BIRDHOUSE is a story-driven walking simulator where the main character, Wick, must explore his surroundings as a dark entity tries to infiltrate his secluded forest home. It combines cozy visual aesthetics and bright, warm colors with dark and eerie moments. The stark contrast between these styles provides the player with a false sense of security as the house, which initially felt safe and comfortable, becomes a dark place that the player cannot escape. The game features entirely hand-drawn assets and animated cutscenes, as well as an original soundtrack created by Henry Burroughs.
Initially, the scope of this game was incredibly small, with a playtime of about 10 minutes. I intended to begin my journey as a game developer by learning the basics of RPGMaker and quickly creating this short experience. Over time, however, my interest in the concept of BIRDHOUSE grew, and I increased the scope of the game to include animated cutscenes, collectibles, and multiple endings to curate a unique interactive story experience for players. I wanted my first game to be short and sweet, focusing more on storytelling and atmosphere than unique gameplay mechanics. Now that BIRDHOUSE is released, I have learned a lot about the game development and release process and I'm excited to expand my skills on my future projects.