Highlights
The creators of 30 Birds were inspired by the beauty of Istanbul, resulting in a unique blend of Persian art and literature. The game features hand-drawn graphics inspired by medieval Ottoman textbooks, creating a vibrant and dynamic aesthetic.
30 Birds offers a mix of historical themes blended with modern influences. It was hard not to notice the vibrantly eye-catching 30 Birds at WASD in London last week.
Walking past the booth and seeing players rotating on-screen lanterns for characters to roam around and solve puzzles immediately captures your attention, and you can’t help but linger to see how it all unfolds. This narrative puzzle game follows the human Zig in their quest to rescue the bird goddess Simurgh.
At the show, the writer Jonathon Mayes shares insights into the game’s development and inspirations, including the influence of classic literature such as ‘The Conference of the Birds’ by Sufi poet Attar of Nishapur. The game’s unique concept involves a world consisting of lanterns, where the protagonist is positioned on a rotating lantern that illuminates the environment.
The story is based on a Sufi poem, and the game also incorporates a fusion of various music styles. The puzzles in 30 Birds vary from kaleidoscopic conundrums to musical mysteries, and the game’s development team worked to strike a balance between challenge and frustration.
The game effectively blends older themes with modern language and comedy, and characters in the game are designed to evolve and change as the story progresses. The game’s strong focus on art style and music, intriguing puzzles, unique lantern mechanic, and the blend of historical influences with modern comedy make 30 Birds a highly anticipated game set to launch later this year.
