Even when compared to To the Moon (which I know is not what the game sets out to do), it's hard to recommend this game even for its story.

A Bird Story reminds of a story I read in a World Literature class, "The Parting of the Ways" by Higuchi Ichiyo. Briefly, the story is of a young love between a poor boy who wants nothing more than the love of his life and a girl seeking to escape the squalor of life.

I remembered this story in particular because you would think this would be the beginning of some Hollywood romantic-comedy--in actuality, the story ends right at the parting of the two.

Both individuals know the fact that neither one can truly understand the motivations or the feelings from the other as they have their own understandings. Neither one of them are happy with the outcome. They know that they won't cross paths again.

Similarily, with the case of ABS, where the game feels like it begins is when it actually ends. I also feel that cynical realization that I cannot share the same understanding with the creators' passion

It's sad because I can see the spark of what the developers created, and I hope To the Moon 2 (or whatever it is called) succeeds where this game fails.


The narrative works off the video-game mystique of the NES with being told with zero dialogue or facial expressions (visual-aids and surreal imagery to explain everything.) This part I loved about ABS.

Unfortunately, the narrative wasn't given much to work off of. It comes across as a artsy facade of the "Boy Meets X" movie cliche from the '90s. An odd period when you could say a boy befriends his rubbery friend without raising eyebrows.

You know the kind of story: Quirky, outcasted boy isn't accepted among his classmates, but suddenly finds a friend to change everything for the better. The new friend has some medical issue that becomes the focus and the reason for why the two stay friends. Some people chase them down trying to separate them when they don't understand their friendship. And, ultimately, friendship conquers all trials.

The only interesting aspects are when you consider the unexplained details. Why is the boy's parents never around to see him and leave him only notes? Why does he have an odd fascination for paper-airplanes? Why is the vet so adament for getting the bird back? What is all this surreal imagery doing here? (Hint: Why do the faded-out antagonists, the teacher and the vet, remind you of the two doctors of To the Moon?)

All of which will probably be explained in the next game teased at the end.


The gameplay is no longer disguising itself as a puzzle; you aren't solving any brain-teasers and unfolding events in their logical order. You are playing out cinematics with some controls to keep you awake. There are no fail-states, which is not the problem.

There is nothing to distract you or to tax you on time. Nothing to expand the story or to reward you for your time.

The game knows what it is, which only makes me wonder why not release it as a movie. (And the devs caution potential buyers that this game isn't for everyone, and they will let you refund it.) I bet the game would've been better recieved if it was a movie than a video-game.

There's no reason (yet) to explain the need for it.


Nothing much else is needed to be said. Oh, the soundtrack is goregous as always.

I'm quite fine with the discounted price, so I won't refund it since I knew what I was getting into. I'll be happy if this project was to experiment with story-telling because I think that's what the developers work best with. Perhaps with the community's feedback they'll create something worthy for full price.

Even when compared to To the Moon (which I know is not what the game sets out to do), it's hard to recommend this game even for its story. A Bird Story reminds of a story I read in a World Literature class, "The Parting of the Ways" by Higuchi Ichiyo. Briefly, the story is of a young love between a poor boy who wants nothing more than the love of his life and a girl seeking to escape the squalor of life. I remembered this story in particular because you would think this would be the beginning of some Hollywood romantic-comedy--in actuality, the story ends right at the parting of the two. Both individuals know the fact that neither one can truly understand the motivations or the feelings from the other as they have their own understandings. Neither one of them are happy with the outcome. They know that they won't cross paths again. Similarily, with the case of ABS, where the game feels like it begins is when it actually ends. I also feel that cynical realization that I cannot share the same understanding with the creators' passion It's sad because I can see the spark of what the developers created, and I hope To the Moon 2 (or whatever it is called) succeeds where this game fails. [h1]The Story's Story[/h1] The narrative works off the video-game mystique of the NES with being told with zero dialogue or facial expressions (visual-aids and surreal imagery to explain everything.) This part I loved about ABS. Unfortunately, the narrative wasn't given much to work off of. It comes across as a artsy facade of the "Boy Meets X" movie cliche from the '90s. An odd period when you could say a boy befriends his rubbery friend without raising eyebrows. You know the kind of story: Quirky, outcasted boy isn't accepted among his classmates, but suddenly finds a friend to change everything for the better. The new friend has some medical issue that becomes the focus and the reason for why the two stay friends. Some people chase them down trying to separate them when they don't understand their friendship. And, ultimately, friendship conquers all trials. The only interesting aspects are when you consider the unexplained details. Why is the boy's parents never around to see him and leave him only notes? Why does he have an odd fascination for paper-airplanes? Why is the vet so adament for getting the bird back? What is all this surreal imagery doing here? (Hint: Why do the faded-out antagonists, the teacher and the vet, remind you of the two doctors of To the Moon?) All of which will probably be explained in the next game teased at the end. [h1]Why Am I, the Player, Needed?[/h1] The gameplay is no longer disguising itself as a puzzle; you aren't solving any brain-teasers and unfolding events in their logical order. You are playing out cinematics with some controls to keep you awake. There are no fail-states, which is not the problem. There is nothing to distract you or to tax you on time. Nothing to expand the story or to reward you for your time. The game knows what it is, which only makes me wonder why not release it as a movie. (And the devs caution potential buyers that this game isn't for everyone, and they will let you refund it.) I bet the game would've been better recieved if it was a movie than a video-game. There's no reason (yet) to explain the need for it. [h1]Final Thoughts[/h1] Nothing much else is needed to be said. Oh, the soundtrack is goregous as always. I'm quite fine with the discounted price, so I won't refund it since I knew what I was getting into. I'll be happy if this project was to experiment with story-telling because I think that's what the developers work best with. Perhaps with the community's feedback they'll create something worthy for full price.