Based upon the book by French author Ingrid Chabbert and developed by Scottish studio Hyper Luminal Games, The Day I Became a Bird tells the story of a boy named Frank who dons a bird costume with the hope of being noticed by Sylvia, a girl in his school who only has eyes for birds.
Even for an industry awash with “cosy” games, translating a quiet, singular obsession such as a first crush into an interactive medium is a delicate task, and through a very gentle approach towards exploration, collecting, and light puzzles, this adaptation manages to soar by focusing its gameplay on feeling rather than doing.
By remaining true to the book, the game is a narrative experience first and foremost, a slice-of-life adventure that takes place over what feels like a single day; it thrusts you back into the once-familiar atmosphere of the school classroom and playground.
Played primarily from an isometric perspective, gameplay consists of walking or running across each static scene, interacting with fellow classmates (or just eavesdropping on their lovingly written topics of conversation), and completing small objectives and quick time events ranging from feeding toast to the family dog to kicking a football. To keep things varied, each scene is punctuated with one in a series of primitive picture puzzles. Completing these helps to drive the story forward, and literally piecing together Frank’s thoughts and feelings only allows the narrative to resonate all the more.
Where The Day I Became a Bird does take an unexpected detour is in its small number of cycling sections. These bridge the gap between story scenes and offer a nice, if unnecessary, break from the proceedings as you avoid hazards, pass through arches and pick up golden feathers. These sections make for undoubtedly the most “gamified” parts of the entire experience, but they don’t detract from the story in any way.
With a hand-drawn art style that perfectly replicates that of the book’s Spanish illustrator Guridi, this is a beautiful game to behold. The palette alternates between lush, pastel scenes and colourless, stark linework that appears almost incomplete and drives home the feeling that you’re playing a book brought to life. From the muted pastels of Frank’s bedroom to the warm, golden hue of the hilltop scene where some of the story’s most impactful moments take place, The Day I Became a Bird is an understated visual treat that oozes warmth – especially if you experience it on the Steam Deck OLED like I did.
Complementing the game’s beautiful, painterly visuals is a musical score built around a gentle, lo-fi piano baseline. It has a timeless quality, perfectly capturing the feeling of a quiet, solitary childhood afternoon – something that resonates especially strongly if you’re old enough to remember what that kind of undistracted, unconnected time felt like.
That said, it’s not all deep nostalgia. There’s plenty of warmth and playfulness woven into the score as well, most notably through a radio Frank discovers in certain areas. Interacting with it shifts the music into a lively, jazzy tune, prompting him to break into a joyful dance. These small moments offer a lovely counterpoint to the fluttering, nervous energy he gives off whenever Sylvia is around.
For a game as openly kind as this, it should come as no surprise to find that the accessibility options are plentiful, ranging from adjustable text size, colour alternatives, camera comfort and the option to play without quick-time events.
I would be remiss to not mention the turn the game takes once Frank dons his newly constructed bird costume. Walking animations look sluggish and clumsy as he struggles to navigate the school steps, and riding his bike becomes an all but impossible feat. It’s this transformation that leads to my favourite moment in the game, as Frank, brimming with pride, walks down a school hallway decorated with bird motifs. The subtle way his classmates turn their heads is incredibly wholesome, and the whole sequence feels like a joyful celebration of all things avian. As a bird fan, it genuinely made me very happy.
