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CASUAL BIRDER (PD)
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Developer: Diego Garcia.
Released: April 2022. Genre: Adventure; Photography. Posted 2nd October 2023. By Tom Clare © 2023 |
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This is exactly what you want from a console pack-in. New Playdate owners will find the diminutive handheld has an instant ace up its sleeve, with Casual Birder on hand to make a strong first impression. On the surface, it may not look anything new: a straightforward throwback to Game Boy-era top-down adventures with sprites and static screens. However, it isn’t long before CB positively ambushes the player with unusual gameplay features. Photography-led games remain surprisingly few and far between, so it’s heartening to see this lovely little adventure, with shades of Pokemon Snap, come together so well.
Playing as a birdwatcher who’s moved to live in the promisingly named Bird Town, it isn’t longer before the lead protagonist is set upon by a mean trio known as the Pearly Eyed Thrashers (one of many avian references). They’re intent on shutting down the competition in the run-up to the annual photography competition. Starting with a humble camera phone, it’s up to the player to prevail across a sequence of low-peril trials, locating and photographing the town’s 27 bird species and taking down the gang of bad birders. What better way to do so, than by finding and photographing the illusive Legendary Bird?
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Photographs generate captions telling the player exactly what they've snapped
The camera is what makes Casual Birder stand out. Reducing the environment to only what’s within view of the lens, the player can snap pictures of anything and everything. For the best shots, you’ll need to use the Playdate’s crank to reassemble out-of-focus pixels into a clear shot. The player can retain ten photos at a time, each accompanied by a description that includes anything from the name of the town’s inhabitants (some are less happy with being snapped than others!), any number of objects or simply ‘blurry’, should you fail to get the subject in focus. These aren’t merely for show: in some instances, you’ll need to produce a photograph of a particular bird or person to elicit a reaction from a given character.
Indeed, Casual Birder is full of creative situations. Some birds are easy to capture: you’ll find a few ambling along the street or flitting between bushes. Others need coaxing with food, bait or a whistle. Then there are the more elusive ones that require upgraded camera tech (nightvision, super-speed lens) or for the player to contrive a circumstance that makes them appear. My personal favourite begins with a hint that the coffee shop owner can’t abide littering. Upon purchasing and then throwing three coffees, you’re kicked out of her establishment, with the owner following promptly with a rubbish bag. Cameras at the ready, however, as whilst you’re left to dust yourself down, the freshly deposited garbage draws the attention of another bird for your collection. Every cloud, eh?
Indeed, Casual Birder is full of creative situations. Some birds are easy to capture: you’ll find a few ambling along the street or flitting between bushes. Others need coaxing with food, bait or a whistle. Then there are the more elusive ones that require upgraded camera tech (nightvision, super-speed lens) or for the player to contrive a circumstance that makes them appear. My personal favourite begins with a hint that the coffee shop owner can’t abide littering. Upon purchasing and then throwing three coffees, you’re kicked out of her establishment, with the owner following promptly with a rubbish bag. Cameras at the ready, however, as whilst you’re left to dust yourself down, the freshly deposited garbage draws the attention of another bird for your collection. Every cloud, eh?
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Max Coburn’s beautifully chirpy tunes help create an upbeat, sprightly atmosphere. This is aided by a nice cacophony of birdcalls: a range of simple chirps that help identify different birds, and also a helpful indication of whether a screen might be hiding one. The game has loads of personality, not only in its dialogue but the humorous descriptions given for every new bird you manage to photograph. Capturing each one is so much fun, and thanks to the variety of tricks you have to employ to find some of the birds, it always feels like a satisfying accomplishment.
There’s so much good here, that the only significant regret is that it doesn’t offer more. The idea has so much potential, that you can easily imagine its 27-bird, single-town concept expanded into something more far-reaching. Depending on how much the puzzles stump you, there’s likely three to four hours of play to be found here. Just as you’re starting to feel at home in Bird Town, it’s done and the credits are rolling. The Playdate produces a very good resolution for a small screen, though the downside of this is some of the detailing can be difficult to see due to its minute appearance. You’ll have to squint to see what you’re carrying when there are four or five icons in the item wheel. All this being said, the game makes for an eye-catching and distinctive showcase for its hardware. Characters’ wobbly interaction animations prove both attractive and endearing. Environments possess all the little details and interaction points you could want, giving the admittedly modestly-sized town a bit of depth.
There’s so much good here, that the only significant regret is that it doesn’t offer more. The idea has so much potential, that you can easily imagine its 27-bird, single-town concept expanded into something more far-reaching. Depending on how much the puzzles stump you, there’s likely three to four hours of play to be found here. Just as you’re starting to feel at home in Bird Town, it’s done and the credits are rolling. The Playdate produces a very good resolution for a small screen, though the downside of this is some of the detailing can be difficult to see due to its minute appearance. You’ll have to squint to see what you’re carrying when there are four or five icons in the item wheel. All this being said, the game makes for an eye-catching and distinctive showcase for its hardware. Characters’ wobbly interaction animations prove both attractive and endearing. Environments possess all the little details and interaction points you could want, giving the admittedly modestly-sized town a bit of depth.
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Photographing each new bird rewards the player with a fun description. I just wish there was more than 27!
In short: you may not have thought avian photography was what you wanted from your new handheld, but that’s exactly what you’ll be glued to when you put your Playdate through its paces. Casual Birder scores well for style, creativity, programming, visual design and making use of the system’s unique control functions. I’d have loved to have seen what could have been made of an expanded world with more towns, photography opportunities and a larger collection of birds. That could have been spectacular. Nevertheless, it’s hard to grumble, because this is still a great slice of entertainment.
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VERDICT
"Casual Birder scores well for style, creativity, programming, visual design and making use of the Playdate's unique control functions... the only regret is that it doesn’t last a little longer." OVERALL: 7/10 |
OTHER TOP-DOWN ADVENTURE GAMES REVIEWED
The Longest Five Minutes (2018, PC)
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Pine Creek (2020, Game Boy)
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