Welcome to Project Songbird, a first-person cinematic narrative horror game developed predominantly by myself, Connor Rush/Fyre Games.. You take on the role of Dakota, a career musician who has decided to retreat away to the remote Appalachian forest amidst a particularly bad bout of writer’s block to record their newest album.
While the game is reminiscent of mainstays of the modern survival horror genre such as Resident Evil or Silent Hill, Project Songbird finds a lot of its core gaming inspirations elsewhere.
From the surrealism of Sam Lake’s writing in Alan Wake, to the emotional story-telling of Firewatch or What Remains of Edith Finch, to the bold experimentation of Davey Wreden’s The Beginner’s Guide, Project Songbird strives for a truly diverse and captivating experience.
Not only inspired by games, Project Songbird sets out with the mission of replicating the feel of a slowburn, arthouse horror film, both in tone and in presentation. The works of Ari Aster or Robert Eggers, particularly “The Witch”, come to mind when comparing the atmosphere which Project Songbird brings to the table.
Other points of filmic reference can be found in movies like “The Blair Witch Projects” or “The Ritual”, both of which were studied in order to really bring about that feeling as if the forest was its own living, breathing character.
To support a film-like game such as Project Songbird, an all-star cast was essential for delivering the sort of emotional weight necessary. In the leading role of Dakota is Valerie Rose Lohman, who is best known for their titular role in the aforementioned What Remains of Edith Finch, as well as Jess Blazkowicz in Wolfenstein: Youngblood. In addition, some incredible actors such as Dying Light 2’s Jonah Scott and Marvel Rival’s Aleks Le fill out the supporting cast in a way which truly creates some magnetic moments of dialogue.
But no game is complete without its gameplay, and Project Songbird’s truly accentuates the narrative at hand. Dakota is not a musician, not a super soldier; every swing of their axe or shot from their rifle comes with a certain weight and heft. While these weapons can be upgrades to fair a bit better, no fight comes without a challenge. For that reason, stealth is always an option. Dakota has plenty of tools at their disposal including bottles and a microphone to help navigate these dangerous encounters effectively and quietly.
At the end of the day though, Project Songbird is nothing if not a labor of love. Every game from Fyre Games (and inherently myself) functions as almost a diary of sorts, thematically centering itself around a particular fear or uncomfortable thought that I’m stuck with at the time. It’s the sort of emotional attachment, bold experimentation, and narrative intimacy that you can only find in a small game such as this. Every piece of this game is a result of years of heart and soul, and I hope it comes through in every moment.
Project Songbird is a deeply personal and emotional story, and one that we can’t wait for you to experience for yourself.