Flash Friday! – Take a Walk – Little Bird Game Reviews

In this Flash Friday, I’d like to show you a game that wants to remind the player of how a simple walk can provide a lovely escape from the monotonous routines of life.

Take a Walk by Bloblob Studios (2010)

Dwm 2014-03-07 01-32-12-58 — Your stereotypical bored cubical worker

The game creators make their point very obvious showing us a bored desk-job worker typing away on the menu screen. The chirping of birds entice him to leave his post and take a walk outside. As he makes his way towards more natural settings, the music and his expression change as well.

Dwm 2014-03-07 01-34-13-96 — Venture out yonder…

Each stage features its own song that represents the mood of the main character. The city is slow and monotone while the countryside is light and free. The final stage contains no signs of civilization where the main character runs free while an upbeat guitar fills the space. His expression goes from a tired frown to a completely ecstatic smile with every jump throughout the game.

Dwm 2014-03-07 01-45-07-43 — Free as a bird

The gameplay is based on rhythmic jumps in synch with the music over several obstacles. If you miss a jump, you can reverse time, and the soundtrack, to re-do it making for a simple challenge. There are floating notes that you can collect for more points but don’t affect the outcome of the game at all. If you are doing well, birds will fly alongside you but will leave rather suddenly if you make a mistake. The longer you can go without making a mistake, the more birds will want to join you. Since the mechanics are quite simple, the game relies on the melodic soundtrack to keep you interested.

The music also rewinds for nice bonus effect

The main features of Take a Walk are the soundtrack and the art that create every stage. The art is very detailed, especially in the city stage where graffiti lines the buildings and everything is made to look pretty dilapidated. Various animals can be seen in the background of the countryside and forest with the strange occurrence of giraffes and bears located in the same area. Throughout each stage, the artist’s unique style can be seen that look as though they were drawn with a ballpoint pen.