploring the immediate area and learning new ways to interact with the environment. This exploration is usually tied to a level’s overall goal, but by digging deeper, different secondary goals or collectibles can be discovered.
The story of Of Bird and Cage will go by the decisions we make throughout our journey. They’ll decide Gitta’s fate. Whether it’s in the dialogues, where you’ll simply have to decide what you want to say during the narrative phases.
During timed action scenes in which you must complete objectives, you will have to make decisions. QTE’s set pieces. Alternatively, there are the brawls. Every action taken throughout the story will affect Gitta’s life. At the end of the story, everything will be revealed.
Addiction
We must always have a few doses of drugs on hand to keep us in good shape, especially our young Gita. If we take the time to look, we can find drugs in a variety of places. We tried to detoxify her by not giving her any more doses for her health’s sake. However, you will surely feel it in several game scenes.
Everything becomes cloudy and ignites, making movement difficult. So, for the sake of our eyes and Gitta’s, it’s a good idea to keep some drugs on you at all times.
We’ll have the chance to pick up a few collectibles along the way. It adds a sense of purpose to the game, whether it’s memorabilia or records. However, finding them will be difficult. We don’t take the time to explore because we have a deadline to meet most of our objectives. We forget about the items we need to collect all of a sudden.
Game Concept
In theory, it’s a fascinating concept, but in practice, it quickly becomes tedious. Of Bird and Cage tries to encourage exploration of the environment while listening to its varied soundtrack, but everything is so hectic that neither can be done effectively.
When it comes to gameplay, Of Bird and Cage shines when it gives players an environmental puzzle to solve, but the rest of the game is often confusing or out of place. For example, the game’s later sections are littered with poorly designed combat elements. Whether it’s fighting drug dealers in savage melees or shooting cops in waves like they’re playing video games.
Soundtrack
Of Bird and Cage is an excellent game with well-designed game backgrounds. By its characters, a tad less so. Despite the flaws, they are still quite lovely for an independent game. You will find yourself growing attached to them. When we learn about their backstories, they become even more fascinating. The story, after all, is what makes this game so appealing.
Of Bird and Cage’s music is the main attraction, but the songs are hit-or-miss. Some of the songs are heavy metal bangers that add a punch to the story, while others are soulful ballads that tug at the heartstrings. When music works, it works well, but it rarely does.
Many of the game’s songs feature characters singing what they’re doing or saying strange things in singing tones. One of the game’s characters confesses to murdering his wife by shouting the words “Yeah I killed her,” but the delivery is so strange and out of place that it ends up being hilarious rather than emotionally taxing.
Final Thoughts
Of Bird and Cage is probably one of the most experimental video games in recent memory, but just because it’s different doesn’t mean it’s worth playing. It is a game that won’t please everyone. It can, however, move multiple people.