To say that 30 Birds from Ram Ram Games is a strange project is an understatement. It is a puzzle game set in a vibrant Persian art style world and revolves around a young girl who travels through Lantern City trying to find and secure the help of 30 birds so that she can initiate an ancient ritual that determines what happened to them is Goddess Simurgh, who was kidnapped by the mysterious scientist. Yes, it's a very story 'unique' which is underpinned by impressive art direction and often intriguing puzzles, but also has some weak points.
I say this because, like many puzzle games, you often hit a frustrating limit when trying to determine your next step. There will be times when you just can't find a solution when looking for the next bird or a clue to part of a mission you're pursuing. Since there are basically no paths to follow or clues to collect, it can be tedious and tiring to wander around and interact with everything you come across until you find a way to move forward. For someone less interested in puzzles, this will undoubtedly be a reason to just move on and call it a day with 30 Birds.
But that would also be a mistake in many ways, as there is much more to see in this game. The story of 30 Birds has a brilliant level of humor and charm, both in theme and dialogue. It's an interesting story with lots of twists and turns that will keep you engaged and entertained most of the time. The roster of characters is diverse and everyone brings something new to the mix, and Lantern City's diverse cultural environment also means that you'll almost always be surprised by something or someone.
The puzzles are also quite interesting to solve. There's a noticeable difference in quality, with some weaker and less mechanically diverse challenges holding back many great and even silly alternatives. Regardless of the quality of the puzzles, however, what's striking is that, just like the story and narrative, you'll almost never be prepared for the kind of puzzles that 30 Birds throws at you. Between breaking magical locks, hunting down mischievous forest spirits, getting stuck with a frog synthesizer… the list is endless and you have to give the folks at Ram Ram credit for their creativity in this area.
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The development team is also impressive with the chosen art style. It highlights the Persian theme that offers an amazing world of colorful paper lanterns. As you explore Lantern City, you'll feel like you're walking through a busy Middle Eastern market captured in stained glass windows. The perspective and the way the game plays with dimensions also contribute to this, because 30 Birds is above all a 2D game in which you can effectively go beyond the boundaries of the level to reach the next side of the game world to reach . It's magical at times and also a bit complex, as there are often secrets and hidden areas to find that are only accessible by moving between pages of the world in certain locations. It really reminds me of the fantastic Fez in the structure of the sentence.
While spoken dialogue would have been great, the lack of spoken language isn't a major detriment to the overall experience, as 30 Birds is set to a brilliant soundtrack of reggae and ska beats. In fact, this choice of musical genre also has a lot to do with the game's theme, as the signature quirkiness of ska permeates and almost feels like the lifeblood of the world itself.
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So the main takeaway from my experience with 30 Birds is that it is a colorful and rich puzzle game that stands out for its unusual narrative and beautiful artwork. The puzzles are perhaps one of the game's best elements and strengths, but at the same time the mysterious nature can also be 30 Birds' Achilles heel, as the charm quickly wears off and turns into frustration when you hit a wall and get caught in a sense of progress rise. But if you have the patience to push through and know what you're getting into when it comes to puzzle games, 30 Birds is a quality indie option that has a lot to offer.
