Strange Horticulture

Last updated

Strange Horticulture
Strange Horticulture Cover.jpg
Steam version header art
Developer(s) Bad Viking
Publisher(s) Iceberg Interactive
Programmer(s) Rob Donkin
Artist(s) John Donkin
Platform(s) Windows
Nintendo Switch
macOS
Xbox One
Release
  • Windows
  • 21 January 2022
  • Nintendo Switch
  • 28 July 2022
  • macOS
  • 22 November 2022
  • Xbox One
  • 4 August 2023
Genre(s) Puzzle
Mode(s) Single-player

Strange Horticulture is a 2022 video game by British independent developer Bad Viking, published by Iceberg Interactive for Windows, Nintendo Switch, macOS and Xbox One. Described as an "occult puzzle game", [1] Strange Horticulture involves the discovery and identification of a fictitious herbarium of plants for sale to a range of mysterious and unscrupulous customers. Gameplay involves the completion of puzzles by matching the details of customer requests of plants to their descriptions, opening up access to more plants and identifying information.

Contents

Released in January 2022, Strange Horticulture received praise from critics, with particular praise directed towards its immersive and intimate gameplay and the design and tone of its setting. The game appeared on several year-end lists as one of the best games of the year and got nominated for the "Excellence in Design" award at the 2022 Independent Games Festival.

Plot

In the small town of Undermere, the player inherits from their late uncle a store named Strange Horticulture, renowned for selling to customers botanic remedies carrying mystical and occasionally dangerous effects. Members of the town visit the store to seek plants to use for their own ends, including Bethany Coleman, a member of a nature-worshipping sisterhood in the nearby woods, the Arduinna, whose matron has died, Reuben Ward, an officer investigating the murder, Ennis Aleford, a hermit from a mysterious cult known as the Seeds of Redemption seeking to summon a creature called the Woken Dendrew, and Forest Vair, a hunter bent on sabotaging the hermit's plans. [2] How the player chooses to assist or hinder characters through the plants they provide them influences a branching storyline which ultimately determines the fate of the characters in the game. [3]

Gameplay

A screenshot of Strange Horticulture. Strange Horticulture gameplay.jpg
A screenshot of Strange Horticulture.

Players organize and classify an unidentified collection of plants to complete puzzles based on requests made by customers to the store. To assist in identification, players have access to the Strange Book of Plants, an incomplete guide to the horticulture in the game that partially identifies plants by characteristics such as the scent, shape of leaves and petals, and remedial properties. [4] Successfully providing a customer with the correct plant allows the player to unlock further pages in the book, opening up further opportunities to identify and use plants in the game. Some requests possess multiple options to provide characters with plants that carry different effects, providing players with choices that will influence later events in the game.

Players are also able to discover new plants and progress the story by exploring locations on a grid-based map. To do so, players accumulate the "will to explore" by completing customer requests and watering plants. Players decode clues to discover the location of new plants or events, such as finding co-ordinates from the description of locations on the map. [3] A labelling system also assists players in providing notes on certain plants for future reference. In the later stages of the game, the player is also able to engage in alchemy, creating elixirs and antidotes by combining the properties of several plants.

Development

Strange Horticulture was developed by developer Rob Donkin and artist John Donkin, brothers based in the United Kingdom who had previously developed flash games from 2009 and founded Bad Viking in 2011 to develop larger projects. [5] Development of Strange Horticulture was inspired by the idea of pairing "witchcraft meets gardening", which the brothers expanded upon, through influences including the Terry Breverton botany book Complete Herbal, to develop ideas for the design of plants in the game. The brothers approached the design of the game by having "plants be the way (the player) interacts with the game world", with "plants that we designed gameplay elements around and gameplay elements that prompted the question: How can we use a plant here?" [6]

The design of the game world was inspired by the brothers' experiences visiting fells in the Lake District in the United Kingdom, which they used to build the setting of Undermere and the surrounding area. The brothers were encouraged to develop an ingame map of the world based upon their experiences with board games, including the 1981 gamebook Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective and Gloomhaven , [6] stating the inspiration "came from legacy games...where you open the box and there's lots of little boxes inside (that) you're not allowed to open, so you're like: What do they do? What does this envelope do?" [7]

The game was released in 2022 for Windows on 21 January, [8] for Nintendo Switch on 28 July, [9] and for macOS on 22 November. [10] [11]

