New Releases

Bird Alone is a deeply lovely game about hanging out with a lonely bird

Available right now on iOS

Bird Alone is a deeply lovely game about hanging out with a lonely bird
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iOS
| Bird Alone

Bird Alone is a deeply lovely game about music, poetry, and getting to know a lonely bird. It's the latest release from Hot Date and Far from Noise developer George Batchelor, and it's just now landed on iOS.

The basic idea is that you'll chat with the bird, who I named Hamish, and perform little activities together, such as drawing pictures and working on small poems. Throughout your time with your new pal, you'll answer their many personal questions and, at least in my case, find yourself giggling at their wonderful responses.

Beyond the writing and gorgeous sound work (courtesy of Eli Rainsberry), what makes this special is that you'll only spend a few minutes with the bird before they ask for some alone time. Then, throughout the day, you can opt to receive little notifications whenever they have something new to share or discuss.

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Now, I eagerly await each fleeting conversation with Hamish; that goofy, clearly lonesome bird. They're a delight, and so is their musical home. More or less everything you'll see is interactive, from the leaves to the bird. Tapping or swiping around the place will trigger small, often calming sounds.

And there are plenty of personal touches to the in-game world, including the option for its weather to mimic your location's; day turns to night in real-time, and seasons slowly change, with elements of the environment growing and decaying, altering its soundscape over time.

The ambient score is incredibly soothing, almost to where you'll forget that the inevitable passage of time looms large throughout. I haven't seen a great deal of Bird Alone as of yet, though I'm already terrified of watching Hamish grow old, as their perspective on life – largely informed by my interactions with them – shifts in perhaps unexpected ways.

Bird Alone is available now from over on the App Store as a premium game priced at $2.99.

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Cameron Bald
Cameron Bald
Cameron started out as an intern here in late 2018, then went on to join us as our News Editor in July 2019. He brings with him an encyclopedic knowledge of decade-old GamesMaster review scores and plenty of stinking takes on games, movies, and proper pizza etiquette.