Project Songbird

Project Songbird will divide gamers, but it’s worth playing. The story premise is well-worn, but it works, and Dakota is a cool character to work with. The narrative goes some weird places, even if the final third doesn’t deliver on the initial promise. The atmosphere is great, especially when players get to run through Dakota's record collection as she delivers her critical evaluation. I wish the experience leaned more on these elements, including the nature sound recording and the photos. The nighttime puzzle sequences and the creature avoidance fail to be as engaging. These sequences, apart from a few jump scares, also don’t deliver on the promise of some solid horror. Project Songbird is worth playing for the story and the vinyl records, as long as players are willing to overlook some clunky gameplay elements.

While the pacing can be a bit slow early, the mechanics feel somewhat uninspired, and the lack of direction can hinder you at times, Project Songbird still manages to be a great horror game, one with incredible artistic merit and deep symbolism. Come for a story worth experiencing, and leave with a lasting memory.

Overall, Project Songbird deserves its very positive Steam rating. The game gets a lot right, particularly its horror and its narrative. The game’s flaws are too minor to outweigh its positives. I can easily recommend this one to anyone who is a fan of psychological horrors with a story. The narrative and deeper message perhaps aren’t life changing, but I do think many creatives will be able to relate in some way—hopefully without the trauma and the monsters. Just remember that your art, whatever that may look like, is for you. Even if there isn’t a whole lot of fans or popularity gained, don’t forget who the artist is—yourself.

Project Songbird gives up a must-see story, for anyone who wants to understand the negatives of the creative process, or who can relate, with or without Dakota's level of tangible fame. Just because the game initiates a dialogue about creating against expectations doesn't mean it needs to be given credit for doing so when the end result just simply doesn't work, though. Both the actual combat and the stealth options lack satisfaction, and look much worse in contrast to the rest. In hindsight, while the ambition was clearly there, the stripped back version would have been better, and still would have had enough for a complete experience.

Project Songbird is proof that even with a smaller budget, you can create a work that will be etched in the player's memory. It is a title for the more demanding player who, instead of hectoliters of blood, seeks depth and atmosphere. An interesting theme, top-notch sound and the persistent feeling that you are not alone make the game one of the more interesting indie horrors of recent times.