Reception

Reviews

Critical reception of Strange Horticulture was positive, with review aggregator Metacritic indicating the game received "generally favorable" reviews, with an average score of 83 out of 100 based on 11 reviews. [12]

Many critics praised the gameplay of Strange Horticulture, in particular its encouragement of immersive and tactile interaction with the game world. Writing for Polygon , Nicole Carpenter praised the "active sense of organization and the tactile feel of research and plant care", stating, "it's so easy to become engrossed in this world." [7] Alice Bell of Rock Paper Shotgun noted the game is "so immersive" and "fun to try and fully inhabit being that weird plant enthusiast in the grotty old plant shop," praising the game as "quiet, meticulous, delightful, dark and beguiling." [15] Edge praised the "transportive quality" of the game, noting the "tactile interface and effective sound design (which) generate a powerful sense of place." [13]

Reviewers of Strange Horticulture were mixed on the merits of the slow pace of the gameplay. Alyse Stanley stated in The Washington Post that "the gameplay itself (stocking shelves, chatting with customers, watering plants) is tedious, but it’s the kind of tedium that’s easy to get lost in as you vibe along with the serene-but-slightly-spooky atmosphere." [16] Heidi Hawes of WayTooManyGames stated "even with all the creepy mysteries to unearth, the vast majority of the game itself is simply not that interesting," finding the "repetitive main gameplay loop...often boring," and observing the "entirety of the score is one somber melody played on a nonstop loop...(compounding) the feeling of monotony after a while." [17] Writing for Game Critics, Damiano Gerli stated "the gameplay loop could have used some more finesse," noting "players will either find it quite relaxing or intensely boring, depending on one's tolerance for slow-paced puzzlers." [18]

Accolades

Strange Horticulture appeared on many publications' year-end lists as one of the best games of 2022, including Polygon , [7] Rock Paper Shotgun , [19] and PC Gamer , who named the game as the best puzzle game of the year. [20] Strange Horticulture was also nominated for an "Excellence in Design" award at the 2022 Independent Games Festival. [21]

Related Research Articles

<i>Donut County</i> 2018 video game

Donut County is a puzzle video game developed by American designer Ben Esposito and published by Annapurna Interactive in 2018. The player moves a hole to swallow objects, which makes the hole increase in size. The concept originated in a game jam based on pitches from a Twitter account parody of game designer Peter Molyneux and later added a mechanic similar to that of Katamari Damacy. Other inspirations for the game included Hopi figurines—a theme Esposito later relinquished—and locations from Bruce Springsteen songs. Donut County was released in August 2018 for iOS, macOS, PlayStation 4, and Microsoft Windows platforms, while versions for Xbox One and Nintendo Switch were released in December 2018. It was also released for Android in December 2020.

<i>Celeste</i> (video game) 2018 platform game

Celeste is a 2018 platform game developed and published by indie studio Maddy Makes Games. The player controls Madeline, a young woman with anxiety and depression who aims to climb Celeste Mountain. During her climb, she encounters several characters, including Part of You, a personification of her self-doubt who attempts to stop her from climbing the mountain.

<i>Sokobond</i> 2013 video game

Sokobond is a puzzle video game created by Alan Hazelden and Harry Lee. Gameplay involves moving atoms around 2D grids to form chemical compounds. The game was released on Linux, OS X, and Windows in August 2013. It was later released for Nintendo Switch in September 2021, and iOS and Android in May 2022. The game received generally favorable reviews from critics.

<i>OneShot</i> 2016 video game

OneShot is a puzzle-adventure game developed by the indie studio Future Cat and published by Degica. Based on a free version made in 2014, it was released for Windows on December 8, 2016. A console adaptation, OneShot: World Machine Edition, was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on September 22, 2022.

<i>Yume Nikki: Dream Diary</i> 2018 video game

Yume Nikki: Dream Diary is a 2018 adventure horror game developed by Kadokawa Games and published by Playism. It is a reboot of the 2004 indie game Yume Nikki and was produced with supervision from the original game's creator, Kikiyama. The game borrows basic elements, including some abandoned design concepts, from its predecessor, but also contains significant changes. As in Yume Nikki, the player controls a girl named Madotsuki from a third-person perspective and explores worlds inside her dreams. Dream Diary adds platforming and puzzle gameplay, and the game is rendered in 3D.

