I admit it: I’m a former eSports hopeful who now lounges with a bemused grin, torching hype videos for laughs. Black Bird, Onion Games’ 2018 dark-fantasy shooter, promised a macabre operatic romp. Did it deliver or just croak under its own ambition? Here’s my verdict.
Overall Impressions
Black Bird stands out by fusing Fantasy Zone-style whimsy with score-chasing intensity. The core hook—a little girl reborn as a ravenous crow—feels fresh in a genre awash with mecha and spacecraft. The first four stages flow with a breezy 20-minute pace. Then Onion Games gently yanks the rug, nearly daring you to chase high scores for unlocks and eight unique endings. It’s clever design, though I sometimes longed for a deeper narrative spine. Compared to bullet-hell staples like Ikaruga or Dodonpachi, Black Bird feels more forgiving yet equally rewarding for perfectionists.
Gameplay Mechanics
The game’s Scoring Sync pulses enemy spawns to the operatic soundtrack, rewarding players who master its rhythm. Meanwhile, Gem‑Powered Growth encourages strategic collection of emerald shards—evolving your ragged hatchling into a colossal crow. Additionally, the Bomb‑Based Multiplier lets you build massive combos before detonating for maximum points. Furthermore, Upgrade Pots allow you to tailor mid‑run boosts—whether health, speed, or extra bombs—to perfectly suit your playstyle.
The limited controls and lack of a dedicated dodge roll can make some enemy attacks feel cheap. This means you often need perfect timing, which can frustrate more casual players. Having to go back to the main menu after each death—because there’s no quick restart or in-run replay—also breaks up the action. These hiccups slow down progress and can hurt overall enjoyment, though future patches might fix them.
Story and Characters
Black Bird’s story is woven in dark, delicate threads. Instead of long cutscenes, you piece things together by replaying levels. At first, all you know is that a young girl died “pitifully” and came back as a vengeful spirit. As you smash your way through different eras, you uncover tiny hints—tattered diary pages, mysterious NPC comments, and clues about who killed her. It’s minimalist, with eight endings that tease different moral outcomes. If you want a fully voiced cast, you might be disappointed. I, however, loved uncovering the mystery bit by bit, playing detective to fill in her backstory.
Visuals and Graphics
Onion Games blends steampunk motifs with silhouette art. Towns look like twisted brass dioramas. Human sprites wobble cartoonishly, earning scorn and squawks from your Black Bird avatar. Boss monsters brim with gothic flair—a clockwork knight sporting a pincer for a hand or a baroque cephalopod crowned in bayonets. Texture work sits somewhere between mobile polish (Million Onion Hotel vibes) and indie grit. Even on max settings, I spotted occasional texture pop-ins. Still, the art style consistently reinforces the game’s operatic dread.
Sound and Music
The soundtrack pumps orchestral blood through every level. Each stage theme breathes life into on-screen carnage. Enemy patterns lock to musical crescendos, so you practically “hear” safe windows. Bomb detonations ring like cathedral bells, and the final boss theme flirts with a Wagnerian climax. There’s no voice acting, but the mournful ambient vocals spice up the atmosphere. I can’t think of another shmup where I tapped my foot as violently while dodging a giant lobster.
Difficulty and Replayability
Black Bird caters to both newcomers and score-mad veterans. Normal Mode lets me breeze through the four stages in about 20 minutes. True Mode, unlocked after one clear, ratchets up bullet patterns and shrinks hitboxes. Leaderboards beckon. I spent nights chasing score chains, striving for that sweet high-score ending which supposedly reveals her true fate. Other players echoed my experience: once you unlock basic mechanics, the game blooms. You discover alternate scoring routes, tighter combos, and secret photon-flash events that net bonus gems.
Developer Trivia
Onion Games’ pedigree traces back to cult hits like Flower, Sun, and Rain, and the sleeper mobile crown jewel Million Onion Hotel. They released Black Bird on Halloween 2018, oddly timed alongside bigger AAA blockbusters. CAVE developers even streamed early builds on their Twitch channel. That nod from shmup royalty amplified the niche buzz. Despite “Very Positive” Steam reviews, the wider world still largely ignores Onion Games’ dark opera.
Final Thoughts
Black Bird proves that a bold hook, smart scoring, and a killer soundtrack can elevate a modest indie shooter. Its shortfall lies in restrictive menus and sparse narrative flesh. Yet its relentless push toward higher vistas keeps me glued to my seat. For fans of score-chasing, operatic atmospheres, and off-beat fantasy, this game perches proudly among 2018’s best.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Pros
Ingenious music‑synced scoring immerses players as each beat dictates enemy spawns, creating a satisfying learning curve. Moreover, the distinct steampunk‑opera art style captivates with ornate machinery and dramatic flair that elevates every scene. Additionally, rich replay value via multiple endings encourages exploration and strategic choices, so you’ll want to dive back in to uncover every narrative path.
Cons
The lack of an instant restart or replay save can break immersion during intense runs. Consequently, having to navigate the main menu after each death disrupts momentum. Meanwhile, minimal direct narrative exposition leaves some players craving deeper story context. Ultimately, addressing these friction points could transform frustration into seamless engagement.
If you crave a shooter that rewards both twitch reflexes and strategic combo building, spread your wings and become the Black Bird. Just don’t expect a gentle landing.
