Star Birds Review: I Can’t Believe How Challenging a Management Sim Is About Birds in Space

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When you imagine resource management simulations, games like City Skylines, Frostpunk, and Factorio usually come to mind – these are quite detailed and complex. However, Star Birds sets itself apart from the pack. Instead of focusing on intense, survival-based decisions for humanity’s sake, it asks an intriguing question: “What if birds could conquer space?” The natural progression is that these avian creatures would transform into interstellar explorers, voyaging through distant galaxies in pursuit of the origin of a strange alien artifact they discovered while on the surface of a star.

The game titled “Star Birds” was produced by Toukana Interactive, the same team behind the creation of “Dorfromantik”. Similar to “Dorfromantik”, this latest offering maintains an intricate harmony between chaos and order, boasting easy-to-grasp yet challenging levels. While newcomers can easily pick up “Star Birds”, it caters to strategy enthusiasts by providing opportunities for them to test their optimization skills to the limit.

ComicBook has not rated Star Birds because it is still in early access.

Pros Cons
Satisfyingly snappy sound effects and cohesive and clean visuals. Early access, so not always fully functional, some bugs.
Complex and engaging stage/level design. Story somewhat disconnected from gameplay.
In-game Wiki with incredibly useful information.

Simple Worldbuilding Sets Star Birds Up Smoothly

In a playful departure from traditional resource-management sims, “Star Birds” incorporates an unconventional theme of “birds in space,” adding a unique twist to the game. The dialogue is humorous yet somewhat melodramatic, setting the stage for the game without much pomp. The core concept isn’t complex, and it appears that the game prioritizes its mechanics over story development. However, since “Star Birds” is still in early access, there’s ample room for the developers to enrich the game further before its full release.

In this game, players take on the role of bird-like captains, piloting their own spacecrafts through diverse asteroid fields. The goal is to collect, refine, and produce different resources, which are then transported back to your home world, contributing to the expansion of your avian civilization. While this narrative offers a unique setting, it’s not the game’s main selling point. Instead, the engaging gameplay is likely what attracts players most.

Star Birds Features a Complex Gameplay Loop But Falls Short on Story Beats

The distinct levels in Star Birds offer novel building types and resources to handle, which can sometimes feel overwhelming due to their variety. However, the game’s narrative leaves much to be desired as it is currently lacking depth. Although its Steam page promises more story content upon the release of version 1.0, the existing storyline falls short of being engaging and feels rather superficial.

It’s good news that the game, referred to as Star Birds, isn’t primarily enjoyed for its storyline. Instead, it shines in its gameplay, offering a more manageable organizational experience compared to Factorio. Despite being easier, it still delivers the same level of gratification during gameplay. The game’s core lies in its logistical challenges, which are robust enough to serve as the main attraction.

Star Bird’s Biggest Challenge Isn’t Because of Its Mechanics

In the game Star Birds, similar to many resource management sims, the fundamental concept is straightforward: gather resources to manufacture goods and boost the economy. However, what sets Star Birds apart is the additional hurdle: most of the required resources are distributed across different asteroids and must be transported between them to establish supply chains for production facilities. To conquer each sector, players need to understand not just what each asteroid produces, but also where that resource is being used and where it’s essential, ensuring resources are moved efficiently to support the buildings that need them.

Besides global arrangement within the system, the game Star Birds necessitates optimal organization on asteroids as well. If players arbitrarily place harvesters and pipelines, the result can be a chaotic tangle of structures that impede each other. Consequently, Star Birds is not merely about mechanical comprehension; it invites players to work efficiently, ensuring they produce only what’s needed and in the most appropriate locations.

After completing each level’s primary objective, there is room for further improvement. Each stage is graded based on the number of stars earned, with some stages receiving around thirty and others reaching over fifty points. While a minimal amount of stars is enough to progress to the next level for those who just seek completion, players who have spent hours fine-tuning their conveyor lines in games like Factorio will appreciate the additional rewards for excellence in Star Birds.

This game, named Star Birds, serves as a wonderful introduction to resource management simulations for those who might find other games in this category too challenging. The game provides sufficient guidance without leaving any room for failure, offering varying levels of success instead. As an early access title, Star Birds offers a one-of-a-kind and engaging experience within the realm of resource management games.

A review copy for Steam was provided to ComicBook for the purpose of this review.

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2025-09-11 01:46