This immersive illustrated game reimagines Armenian folklore for the digital age

· November 21, 2024

Players can join Prince Areg on his quest to find a mythical bird in a powerful tale of self-discovery and resilience.

Its Nice That

The Armenian folktale Hazaran Blbul begins with a tragedy. A generous king opens his palace to the people, only for a child to be trampled in a greedy stampede. The grandmother of the child punishes the king with a curse that can only be lifted by a mythical birdsong. Determined to restore peace, the young Prince Areg embarks on a perilous quest to save his father’s kingdom.

This tale was passed down orally for centuries before it was published, first as a poem and then a fairytale in the early 20th century. Now, it’s taken on a whole new life in the digital age. The Bird of a Thousand Voices is an immersive game that follows Prince Areg through a magical duotone landscape, illustrated by Khoren Matevosyan and scored by Tigran Hamasyan. Intense, atmospheric, and emotional, the music serves as a narrative guide – a vehicle for viewers to experience the prince’s emotional journey as well as the physical quest.

Made in collaboration with filmmaker Ruben Van Leer, the game is designed to evoke the experience of “moving through a painting”, achieved through a side-scrolling play inspired by old-school games. The game is part of a wider “transmedia narrative”, existing alongside an album, film and theatre production. Each element connects, but they are also treated as standalone works that focus on different aspects of the story.

The theatre piece is about the strength of Manush, Prince Areg’s love interest, while the film element explores the past and present of the Armenian landscape. The game is more introspective: “Players experience Areg’s journey as he integrates his shadow-self – the ‘bird’ within,” explains the film director, Ruben. “This story encourages us to look inward and reconnect with what sustains us – nature, community, and cultural roots.”

Tigran’s score is the project’s emotional backbone, weaving the story’s universal themes into the gaming experience. “Composing the score has been a deeply personal journey,” he says. Born in Armenia in 1987, Tigran moved to California when he was 16. Four years ago, he moved back to Armenia with his family. This offered an opportunity to explore his heritage through music.

“This folktale, like many Armenian stories, speaks of courage, sacrifice, and rebirth,” he reflects. “I wanted the music to span a range of emotions – from urgent, intense jazz-metal-rock to quiet, ethereal soundscapes that reflect Prince Areg’s journey.”

Illustrator Khoren shares a deep connection to the story too. “As a child, my father read it to me… I remember it vividly,” he says. Khoren conceptualized the visuals in direct response to Tigran’s music. “When I listen to [his] compositions, I feel the need to immerse myself in his flow, aligning my work in unison,” he explains. “Fairy tales are fascinating in their layered structure, and there are countless ways to interpret them.”

Ultimately, the story is both timeless and universal. “This story, Armenia’s current state, and possibly the entire world’s situation today, urge us to confront questions of resilience and renewal,” says Tigran. At the end of the tale, Prince Areg finds the bird; but it’s not just his father and the kingdom that finds peace. In mythology, the bird symbolizes wisdom. In that sense, Areg’s journey is one of personal transformation, where the bird represents not only the restoration of his kingdom but also his own inner awakening – an arc that we can all relate to.