30 Birds

To say that Ram Ram Games' 30 Birds is a peculiar project is an understatement. It's a puzzler set in a vibrant world with a Persian art style that revolves around a young woman as she ventures through Lantern City attempting to find and ensure the help of 30 birds so that she can initiate an ancient ritual to determine what happened to the Goddess Simurgh who was kidnapped by the mysterious Scientist. Yep, it's a very 'unique' story that is bolstered by a striking art direction and often compelling puzzles, but it also has a few kinks in its armour.

I say this because as is the case with many puzzlers, you often hit a bit of a frustrating wall when you're attempting to determine the next step forward. There will be moments as you're looking for the next bird or some clue for part of a quest that you're following where you simply cannot determine a solution. Since there are basically no avenues for escape or hints to acquire, it can become tedious and fatiguing to wander around interacting with each and everything you can find until you figure out a way to progress. For someone who is less driven by puzzlers, this will no doubt be a reason for many to simply move on and conclude their time with 30 Birds.

But that would also be a mistake in many senses as there's plenty more to love about this game. There is a brilliant level of humour and charm baked into the story of 30 Birds, both in the theme and the dialogue. It's an interesting story with plenty of twists and turns and it keeps you engaged and entertained for the most part. The list of characters feel different and each brings something new to the overall whole, and the diverse cultural setup of Lantern City also means that you're pretty much always going to be surprised by something or someone.

The puzzles are also quite compelling to complete. There is a noticeable difference between the quality of them, with some weaker and less mechanically-diverse challenges holding back many great and even silly alternatives. Regardless of the quality of the puzzles however, one thing that does shine through is that, like the story and narrative, you will almost never be prepared for the types of puzzles that 30 Birds will throw at you. Between breaking magical locks, chasing down mischievous forest sprites, jamming on a frog synthesizer... the list goes on and credit has to be given to Ram Ram for their creativity in this domain.

Similarly, the development team impresses with the art style of choice. The Persian theme that offers up an amazing world of colourful paper lanterns is truly standout. It feels as though you're walking through a bustling Middle-Eastern market trapped in stained glass when you're exploring Lantern City. And the perspective and how the game plays with dimensions also adds to this, as 30 Birds is mostly a 2D game where you can effectively walk off the level boundaries to reach the next side of the game world. It's magical at times and also a little complex as often there will be secrets and hidden areas to find that can only be accessed by moving between the sides of the world in certain places. It really reminds me of the fantastic Fez in how the movement is structured.

While it would have been great to have voiced dialogue available, the lack of spoken language isn't a huge detraction from the overall experience as 30 Birds is accommodated by a brilliant soundtrack of reggae and ska beats. In fact, this musical genre choice also plays into a lot of the theme for the game, as the signature quirkiness of ska seeps through and almost feels like a lifeblood for the world itself.

So, the key thing to take away from my experience with 30 Birds is that this game is a colourful and rich puzzle game that excels thanks to its unusual narrative and beautiful art direction. The puzzles can be some of the game's greatest elements and strengths but at the same time the mysterious nature can be 30 Birds' Achilles heel as the charm quickly dissipates and turns into frustration when you hit a wall and become trapped in a progression sense. But, if you have the patience to power through and know what you're getting yourself into when it comes to puzzle games, 30 Birds is a quality indie offering with a lot to love.