Of Bird And Cage - What We Know So Far
Billed as a "first of its kind story driven music game" on its Steam listing, "Of Bird and Cage" promises players a new way to experience metal. As Gitta Barbot, a young woman addicted to drugs, you'll embark on a two-hour journey centered on the struggle for freedom and sanity. The choices you make influence the path Barbot takes, ultimately determining whether she can escape the bonds created by her captor, a man named Bres Lupus.
The single-player narrative brings to life a unique metal album composed by Arnold Nesis, who has worked on a variety projects in the video game and film industries. According to the official website, the "Of Bird and Cage" score features the talents of several well-regarded musical artists, such as Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (ex-Guns N' Roses), Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation), and Rocky Grey (ex-Evanescence).
At its heart, "Of Bird and Cage" tells a twisted love story loosely inspired by "Beauty and the Beast." It takes on several themes, including Stockholm Syndrome, violence, trauma, and madness — all set to a custom-tailored symphonic metal soundtrack. If you've been waiting for music, dark fairytales, and narrative games to intersect, here's what you should know about "Of Bird and Cage."
What is the release date for Of Bird and Cage?
"Of Bird and Cage" started out as "The Birdcage" on Patreon before undergoing rebranding in mid-2019 to avoid conflicts with the film and a mobile title that released under the same name. The team behind "Of Bird and Cage" offered up a demo in late 2015, with the hope of wrapping development by Q3 2016. Following a slew of posts on Patreon, which included screenshots, concept art, and production check-ins, the creators shared plans for a new, more extensive demo in 2017 before going radio silent for over two years.
Though the group apologized for dropping the ball with its Patreon updates, the project finally came back strong with its name change, Steam listing, and the first of several live performances of the soundtrack. "Of Bird and Cage" developer Capricia Productions also revealed that it had completed an overhaul of the graphics.
After years of work and launching a second, limited-run demo, the team's efforts at last culminated in a release date announcement: "Of Bird and Cage" debuts on May 20.
Is there a trailer for Of Bird and Cage?
Capricia Productions and publisher All in! Games have shared several trailers since "Of Bird and Cage" rebranded, ranging from a gameplay-focused spotlight during the Future Games Show Spring Showcase to quick teasers designed to generate hype for the May launch. The latest trailer falls under the latter category, offering a 36-second peak into protagonist Gitta Barbot's life.
The "Of Bird and Cage" Teaser Trailer #3 builds on the previous installments, which focus on two negative moments from Barbot's childhood. In the third teaser, you see an adult Barbot scribbling lyrics into a notebook while seated at a table in a diner. Her rather prickly boss interrupts the moment to tell her to "Get back to work." After she stands and grabs a broom, the scene transitions to a rundown Barbot leaving the restaurant while a man watches from a car in the parking lot. The man matches the appearance of Bres Lupus, her captor, implying that the sequence takes place before she falls under his poisonous influence.
Which platforms will Of Bird and Cage be available on?
Metalheads who prefer to game on consoles are in for a bit of bad news: Capricia Productions and All in! Games have only confirmed "Of Bird and Cage" for a PC release. Even your choice of storefronts is limited, as you can only pick up the narrative game on Steam. There may still be hope on the horizon for gamers who would rather play using a controller over a mouse and keyboard, however.
According to the original Patreon page, the "Of Bird and Cage" team has always had on an eye on multi-platform distribution. "We don't want to fight our audience, we want to come and meet you wherever you're at – Your smartphones, your PC, your gaming consoles," read the "About" section. While Capricia Productions targeted mobile and PC first, it indicated that "budget excesses" could lead to ports for other devices.
Steam sales and the continued success of the project's Patreon will likely serve as major factors for determining whether "Of Bird and Cage" makes the jump to Xbox, PlayStation, or Switch. So, if you hope to experience "Of Bird and Cage" on your shiny new PS5 or Series S one day, you'd better encourage the PC gamers in your life to Wishlist and buy on Steam once pre-orders open up. Even then, nothing is guaranteed