BIRDCAGE

BIRDCAGE

Released Nov 2025

Shoot, slash and weave through bullets and enemies in this story-driven arcade shooter. The RADON Daughters have launched their ultimate weapon. Take control of the experimental gunship HALCYON and break out of the CAGE.

97% positive · 228 reviews
Not yet
Released, but content still planned
High confidence
Content Planned
Not yet
Released, but content still planned
High confidence
Content Planned

Where to buy

Steam $13.99
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Evaluation

BIRDCAGE is a vertical scrolling shoot 'em up from POLYGON BIRD that launched on Steam on November 18, 2025. The game shipped alongside two companion DLC items — an original soundtrack and a design works artbook — both of which were available from day one and are fully released. Since launch, the developers (Barry and Giannis) have been actively engaged with their community, shipping multiple patches to address bugs, rebalance difficulty modes, and refine the scoring system. The most substantial post-launch update, version 1.1.0, arrived on January 29, 2026, overhauling the scoring mechanics, adding new achievements, and polishing various systems. The most recent developer communication was this January 29, 2026 update. Notably, a pre-launch announcement on November 10, 2025 explicitly stated that a console version of BIRDCAGE is planned for 2026, to be followed by a full Japanese localization. This confirms the developer has active plans beyond the current Steam release. The January 29, 2026 update post also teased an upcoming announcement about a physical soundtrack release, indicating continued developer engagement with the product. The DLC list shows no unreleased items — the two DLC available are both released — so the planned content relates to the console version and localization rather than Steam-specific DLC.
Evidence
Update 1.1.0 shipped with significant scoring overhaul, difficulty rebalancing, new achievements, and additional audio/visual polish. Post also teased an upcoming announcement about a physical soundtrack release.
news post · Jan 29, 2026 source development ongoing
high
BIRDCAGE launched on November 18, 2025, with the original soundtrack and design artbook DLC also available from day one.
news post · Nov 18, 2025 source content shipped
high

Content

2 of 2 released · no outstanding content

Media

Details

Developer
Publisher
POLYGON BIRD
Achievements
19
Platform
Windows
Controller
full support
Steam Deck
Verified
Players
Single-player

About this game

Warning: This game contains flashing images.

BIRDCAGE is a fast-paced, vertical scrolling shoot ‘em up that blends the explosive action of 90s arcade classics, with modern gameplay and storytelling.

What is the value of a bullet, when you wield a sword?

                  

  • In BIRDCAGE, the player controls the experimental RADON gunship HALCYON. The HALCYON is equipped with a wide shot, focus shot, and its main offensive and defensive weapon, The SWORD.

                     

  • BIRDCAGE features an engaging sci-fi story, set in a divergent human future. Inspired by games like Metal Gear Solid, BIRDCAGE touches on futuristic science and technology, political and military power struggles and the nature of the human unconscious mind.

  • Story Mode, the game’s main mode is set across six stages featuring mid-bosses, stage bosses and narrative interludes.

                                       

  • Arcade Mode is Story Mode without the narrative, aimed at letting players go after score in a quicker, more convenient way.

  • Score Attack is a race against the clock to chase the highest score, while honing your skills at the game. Enemies spawn endlessly within a set time limit.

  • Inspired by 90s video games and anime, BIRDCAGE makes use of techniques such as sprite scaling, pre-rendered backgrounds and limited textures to mimic the look of early 3D games.

  • The game's soundtrack combines the sounds of 90s music hardware with modern synthesis and samples to create something authentic and exciting. BIRDCAGE features over an hour of dynamic music, hundreds of bespoke sound effects and retro-styled voice acting for stage bosses.

Mankind has branched into space and two opposing factions have emerged. On one side, SELENE, in control of the Moon and what remains of Earth, on the other, RADON, in control of the space colony CAGE.

Led by Mother ROENTGEN, the RADON Daughters have ordered GENOME Control to create a new breed of weapon. A weapon to end Earth’s reign and birth a new universe, the WORLD-EGG.

Deep inside the CAGE, a pilot awakens in the cockpit of the HALCYON - an experimental RADON gunship. Inside the newly-hatched Pilot’s mind, a Voice echoes: Destroy the WORLD-EGG.

Last evaluated Jun 21, 2026
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