Birdigo: When Balatro and Wordle Had a Weird, Feathery Baby (and We're Kinda Here For It)
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
*Birdigo*, a bizarre mashup of *Balatro*, *Wordle*, and a flock of fidgety birds, is either a stroke of genius or a recipe for disaster; either way, it sounds like a laugh. Grab the demo and see if it's a flight of fancy or destined to crash and burn.
Alright, so Rock Paper Shotgun's Edwin Evans-Thirlwell reckons the new game *Birdigo* is an "atrocious and indecent" offspring of *Balatro* and *Wordle*. Bit harsh, innit? Apparently, it's what happens when you ask, "What if *Balatro*, but *Wordle*?" And then maybe throw in a dash of *Scrabble* for good measure.
Now, I know what you're thinking: *Balatro* meets *Wordle*? Sounds like a recipe for a headache. But hear me out. *Balatro*, that poker roguelite that everyone (rightly) went bonkers for last year, crossed with the New York Times' daily brain teaser? It's… certainly a concept. And look, RPS might get a chunk of their traffic from Wordle guides (who doesn't?), but that doesn't automatically make this a terrible idea.
The bizarre lovechild comes from John August (the bloke who wrote *Corpse Bride* and *Charlie's Angels*, oddly enough) and Corey Martin, the mad genius behind *Bonfire Peaks*. Apparently, it all started during a podcast. Podcasting: the root of all questionable ideas! The gameplay revolves around using letter tiles to make words, which then gives you “flaps” to fly a flock of birds around the world. Yeah, I know, stick with me!
The *Balatro* element comes in the form of multipliers and modifiers. So, longer words get bigger scores, but specific combos can turn even rubbish short words into absolute powerhouses. The Steam page blurb says you can “Use enchanted feathers, letters and songs to change the rules of the game as you go.” Sounds kinda like accidentally casting a spell and hoping for the best, right?
Look, I'm not saying this *won't* be a chaotic mess. But there's something undeniably charming about this strange little game. Could be a sleeper hit. *Birdigo* is dropping on July 30th, and there’s a demo on Steam if you fancy giving it a go.
Tags: indie games, puzzle games, roguelite, word games, Balatro
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun