Looking for something that will allow you to explore some of the most famous cities in the world and their landmarks while also being fun and whimsical? Look no further than Pigeon: A Love Story, the latest project from indie developer Wristwork. This game combines the concept of a needle in a haystack with something we see every day (and tend to take for granted): the rock dove, or the common pigeon as most people might know them. Players are tasked with exploring cities in search of their soulmate, which provides a unique challenge in every unique map that they are presented with.
Be Your Own “Wing”-man
The main goal of Pigeon: A Love Story is for the player to find their soulmate. There are several maps that they can explore in order to achieve this goal, such as Paris or Tokyo. Each map ranges in size, thus ranging in the number of non-playable pigeons present in each map. Amsterdam is the smallest playable map, containing roughly 162,000 pigeons, while the largest map, Tokyo, gives the player the chance to interact with over 1.1 million pigeons. These numbers might seem intimidating, but who has ever said love doesn’t come without any kind of challenge?
The player’s primary mechanic to use to find their soulmate is the ‘coo’ ability. As the player takes flight in the various cities around the world, they will need to collect small piles of birdseed in order to charge their coo radius. Depending on how much bird seed has been collected, the coo will travel out in front of the player, interacting with every pigeon it comes into contact with. The bigger the coo, the further it will travel and the more pigeons it will call to. If the player is rejected by a pigeon, it will turn red and give a line in response (i.e., “I’m not into pigeons.” or “Thank you, next.”). Along with these, the game will also occasionally give hints on where the player’s soulmate might be, giving a direction to go in or simply reassuring the player that they are on the right track.
Each playable map also has its own unique landmarks for the player to discover. Amsterdam has a total of forty-eight, while Tokyo has a hundred and twenty-two. These all correlate to real-life landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower in the Paris map or the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam. Other buildings or landmarks, such as bodies of water, can be seen as the player takes flight as well; they are not able to be interacted with, but they are added in nonetheless for geographic accuracy. Everything is recognizable, down to every label on every street. These are small details that many might overlook, but an eye for these details is something that would be missed if it was not present.
Leaving the Flock: Other Play Styles
Found your soulmate in a solo game and still feeling lonely? Thankfully, Pigeon: A Love Story also offers a multiplayer experience with two different game modes, playable with up to eight friends. Players have the option to compete with others to each find their own individual soulmate on the map or to attempt to find one another. Each player has their own unique experience ahead of them as they search through each map either to find their friends or to race against the clock to find their soulmate first. The gameplay is essentially the same as it is in single-player mode, so feel free to relax and unwind with friends in this fun world. Crossplay is also enabled, allowing PC and mobile players to join the same game.
Pigeon: A Love Story is undoubtedly a very relaxing game. If players have other things to work on or simply want some background noise, the game can be started in passive mode. This allows players to watch it in a windowed setting, allowing the game to literally play itself if they have other obligations. The original soundtrack, along with the soft sounds of coos and wings flapping, can be enjoyed with any playstyle, whether it’s active or passive in nature.
The Bottom Line: Pigeons are Pretty “Coo”
Pigeon: A Love Story is not a game that is meant to have an intense story or complicated mechanics. Many gamers will tell you that sometimes what they need is something to unwind and relax with, and this game certainly fills that quota. Whether players are looking for a lone wolf experience to search for their soulmate and to explore cities, or to unwind with friends and go on a scavenger hunt for one another, so many options are presented in such a seemingly simple game. The scale maps make for a wonderful experience, giving players an immersive map to find familiar landmarks and to stretch their wings and fly, so to speak. Pick up your copy of Pigeon: A Love Story today for PC, iOs, or Android!
