Birthdays the Beginning feels better with the latest PS4 patch

I hope this is only the start

The chill-as-heck ecosystem sim Birthdays the Beginning hasn’t been out a week in North America, and already it’s getting better. The first PS4 update is not only here, but it’s a marked improvement.

Arc System Works and Toybox Inc. have touched up many of the ease-of-use issues that had certain game aspects — like flying around in first-person to scan newly-created species — feeling like too much of a slog. Those movement controls are in a much better place now, as is the minimap.

Notably, players can also now unlock Free Mode far earlier than before, which is a crucial change. A large part of Birthdays is toying with your world design to figure out the rhyme and reason behind new flora and fauna popping into existence, and this mode is a no-consequences way to do that.

I didn’t explicitly say it in my review, but if you’re into fishkeeping, you’ll probably dig this game.

Version 1.01

• Horizontal movement added to View Mode.
• Added a function to allow users to toggle the UI on/off while in View Mode.
• Added a function to enlarge and shrink the Mini Map.
• Mini Map can now switch between four display types: Display All / Animals / Plans / Uncaptured
• Added markers to organisms that have not been captured.
• Capture range extended.
• “NEW!” will no longer display in Life News for organisms that have previously been captured.
• Free Mode now unlocks after clearing Episode 1.
• Added and revised Navi descriptions that display during Episode 1.
• Rivers can only be expanded up to 3 spaces in Episode 2.
• Some of the control descriptions that appear at the bottom of the screen during gameplay have been changed.
• When the cursor enlarges upon leveling up, the cursor will automatically change to that size.
• Added explanation of game systems to Game Info menu.
• Data that is transferred into Free Mode is now separated into Player Data and Terrain Data.
• HP will no longer decrease after capturing all organisms.
• Save data is now numbered, and the name of your avatar will appear in the title of save data.
• Requirements to earn the “Riding the Waves of Time” trophy have been changed to 3 billion Cube Years.
• A map will now appear in View Mode so users know which direction they are facing.
• Camera will no longer collide with terrain while in View Mode.
• Added Capture notification.