<i>Tunic</i> (video game) 2022 video game

Tunic is a 2022 action-adventure game developed by Isometricorp Games and published by Finji. It is set in a ruined fantasy world, where the player controls an anthropomorphic fox on a journey to free a fox spirit trapped in a crystal. The player discovers the gameplay and setting by exploring and finding in-game pages of a manual that offers clues, drawings, and notes. The backstory is obscured; most text is given in a constructed writing system that the player is not expected to decipher. Tunic's isometric perspective hides numerous pathways and secrets.

<i>The Gardens Between</i> 2018 video game

The Gardens Between is an adventure/puzzle video game developed by Australian studio The Voxel Agents and published in September 2018 for Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4. It was later released for Xbox One in 2018, iOS in 2019, Android in 2020, and PlayStation 5 in 2022. The game, which conveys its story through visuals and gameplay rather than dialogue or narration, follows two children, Arina and Frendt, in the treehouse in a garden between their houses. In a dreamscape, they progress through sets of island levels, each representing different shared experiences. The characters walk along a path that winds through each level, and the player solves environment-based puzzles that prevent the pair from reaching and activating a portal at the end of the path. To do so, the player controls the flow of time forwards and backwards and causes the characters to interact with nearby objects and spheres of light, rather than moving the pair directly.

<i>Streets of Rogue</i> 2019 video game

Streets of Rogue is a roguelite video game developed by Matt Dabrowski and published by tinyBuild for Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It was initially launched in early access during 2017, and was fully released on July 12, 2019.

<i>Forager</i> (video game) Open world adventure game

Forager is an open-world adventure game developed by Argentine studio HopFrog and published by Humble Bundle. The game was officially released for Microsoft Windows in April 2019, and later became available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, iOS, and Android.

<i>Wilmots Warehouse</i> 2019 video game

Wilmot's Warehouse is a puzzle video game about storing and retrieving objects. It was developed by Richard Hogg and Ricky Haggett and published by Finji. It was released on August 29, 2019 for macOS, Nintendo Switch, and Windows platforms. The game was a finalist for "Excellence in Design" at the 2018 Independent Games Festival Awards.

<i>The Longing</i> 2020 video game

The Longing is a 2020 point-and-click adventure game created by independent developer Studio Seufz. Set in an underground kingdom, the player controls the Shade, a creature tasked with watching over a sleeping king for 400 days. The Shade performs recreational activities, including reading and exploring, as it waits out the 400 days in real time. The in-game timer continues regardless of the player's actions but moves faster if the Shade performs certain actions inside its home, such as decorating the walls with drawings.

<i>World of Horror</i> 2023 video game

World of Horror, also known by its Japanese title Kyōfu no Sekai (恐怖の世界), is a role-playing video game with a 1-bit pixel art style inspired by the works of H. P. Lovecraft and Junji Ito. The game was created by Polish developer Paweł Koźmiński and published by Ysbryd Games. It was released into early access on February 20, 2020 through Steam, GOG.com, and Microsoft Store. The full game was released on October 19, 2023 for macOS and Windows. It was released on October 26 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.

<i>Later Alligator</i> (video game) 2019 video game

Later Alligator is a 2019 point-and-click adventure game developed by American studio Pillow Fight in collaboration with SmallBü Animation. The game tasks players with exploring Alligator New York City and playing various mini-games to solve a mystery. It was released in September 2019 for Microsoft Windows, and MacOS, followed by a Linux version in December. A port for the Nintendo Switch was released in March 2021.

<i>Silt</i> (video game) 2022 video game

Silt is a surreal underwater puzzle-adventure indie horror game developed by Spiral Circus and published by Fireshine Games for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, in which the player controls a deep-sea diver who can possess the diverse marine life that enters their vicinity. It was released on June 1, 2022.

<i>Supraland</i> 2019 video game

Supraland is a Metroidvania-styled video game developed by Supra Games. The game was originally self-published for PC and left early access on April 5, 2019. Ports for the eighth generation of video game consoles, with Humble Games as publisher, were released on October 22, 2020. Players assume control of a toy figurine and explore a series of themed areas within a child's sandbox.

