30 Birds

30 Birds (2024) takes you to a psychedelic hand-painted city on the hunt for birds. You explore, talk and outwit the strange characters you meet in your mission to save Simurgh, the giant bird goddess. It's a game that is inspired by Persian art, alternative illustration, Jamaican music and Arabian Nights. Unusually, you explore in and out of the surfaces of the flying lanterns which adds both puzzle and otherworldly feel to proceedings.

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You play Zig on the hunt for the thirty birds. As you explore the lanterns of the flying city you work your way to the goddess Simurgh. It's a game as much about the characters you meet as about the treasure hunt or puzzles.

It mixes dialogue and lore. Old tales, mythology and modern life are mixed up together to create a surprisingly coherent whole. From Djinns to magic animals, regular weirdos to mafia rude boys, Zig has to get them talking by creating beautiful bird designs and musical lanterns with a good dose of dub. Only then may she be able to wake up Simurgh, the giant bird Queen, from her decade long sleep.

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Our examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked 30 Birds 3 years ago. It was re-examined by Ollie Robertson and updated 2 weeks ago.