Valheim has been in early access for five years now, and in that time, it has inspired a brand-new survival sandbox game that already boasts a lot of charm. This time around, though, the main characters are birds instead of Vikings. Valheim blends intense survival gameplay with cozy home-building, and this upcoming indie game takes the cozy part of the experience and puts it in the spotlight.
This bird-filled take on the Valheim formula is called Free as Birds: UAZO, and it’s shaping up to be a unique and compelling spin on what makes the former such a fun game. The project is still in development, but it’s now on the list of new indie games on Steam to keep on one’s radar. There is only a little bit of information known about Free as Birds: UAZO right now, but the developer has been teasing a few exciting features to expect at launch.
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Free as Birds: UAZO Aims to Capture the Magic of Valheim’s Home Building in a Brand-New Way
Free as Birds: UAZO is being developed by RagBell Games. As a solo developer, they have taken to the Valheim Reddit page to gather feedback from potential players. While RagBell promises that there will be a little bit of combat and survival mechanics, that’s definitely not the focus of Free as Birds: UAZO. Instead, this bird-centric game is aiming to capture Valheim‘s more relaxing qualities through birdhouse building. Despite its tough survival moments, Valheim is a cozy game when it comes to creating the perfect home. RagBell says, “I’m trying to replicate that feeling you get in Valheim when you get back home after an exploration session.” Valheim‘s building mechanics can be incredibly cathartic, and using this as a platform to create a birdhouse building game seems like it would fit quite well.
Balance the critic averages
Balance the critic averages
Easy (6)Medium (8)Hard (10)
In order to make the satisfaction of returning to one’s birdhouse as rewarding as Valheim, though, RagBell is aware that there needs to be at least some sense of danger. When talking about Free as Birds: UAZO‘s challenge level, RagBell says, “It probably won’t get any harder than Black Forest level of difficulty. But I do want to give some level of danger to the outside world compared to player bases.” Valheim‘s Black Forest is a decent spike in challenge, so Free as Birds: UAZO won’t be a total walk in the park.
Features That Will Be in Free as Birds: UAZO
- Flying and diving mechanics
- Large procedurally-generated worlds
- Exploration and discovery
- Crafting
- Resource Gathering
- Extensive home building
- Bird customization
- Farming, fishing, and cooking
- Online co-op
From the procedurally-generated worlds to the online co-op, Free as Birds: UAZO is promising many other features that make Valheim such a strong survival sandbox title. There are some great games like Valheim out there, but Free as Birds: UAZO looks like one of the more unique takes on this kind of gameplay. RagBell has also confirmed that while there will be some “toggleable PvP” in addition to PvE, the main focus is on creating a world that’s fun to explore with friends through co-op. At the moment, it’s unclear how many players this online co-op will support, though.
RagBell has yet to reveal a release window for Free as Birds: UAZO. However, the good news is that interested gamers can now wishlist the game on Steam. Those who love Valheim‘s gameplay but are in search of something new may want to keep Free as Birds: UAZO on their radar. It may not have Vikings or the more intense danger of Valheim, but it looks like it could be a wonderful cozy option to experience solo or with friends.
- Released
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February 2, 2021
- ESRB
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r
- Developer(s)
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Iron Gate AB
