The Merlies Brings Peaceful Bird-Flock Exploration To Steam And Switch

The Merlies is now available on Steam and Nintendo Switch, bringing a gentler approach to the Metroidvania formula. Rather than fighting monsters, players guide a flock of tiny birds through a world of puzzles, hidden routes and abandoned human objects.

Developed by Darjeeling and Blue Ramen, with ARTE France also involved in production, the game begins after a storm scatters the Merlies across the landscape. Finding the missing birds helps rebuild their community and expands the abilities available to your travelling flock.

Exploration revolves around using those abilities together to reach new areas. There are no enemies to defeat, although the natural world still presents obstacles for such small creatures. The emphasis is on discovering paths and working out how to move your birds through the environment.

The scraps left behind by humanity also serve a purpose beyond scenery. Players can gather discarded objects and repurpose them to develop their nest village, giving their growing community somewhere to live. Building a home and exploring the surrounding world form the two sides of the adventure.

Despite its post-apocalyptic setting, The Merlies takes an optimistic view of life after humanity. Its solarpunk themes centre on cooperation, recycling and nature reclaiming the landscape, supported by hand-drawn artwork inspired by graphic novels and children’s picture books.

The project is based on an idea by Cosmografik, the creator of Type:Rider and Vandals. ARTE France and GCORES Publishing are publishing the game, which launched on 29 September 2026. You can find out more on the official ARTE page or visit Steam, where a 20% introductory discount runs until 6 October.