Immersing audiences through a seamless use of a star-studded soundtrack.
Words by Luis (@luis.hoa):
Whether it be in a feature film or a video game, soundtracks play an integral role in the delivery of an experience. Would Alien (1979) have the same impact had Jerry Goldsmith not composed a masterful score? It's a stretch, but Goldsmith's efforts doubled down on the terrifying factor and helped make Alien the sci-fi horror icon it is today. The same could be said about Hans Zimmer's score for Interstellar (2014), Jóhann Jóhannsson for Mandy (2018), or John Carpenter for Halloween (1978). The list is endless and each one could reference as a case study in soundtrack significance. In the same vein, OF BIRD AND CAGE becomes one with its meticulously curated collection of tracks and presents itself as a unique, story-driven music game.
Arriving May 20th on PC (Steam), courtesy of All in! Games and Capricia Productions, OF BIRD AND CAGE strays from the expected confines of music games and places narrative at the forefront. OF BIRD AND CAGE follows protagonist Gitta Barbot on her quest to escape the physical and mental prison of her captor — Bres Lupus. Barbot, a 25 year-old drug addict, is guided through the first-person perspective where the player's choices have a significant impact on the outcome, akin to that of a role-playing-game (RPG).
While the gameplay unfolds, symphonic riffs erupt and adrenaline charges your decision-making skills. You're not ripping through hammer-on solos or hitting the whammy bar on a plastic Gibson Les Paul, no. This is far from the Guitar Hero or Rock Band-esque realm of music games. As the tracks play, you run for your life and come face to face with split decisions that can either save or end the life of Gitta Barbot, amplifying the pressure of every playthrough.
OF BIRD AND CAGE sports a soundtrack arrayed with talent that includes the likes of Arnold Nesis, Kobra Paige (Kobra and the Lotus), Davidavi 'Vidi' Dolev (Gunned Down Horses), Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (ex-Guns N’ Roses), Rob van der Loo (Epica), Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation), Danny Worsnop (Asking Alexandria), Casey Grillo (ex-Kamelot), Rocky Gray (ex-Evanescence), Mike Lepond (Symphony X), Tina Guo, and Snowy Shaw (ex-King Diamond, ex-Therion), making this thrilling in every sense of the word.
With a score this stacked with talent, one could say that OF BIRD AND CAGE is as much a metal album as it is a game. It's a fresh take on a genre flooded with entries of a repetitive nature, giving gamers the ability to experience music in a brand new way for it approaches trauma, violence, and madness in an action-packed, turn-based manner that is tailored to the electricity of the music. What it packs in every minute of its 2-hour journey is tantalizing and crucial to the multiple endings available to explore, warranting multiple returns to the conceptual world of Gitta Barbot. With just days to go for the release, we'd be remiss not to skyrocket OF BIRD AND CAGE to the top of your recommended lists. Your plans for this weekend have been sorted.
Check out the official gameplay trailer below and order the game HERE via Steam.