Project Songbird Reviews
While this game has it’s pacing issues and no enemy variety, it compensates that with a captivating emotional story and a special atmosphere all glued together with good indie music
Review in Arabic | Read full review
The emotional value of Project Songbird is undeniable, and it’s possible to feel the care Conner Rush has for the game, but its approach to the horror genre is a double-edged sword, and the result is not always satisfying or emotionally effective.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
It wasn’t my favorite video game so far this year and it won’t nearly be my least favorite, but it may end up being the most memorable. It has been a long time since I’ve played a new game that puts art at the forefront of its creation, and Project Songbird was a refreshing venture back into that sentiment.
Project Songbird tells a beautiful story in two forms. One of depression, and another of from the perspective of the artist and their work. Game-play is kept at a nice pace and filled with dialogue or music. Making the game never quiet unless needed for effect. There is combat, which is very much optional in Project Songbird, but it aims to tell its compelling story first. The game may start slow but as I played through Dakota’s story it was interesting to get a glimpse of how critics can have a negative impact on the artist themselves. To the point I almost felt bad writing my thoughts on the game! Projects Songbird’s ending delivers a meta video that brilliantly shows off with some of the games themes. It was definitely impactful to playthrough the story in one sitting, and be left with some insight. I would highly recommend this as one to dedicate time to play through all at once. Gameplay is simple and enjoyable, with some minor tedious moments. So I shall be giving Project Songbird the Thumb Culture Gold Award
Despite this, I’ve enjoyed my time with Project Songbird all the same. While it didn’t grip me fully, I did enjoy aspects of the tale, and I really dug the horror sections thanks to great use of audio and visuals to make a genuinely unsettling experience.
When I started up Project Songbird, I had to sit through quite a bit of dialogue from the creator trying to justify the game’s existence. Whenever I would load the game up, I’d be asked to rate it or have an aspect explained. I was enjoying the slow build before the “Otherworld” sections, but something just wasn’t quite sitting well with me. I feel that Project Songbird would have been a much stronger title if the creators of the game had more faith in their original design and choices. Instead, it feels like the developer is pleading with you to accept where they had to renege on their original vision, almost mirroring the narrative of the game. Frankly, it just weakens the title even further, a title that could have been something special if you look at its stronger points alone. Between spotty performance, disjointed gameplay, and apologetic dialogue, I couldn’t recommend Project Songbird. It had everything in place to be a hit indie horror title. Instead, it feels like outside factors may have ruined the original vision, which is bleeding through from the second you boot the game up.
Project Songbird is a game I think anyone in a creative industry should play, whether you’re a musician, a painter, a writer, a game developer, or someone in any field that is about making something. The game shares a prominent and important message about how many artists will push themselves so much farther than could ever be sustainable. This felt especially relevant in today’s world, where artists are being forced to compete with the existence of generative AI. In publishing Project Songbird, Rush and FYRE Games have made me want to create. Playing this game made me want to make the things that I want to make, and to not allow anyone or anything to make me resent doing the creative things I love.
Project Songbird is ambitious, atmospheric and, while not super original, still manages to be interesting and enjoyable, even if it doesn't quite reach its full potential.
Project Songbird is a personal reflection of the difficulties of continuing to create art that fans with love at the expense of artistic integrity in the guise of a narrative horror, and it's great.
Project Songbird is not for everyone. If you want mechanically tight horror combat, this will frustrate you. If you want a story-led psychological horror game with strong performances, memorable atmosphere, and an emotionally heavy core, this is worth playing. For an indie horror built with this level of personal intent, that is a big achievement.
The premise is intriguing, but the frustrating combat and stealth make this game a chore to get through. A bizarre choice at the end undercut the whole narrative that was being built.
Project Songbird is a narrative horror game that knows very well how to use its artistic concept to its advantage. Visually beautiful and highly purposeful, the game explores sensitive themes in an experience that could be better in terms of gameplay.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Project Songbird offers a raw, vulnerable, and moving narrative about the brutal reality of creating art that is complemented by a blend of serene exploration and thrilling horror. It does have some flaws – the combat feels unnecessary and the technical performance can be a bit spotty – but it more than makes up for these issues by offering an eerie yet memorable experience that’ll linger with you long after the credits roll.
I mostly enjoyed my time with Project Songbird. The narrative is handled with care and earns its emotional weight without being spoiled here. The sound design and music deserves a lot of praise, and the voice cast and performances really sell the story being told here. However resource balance; bullets, painkillers, melee durability, occasionally tips toward overwhelming rather than tense. Some enemy encounters shift from scary into frustrating rather than maintaining dread. If you’re a scaredy cat like me, I’m sure you’ll also enjoy the roughly 5 hour journey into grief in the Appalachian mountains, and horror veterans might not get scared but are sure to get some fun out of trying to grab the no healing achievement as they stumble past mannequins and statues.
A bold horror that never quite finds its own voice.
Project Songbird is far from perfect, and Conner Rush knows it. He never set out to chase top scores—his goal was to tell his story and build a game that reflected his own way of understanding the medium. In that sense, he absolutely succeeds: Dakota’s journey resonates with anyone willing to tune into its frequency. Balancing fear and self‑acceptance, Project Songbird is an intimate, measured psychological horror. It stumbles at times (yes, combat isn’t exactly your strong suit, Conner), but its atmosphere lands with precision. Aware of its limits, the game still offers genuine, heartfelt emotion to anyone ready to descend into the abyss at Dakota’s core.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Project Songbird really relies on the atmosphere, the sound effects, and a bit on the story. In terms of gameplay, there is something to criticize everywhere, and the puzzles you solve are mostly based on converting numbers and codes into interactions with objects, which I personally found a bit dull. Audiovisually, the game is remarkably strong, and the claustrophobic atmosphere in particular, where you constantly feel like you are not alone, makes the game a true thriller, especially from Act II onwards. Having played for about 6 to 7 hours, the game is coming to a good end, meaning you certainly can't complain about the game's length. Is Project Songbird a must-have then? No, perhaps not quite, but for enthusiasts, the game will undoubtedly live up to its promises. If you enjoy a terrifying adventure that manages to grip you just as effectively without jumpscares, then this is a very good choice.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Project Songbird set itself the ambitious goal of being a playable A24 movie and in my opinion it definitely succeeded. The atmosphere remains incredibly dense throughout the entire game, keeping you on the edge of your seat and developer Conner Rush manages to create an artful realization of a deeply personal story. Even though the game doesn't utilize the latest hardware to the fullest and occasionally a texture is a bit blurry or objects pop in, the visuals still managed impressed me throughout the game. At some points I was completely taken by surprise and even if you think you've seen every trick in video games I'm pretty sure this horror title will surprise you too at one point or another.
Review in German | Read full review