<i>Tux and Fanny</i> 2021 video game

Tux and Fanny is a video game developed by Albert Birney and Ghost Time Games, and published by Means Interactive in 2021. Described as a "retro-inspired puzzle game", Tux and Fanny is an adaptation of an animated film of the same name, directed by Birney in 2019. Players control the titular characters as they explore and discover their home and surroundings, collecting items and solving puzzles, whilst also completing secondary tasks such as bug collecting and bird-watching. Tux and Fanny was adapted by Birney with developer Gabriel Koenig of Ghost Time Games, with the game created in an open-ended process as an amalgamation of different ideas, artworks, writing, and mini-games. The game was released to a positive reception from reviewers, with publications praising its attention to detail, tone, and depiction of the minutiae of daily life. Tux and Fanny received the 'Most Amazing' Award at the Berlin A MAZE Festival and nominations at the Independent Games Festival in 2022.

<i>The Tartarus Key</i> 2023 video game

The Tartarus Key is an adventure video game developed by Vertical Reach and published by Armor Games Studios in 2023. It features escape the room gameplay.

<i>Potion Craft</i> 2022 video game

Potion Craft is a video game created by Russian independent developer niceplay games and published by tinyBuild in 2022. Described as an "atmospheric management simulator set in a medieval fantasy world", Potion Craft is a management simulation game in which players operate a store producing and selling potions using alchemical ingredients. Upon release, Potion Craft received praise from critics for its novel and intuitive crafting mechanics, and was nominated for several awards at the 2023 Independent Games Festival.

<i>The Past Within</i> 2022 video game

The Past Within is a 2022 adventure video game developed and published by Rusty Lake. It is a cooperative multiplayer game where two people must share clues to solve puzzles. It was initially released for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. A Nintendo Switch port was released in 2023.

<i>Botany Manor</i> 2024 video game

Botany Manor is a 2024 video game developed by English independent developer Balloon Studios and published by Whitethorn Games. The game is a puzzle title in which players explore a period English countryside manor to cultivate magical flora. Upon release, Botany Manor received generally positive reviews, with critics praising the game's environmental design, tone and pacing.

References

  1. ↑ Bad Viking (22 January 2022). "Strange Horticulture". Steam.
  2. 1 2 Chatziioannou, Alexander (April 2022). "Review: Strange Horticulture". Wireframe (61): 98–99.
  3. 1 2 3 Livingston, Christopher (21 January 2022). "Strange Horticulture Review". PC Gamer.
  4. 1 2 Parkin, Simon (4 December 2022). "Strange Horticulture review – the enjoyably shady business of botanicals". The Guardian.
  5. ↑ "About Us". Bad Viking. 2022.
  6. 1 2 Couture, Joel (16 March 2022). "Finding the right plant for the job in Strange Horticulture". Game Developer.
  7. 1 2 3 Carpenter, Nicole (15 February 2022). "Strange Horticulture, a game about selling plants, is one of the best games this year". Polygon.
  8. ↑ O'Connor, Alice (11 January 2022). "Run an eldritch plant shop in Strange Horticulture this month". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  9. ↑ Dawn (15 July 2022). "Occult puzzle game Strange Horticulture releasing on Switch eShop this month". Nintendo Everything. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  10. ↑ darkmonstr (23 November 2022). "Strange Horticulture llega a Mac". Versus Media México (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  11. ↑ "Strange Horticulture - Strange Horticulture launches for Mac OS AND is 35% off during the Autumn Sale! - Steam News". store.steampowered.com. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  12. 1 2 "Strange Horticulture". Metacritic.
  13. 1 2 "Strange Horticulture". Edge (369): 118. April 2022.
  14. ↑ Ehrenhofler, Courtney (2 February 2022). "Strange Horticulture Review". TechRaptor.
  15. ↑ Bell, Alice (20 January 2022). "Strange Horticulture review: quiet, meticulous, delightful, dark and beguiling". Rock Paper Shotgun.
  16. ↑ Stanley, Alyse (28 December 2022). "Indie game gems you may have missed in 2022". Washington Post.
  17. ↑ Hawes, Heidi (3 August 2022). "Review – Strange Horticulture". WayTooManyGames.
  18. ↑ Damiano, Gerli (8 February 2022). "Strange Horticulture Review". Game Critics.
  19. ↑ Castle, Katharine (27 December 2022). "Our 24 favorite games of 2022". Rock Paper Shotgun.
  20. ↑ Macgregor, Jody (21 December 2022). "Best Puzzle Game 2022: Strange Horticulture". PC Gamer.
  21. ↑ "2022 Independent Games Festival Finalists & Winners". Independent Games Festival. 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.