BIRDCAGE is an intense-but-fair arcade-style vertical shooter that hits the difficulty factor square on the head. It is hard but beatable while giving serious players a chance to swell scores if they wish. Simply put, this is a good shmup. Even though there is no gimmicky polarity system, the overall look, feel, and design reminds me of Ikaruga which should please most shooter fans.
Part of what makes this shooter entertaining is the simplified, nothing-to-fancy, control scheme. RT unleashes a screen filling spreadshot while RB condenses the firepower to a funneled beam while reducing ship speed, making it easier to navigate those crazy bullet hekk moments. Then, the left action buttons are reserved for a super attack and slowly refills over time and a laser sword that auto-aims towards the closest target or can be controlled twin stick style; it also helps to act like a shield. This system works well and makes the entire experience approachable. On top of that, a short interactive tutorial explains everything well.
For a shooter, there is a surprisingly large amount of narrative. Unfortunately, while these story beats are the glue that links one encounter to the next, it is difficult to understand. I’m not sure if this is from a poor translation but characters speak as if the player has been following the lore for years. The first playthrough, sure, go ahead and try and make sense of it but know that all convos can be skipped by holding a button for a couple seconds. You don’t need to understand the story to have fun with it. Oh, and one minor complaint, when Achievements pop, they always lay directly over the dialog boxes.
There are six stages in total but the last couple are the most special. I don’t wish to spoil it here but was thrilled with the gameplay additions and changes in the final act. In fact, I wish more shooters went the extra mile like this because it really becomes memorable.
The shooter gameplay follows a typical flow, however. Meaning, you start by flying through a stage, take down a bunch of enemy fodder, eventually encounter a mini boss, more standard enemies, then a larger stage capping boss must be bested before continuing. Bosses are huge too, pretty much taking up half the screen while their firepower takes the rest. Each stage features a different backdrop and while some common enemies repeat, they are presented at the player so quickly you won’t have time to notice. Plus, there are also secret coins to collect for score chasers.
Speaking of high scores, there are also online leaderboards for each mode and difficulty. Uniquely, the score attack mode isn’t a boring reshelling of the campaign. Instead, it is a test to see how many points you can score in couple minutes. Again, I wish more shooters took a different approach like this. Also, the more you play, the more currency is collected which can be spent to unlock more lore from the story. In other words, there is plenty to do even if you mastered the campaign.
BIRDCAGE carries a slightly higher price of $15 but it is worth it. Thanks to the fine-tuned difficulty factor, approachable control scheme, and extra options, this EastAsiaSoft published shooter is easy to recommend.
SCORE: 8/10
By: Zachary Gasiorowski, Editor in Chief myGamer.com
X/Twitter: @ZackGaz
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