Birth

by Madison Karrh for Mac OS X

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Puzzle game with existential themes

Birth is a premium adventure game coming from developer Madison Karrh. It’s a puzzle title that features philosophical and supernatural themes for its gameplay and story. In it, players will be constructing a companion creature from the remains of other living things that they manage to find around their city.

Similar in gameplay to other games like A little to the left or Unpacking, Birth has simple controls that revolve around point-and-click mechanics. They’ll be solving physics-based puzzles, and meet a variety of characters along the way. Everything is rendered in a distinct art style and color palette.

Of death and companionship

Life can be such a somber and solitary existence, especially for those who live it all alone. The feeling of loneliness and sadness inevitably creeps in, and you’re left with this deep sense of longingness for companionship. Birth is a game that takes this feeling and addresses it in quite a bizarre way. If you can’t find a partner, make one yourself.

Here, you play as a lonely soul trying to create a mate for yourself from the remains of other living things. To help with your endeavor, you’ll go about the town’s establishments to solve puzzles in return for organs and bones. There’s no dialogue in the game but the disturbingly pretty visuals and relaxing music can more than convey the message by themselves.

As you collect more “parts” for your creation, you’ll encounter and witness the lives of others, all partnered up, but are not as happy as they ought to be. It makes you stop and ponder what companionship is all about behind the veil of happiness and perfection. With that said, the experience is short, since you can complete everything in just a few hours.

Creepy yet heartwarming

Birth is a game that will grab players’ attention with its disturbing imagery paired with unusual pastel vibrancy. Go past the surface, and the philosophical and existential implications and pondering start to creep in. It’s a unique and relatable game worth experiencing for just about any grown adult out there. It’s not your typical puzzle adventure title, and it’s what makes it all the more appealing.