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A Bird Story

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Linux • 2014

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Quick resume

An experimental short from the creator of To the Moon & Finding Paradise: A simple & surreal 1-hour interactive animation about a boy and an injured bird, told without dialogues.If you're looking for To the Moon-like experience, I'd suggest playing Finding Paradise first.

Global score

85/100

Genres

Adventure, Indie, Role-playing (RPG)

Similar games

    Pros

    • Emotional and touching story
    • Beautiful music and atmosphere
    • Innovative wordless storytelling
    • Short and accessible experience
    • Artistic visual presentation

    Cons

    • Minimal and simple gameplay
    • Very short playtime
    • Lack of dialogue may not appeal to all
    • Limited replay value
    • No multiplayer or social features

    Analysis

    A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Strategy, Survival, Competence, Violence. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Intimacy, Story. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Idle.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      4

      "Players have limited control but can direct the boy's movement and simple actions, emphasizing personal agency within a linear narrative."

    • Competence
      -3

      "Gameplay is minimal and simple, with no challenges or skill tests; mostly a walking simulator with basic interactions."

    • Competition
      -5

      "No competitive elements or comparison to others; focus is entirely on personal experience."

    • Continuation
      -2

      "Short playtime (~1-2 hours) and linear story limit habitual or long sessions; players tend to complete in one sitting."

    • Cooperation
      -5

      "Single-player experience with no multiplayer or cooperative gameplay."

    • Creativity
      3

      "Creative storytelling through visual narrative and music without dialogue; imaginative dreamlike sequences."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No elements of exerting control or superiority over others; experience is personal and empathetic."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Provides emotional escape through touching story and immersive atmosphere, allowing players to revisit childhood feelings."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of interest in emotional storytelling and artistic expression, not obligation."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Experimental narrative style using no dialogue and blending reality with fantasy in visual storytelling."

    • Exploration
      1

      "Some exploration of environments and imaginative spaces, but mostly linear and guided."

    • Expression
      -4

      "No character customization or player expression; presentation is fixed and artistically directed."

    • Fantasy
      3

      "Story blends realistic childhood loneliness with imaginative, surreal dream sequences."

    • Fellowship
      -4

      "Focus on solitary experience of the boy; minimal social interaction or community feeling."

    • Growth
      2

      "Emotional growth and personal development of the protagonist is central, though gameplay learning is minimal."

    • Health
      Insufficient data
    • Idle
      -4

      "Requires focused attention to follow the story; not designed for background or casual intermittent play."

    • Intimacy
      4

      "Strong emotional connection and intimacy through the story of friendship and loneliness."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or group management roles; purely individual narrative experience."

    • Progression
      1

      "Narrative progression through story events rather than item or power accumulation."

    • Relaxation
      4

      "Calm, emotional flow with soothing music and gentle pacing creates a relaxing experience."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Emotional and auditory stimulation through music and visuals, though not intense or action-packed."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social status or recognition mechanics; experience is private and personal."

    • Story
      5

      "Central focus on narrative immersion told through visuals and music without dialogue."

    • Strategy
      -5

      "No strategic or problem-solving gameplay; story unfolds linearly without player planning."

    • Thrill
      -4

      "Low risk, calm emotional tone with no suspense or tension-driven thrills."

    • Value
      3

      "Good perceived value for a short, emotionally impactful experience at a low price."

    • Violence
      -5

      "No violence or combat; focus on caring and friendship."

    • Survival
      -5

      "No survival or threat mechanics; stable and safe narrative environment."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026