Birthdays: The Beginning

Birthdays: The Beginning is a sandbox simulation game where players manipulate a cube-like world to foster the evolution of life, emphasizing environmentalism and ecosystem balance. By shaping terrain and climate, players create diverse habitats that guide the development of species from primordial origins. The game features a free-roaming 3rd-person perspective, allowing players to witness the birth and growth of organisms in a colorful, interactive experience that highlights the interconnectedness of nature.

Birthdays: The Beginning: Review

Introduction

In the sprawling cosmos of simulation games, few concepts capture the imagination quite like the act of genesis itself. Birthdays: The Beginning, developed under the visionary guidance of Yasuhiro Wada—creator of the seminal Harvest Moon series—promises a sandbox experience where players don’t just build worlds, but breathe life into them from primordial ooze to complex civilizations. Released in 2017 across PlayStation 4, Windows, and later Nintendo Switch (as Happy Birthdays), this title stands as a bold, albeit flawed, exploration of evolution and environmental stewardship. At its heart lies a profound thesis: that the joy of creation, stripped of conventional win-conditions, can yield a meditative yet intellectually stimulating journey through the grand narrative of life’s unfolding. Yet, as we shall see, this ambitious vision is both elevated and hampered by execution that oscillates between brilliance and bewilderment.

Development History & Context

Conceived by TOYBOX Inc. under Wada’s stewardship and developed by the renowned Arc System Works (best known for fighting games like Guilty Gear), Birthdays the Beginning emerged as a passion project bridging Wada’s legacy of pastoral simulation with the god-game genre. The game’s genesis dates to 2016, with a Japanese PlayStation 4 launch in January 2017, followed by a Western release in May 2017. Technologically, it leveraged 3D sandbox mechanics to simulate ecosystems, but its development was constrained by the niche nature of its concept—a “simulation of evolution” requiring delicate balancing of environmental variables. The 2017 gaming landscape was dominated by mainstream hits like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Horizon Zero Dawn, leaving little room for experimental titles. NIS America’s localization ensured wide accessibility, complete with nine languages, though the Switch port (2018) renamed it Happy Birthdays to align with its whimsical tone. Wada’s vision—to make evolution “palatable and enjoyable for all ages”—remained the North Star, even as technical hurdles and design compromises shaped the final product.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Birthdays eschews traditional narrative in favor of an environmental parable. Players assume the role of an enigmatic, alien-like creator avatar, guided by a luminescent companion named Navi—a nod to The Legend of Zelda that feels both charming and incongruous. The “story” unfolds through episodic challenges (Episodes) where players terraform cube-shaped worlds to spawn specific species, progressing from single-celled organisms to dinosaurs and, eventually, humanoids. Dialogue is minimal, with lore conveyed through creature descriptions and environmental feedback. Thematically, the game is a poignant ode to interconnectedness. Each terraforming action—raising mountains to lower temperatures or sinking land to form oceans—ripples through an invisible food chain, embodying the delicate balance of ecosystems. This mirrors Wada’s philosophy, where “the environment itself is the real protagonist,” as noted by Digitally Downloaded. Yet, the lack of human characters or a central plot arc leaves the narrative feeling abstract, reducing its emotional resonance to the quiet satisfaction of watching virtual life thrive.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

The core loop of Birthdays revolves around two modes: Micro and Macro. In Micro, players manipulate terrain—raising or lowering land—to sculpt biomes, directly impacting temperature, moisture, and altitude. This drains an energy meter, forcing a shift to Macro mode, where time accelerates to let ecosystems flourish. Creatures “birth” spontaneously based on environmental conditions, which players catalog to level up, unlocking larger terraforming ranges and greater energy. Innovation lies in the simulation’s complexity: a desert might yield cacti, while a rainforest fosters amphibians, and specific temperature gradients trigger mutations. However, this depth is undermined by a cumbersome interface. Clunky menus, opaque stat-tracking (e.g., ground temperature vs. sea temperature), and a tutorial that fails to clarify interlocking systems turn experimentation into trial-and-error. As GameSpot lamented, it becomes “an exhausting guessing game.” The absence of direct interaction—players cannot guide creatures or intervene in their evolution—reduces life to “decorations on a diorama,” per CGMagazine. A “Free Play” mode alleviates some pressure, but goal-oriented challenges feel repetitive due to limited creature variety and rigid evolution paths.

World-Building, Art & Sound

The game’s world-building is its most transcendent element. Cube-shaped planets—ranging from tiny “Seed” worlds to vast “Universe” maps—are blank canvases for creation. Terraforming feels like sculpting clay, with each valley or mountain range becoming a crucible for life. Art direction leans into whimsy: creatures are rendered in a vibrant, Pixar-esque style—think googly-eyed microbes and fluffy dinosaurs—while environments burst with saturated colors and dynamic lighting. The 3D models, crafted by artists like Kohei Aizawa and Jo Ogihara, radiate charm, making even extinction visually poignant. Yet, this beauty is undermined by technical inconsistencies. Frame rate dips on Switch, and the “zoomed-out” macro view feels sterile, lacking the warmth of close-ups. Sound design is similarly sparse. Ambience—gentle wind, water lapping—creates a meditative backdrop, but a dearth of music leaves long stretches silent. As Rock, Paper, Shotgun observed, the world feels “hollow,” its life-force muted by audio absence. The result is a world that delights the eyes but starves the ears.

Reception & Legacy

Upon release, Birthdays polarized critics, landing a “mixed or average” 66% on Metacritic (PS4: 65, PC: 62, Switch: 71). Praise lauded its creativity and relaxation factor: Digitally Downloaded awarded it a perfect 100%, calling it “the embodiment of pure joy of gaming,” while Hardcore Gamer celebrated its “clever world-building.” However, detractors like Game Informer dismissed it as “tedious and obscure,” citing interface flaws and shallow gameplay. User reviews mirrored this split, with Steam users rating it “Mixed” (62% positive) despite its $19.99 price. Commercially, it found a cult audience but never broke into the mainstream. Its legacy endures as a curiosity—a “love child of Minecraft and Spore,” as The Games Machine put it—for its bold fusion of evolution simulation and sandbox creativity. While no direct sequel emerged, Wada’s intent to expand the “Birthdays” series suggests untapped potential. Influentially, it paved the way for niche titles like Creatures: Village, though it remains overshadowed by giants like Civilization for its lack of depth.

Conclusion

Birthdays the Beginning is a paradox: a game of profound simplicity and staggering ambition. It succeeds in translating the awe of evolution into accessible, hands-on creation, offering a serene retreat from high-stakes gaming. Its environmental themes—respect for ecosystems, the fragility of life—resonate with Wada’s legacy, while its art style captivates with unbridled charm. Yet, these strengths are shackled by design choices that frustrate as much as they fascinate. A clunky interface, sparse sound, and lack of creature interaction transform potential wonder into tedium. For players seeking a meditative, educational sandbox, it is a “happy beginning”—as the Switch title aptly declares—offering hours of quiet discovery. For those craving dynamic engagement or narrative depth, it remains a missed opportunity. In the grand tapestry of simulation history, Birthdays is a vibrant, if frayed, thread—a testament to the beauty of creation, even when imperfectly realized. Verdict: A flawed but fascinating foray into genesis, worth celebrating for its vision but cautioning for its execution.