Birthdays the Beginning

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 25
  3. Negative: 1 out of 25
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  1. Digitally Downloaded
    May 5, 2017
    100
    Properly articulating what Birthdays means to me is difficult. It is the embodiment of the pure joy of gaming, where I can sit down and simply immerse myself within this space without feeling pressure or tension. There’s nothing to “win,” but everything to enjoy while, at the same time, the game is pointing out, in its very innocent and heartfelt way, a very simple but so important environmental message. To Yasuhiro Wada, the environment itself has always been the real protagonist of his games, and Birthdays The Beginning is the ultimate realisation of that philosophy.
  2. Twinfinite
    May 5, 2017
    90
    Despite the sometimes clumsy controls, though, Birthdays is still an incredibly easy-to-play game that serves as a great go-to for a quick bit of gaming. My entire family was intensely interested, and it became something that we got to explore together. The relaxed, minimalist gameplay style blends beautifully with the complex systems of the life that populates; every choice you make impacts what will thrive, what will die, and what new things you’ll discover.
  3. ZTGD
    May 10, 2017
    80
    I enjoyed my time with Birthdays the Beginning. It’s not an action game or even much of a strategy game. It has some fun elements to it that allow players to create and relax. Finding all the life forms is a fun endeavor, and one that I think people who enjoy games like Viva Piñata and to a sense, Minecraft, will have a lot of fun with it. Players wanting to create and explore is really what thing game is for. While never boring, it does have a few slow spots to it, and in here is where the players will generate their own fun creating their ecosystem.
  5. Hardcore Gamer
    May 7, 2017
    80
    Birthdays: The Beginning is a cute and clever world-builder where simple actions can have deep, complicated results. While it was never apparent that life evolved by the guiding hand of a super-sentai hero, Birthdays shows how much all of Earth owes to their climate-controlling wisdom. Flying around the planet raising and lowering the land has far more complex results than would be expected thanks to the interlocking systems, and it’s always a treat to see what new life pops up as the result of the latest round of tweaking. The main story is plenty big enough but is also joined by a sandbox and goal-based modes, providing plenty of world-building fun. As cute as it is deep, Birthdays is a purely charming life-sim.
  6. Destructoid
    May 5, 2017
    80
    Even though certain design elements aren't as streamlined, fleshed-out, or user-friendly as they could have been, part of me is just thankful Birthdays even got greenlit. Niche as it might be, I've wanted something like this for years, and despite my admittedly high expectations, I still came away impressed. I hope the game is able to find an audience, because it so clearly deserves one.
  7. CGMagazine
    Jun 6, 2017
    75
    Ironically, the only thing holding this game back is a lack of evolution.
  8. DualShockers
    May 8, 2017
    75
    I would have enjoyed more interaction between me and my organisms, but the game draws the line of interaction with the world to merely altering the land. With that said, the systems introduced in the game work well for a game that is supposed to the “beginning” of a much larger idea.
  9. Vandal
    May 7, 2017
    75
    It's a "evolution simulation" quite interesting, and although it has its flaws, it works quite well. A good choice for fans of the genre.
  10. PlayStation LifeStyle
    May 5, 2017
    75
    As a simulation, Birthdays the Beginning is a fairly unique approach to the open-world sandbox simulator. It does a fantastic job of demonstrating how important it’s to maintain balance within an ecosystem, in order for life to thrive. It also helps to drive home how even the smallest of organisms can make a gigantic impact on the world around them. The main issue is that the campaign is so focused on introducing new mechanics that it seems to lose sight of this unspoken thesis. In turn, this leads the player on a mission to track down answers that should instead be provided to them at a glance. Due to this, it’s hard to shake the feeling of being thrown into the deep end of an algae coated swamp, without a life raft.
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  1. Eurogamer
    May 5, 2017
    There is unique and unusual pleasure to balancing this world just so, but without a straightforward way to restart chapters, or way to wind the clock back to undo decisions, the troughs of frustration eventually come to overwhelm the peaks of delight.

User Reviews

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User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 14 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 14
  3. Negative: 3 out of 14
  1. CanadianYeti
    Jul 28, 2017
    5
    I’ll give Birthdays this: I like the concept. Building a world from the very start sounds like it could be a lot of fun. The big problem comesI’ll give Birthdays this: I like the concept. Building a world from the very start sounds like it could be a lot of fun. The big problem comes with how little interactivity and control you have over the world. The most you can do is raise and lower the terrain to change the temperature. Everything else is done for you, making it really hard to get invested in. I think if this was an iPad game you checked up on once every few hours instead of a PS4 game where you need to set aside time to play it would’ve been more successful.… Full Review »
  2. Saisuke
    May 10, 2017
    6
    The game is really cute, there are some interesting things to do until you finish it, like trying to make humans and dinosaurs exist at theThe game is really cute, there are some interesting things to do until you finish it, like trying to make humans and dinosaurs exist at the same time, but it gets old after a while.

    it doesn't last long either.
    If this was priced at 15, it would be an ok game, but priced at where it is... I can't really recommend it unless you're really into this types of games or have some cash to "burn".
    Get it when it's at discount if you want a chill simulation game sorta like simearth back in the days.    … Full Review »
  3. JenL
    May 15, 2017
    8
    Yes, it's simplistic. But it's also intensely complicated. To even play it, you have to really, actually play attention to the training.Yes, it's simplistic. But it's also intensely complicated. To even play it, you have to really, actually play attention to the training. When is the last time that happened? Oh- and there is so much they DON'T spell out. So that air of mystery survives. Did I mention educational? Inspirational? (takes a moment to cry about the environment and the current state of affairs.)… Full Review »
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