TheRetroArcade
Veteran
Posts: 1,975
Joined: Feb 2026
Joined: Feb 2026
Become one with the birds in one way or another.
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I didn't think there was any way birdwatching could become fear-inducing, but Birds Watching proved me very wrong. Instead of the relaxing walking simulator you'd expect from a game primarily about watching the birds, it keeps you nervous: looking over your shoulder at all times in case some towering monster is lurking behind you. I should've known this from the brief description declaring "you spend your days bird watching. You're not alone on the mountain." But frankly nothing could've prepared me for what was coming.
At the beginning, you're told that the entire world was engulfed in flames but, conveniently, you are the only human left alive after escaping to the mountain. Fortunately, you've got a pair of binoculars and have spent your days wandering around looking at all the birds who fled there too. You've also developed a relationship with a little bird who's been visiting your cabin, who you get to name. It's definitely a bleak start, but it doesn't feel too ominous.
After this brief introduction, you wake up in your cabin and you're free to explore. I immediately picked up the bird guidebook hanging out on my desk and started looking up where the birds I needed to find were. You're given the silhouettes and where they spend their time, but no clues as to what birds they are, and it's your job to track them down. I was naive enough to think this would be the game's only challenge—survivng the end of the world and tracking down all the birds. But, as it turns out, that's not the case.
Once you've studied the few birds hanging around this starting area—like a redstart, swallow, and whatever bird visits the feeding table—your radio buzzes. Suspicious, given the fact you're meant to be the only human alive. You're given various dialogue choices, but most of them lean into you becoming a servant to the voice on the radio and agreeing to find him a food store before he comes to the mountain. So, I agreed, and was ready to leave the starting area when my companion bird popped up and started talking to me.
This bird tells you not to trust the voice (which I thought was a given) and explains that all birds can talk, and you need to get them on your side, but your first interactions are less than pleasant. The birds don't want to speak to a human, which is fair enough, but ever-so-slightly dishe...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?
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Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
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Every Friday
GamesRadar+
Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.
Every Thursday
GTA 6 O'clock
Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.
Every Friday
Knowledge
From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.
Every Thursday
The Setup
Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Spotlight
Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.
Every Saturday
The Watchlist
Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.
Once a month
SFX
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
I didn't think there was any way birdwatching could become fear-inducing, but Birds Watching proved me very wrong. Instead of the relaxing walking simulator you'd expect from a game primarily about watching the birds, it keeps you nervous: looking over your shoulder at all times in case some towering monster is lurking behind you. I should've known this from the brief description declaring "you spend your days bird watching. You're not alone on the mountain." But frankly nothing could've prepared me for what was coming.
At the beginning, you're told that the entire world was engulfed in flames but, conveniently, you are the only human left alive after escaping to the mountain. Fortunately, you've got a pair of binoculars and have spent your days wandering around looking at all the birds who fled there too. You've also developed a relationship with a little bird who's been visiting your cabin, who you get to name. It's definitely a bleak start, but it doesn't feel too ominous.
After this brief introduction, you wake up in your cabin and you're free to explore. I immediately picked up the bird guidebook hanging out on my desk and started looking up where the birds I needed to find were. You're given the silhouettes and where they spend their time, but no clues as to what birds they are, and it's your job to track them down. I was naive enough to think this would be the game's only challenge—survivng the end of the world and tracking down all the birds. But, as it turns out, that's not the case.
Once you've studied the few birds hanging around this starting area—like a redstart, swallow, and whatever bird visits the feeding table—your radio buzzes. Suspicious, given the fact you're meant to be the only human alive. You're given various dialogue choices, but most of them lean into you becoming a servant to the voice on the radio and agreeing to find him a food store before he comes to the mountain. So, I agreed, and was ready to leave the starting area when my companion bird popped up and started talking to me.
This bird tells you not to trust the voice (which I thought was a given) and explains that all birds can talk, and you need to get them on your side, but your first interactions are less than pleasant. The birds don't want to speak to a human, which is fair enough, but ever-so-slightly dishe...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?