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Recent Playing: Strange Horticulture
I'm putting this one under a cut because I feel like I'm bombarding anyone who follows me with reviews lately. The description (off Steam) of this game is:
Puzzle games are usually not my go-to, but this one looked interesting and had good reviews and I'll be frank I just kind of got caught up in hype, which happens to me with games. However in this case, I would say it's definitely not unwarranted.
Off the bat I'll say if you're into puzzle or detective games in general, you should definitely give this one a look. I haven't played many of them so I don't have a lot to compare it to, but from my inexperienced perspective it feels like a very quality puzzle game.
What I liked about Strange Horticulture is that it has a very mellow atmosphere. Even when things are getting more intense towards the end of the game, the soothing music and dark surroundings still manage to come off unhurried. A lot of the games I usually play--RPGs, for instance--require a level of focus and awareness I just can't manage with all my energy going to school, so Strange Horticulture is a nice, chill game I can manage even when I've spent the day studying. The pace of the game is fairly slow, so if you're looking for something to keep you on the edge of your seat, this is not it.
Which is not to say it doesn't ask of you. The puzzles had me tilting my head, but there was only one I didn't manage to solve before the end of the game (I chose not to look up hints online). There is a hint mechanism within the game but it's hit or miss on whether it's helpful. I was delighted every time I figured out one of the puzzles, as you're usually rewarded with a new plant or a hint about your next move. The reward system felt neatly crafted; I loved filling up my shelves with plants and I really loved getting to definitively label my finds once I had confirmed which plant it was.
The story is fun as well, and you get to meet a variety of shady characters who you can choose to trust or not. There's a chat log for each of them that records your conversations, which is great if, like me, you often shelve games for weeks at a time to handle IRL stuff. And there are multiple endings! I love that; it ups the replay value so much. In fact, I will definitely be replaying this one to check out some of the other endings. This playthrough I got ending "II", which I felt was an overall good ending, but I will be interested to compare it to others.
The plant designs were eye-catching and creative, and there's just enough magic mixed in with the mundane (customers might come to you looking for a plant to help locate lost things, or to fortify courage, or open a lock) to make it feel like you're looking at a practical aspect of a semi-magical society.
Overall, worth the $13 I spent on it. It is on sale for the Steam summer sale.
Strange Horticulture is an occult puzzle game in which you play as the proprietor of a local plant store. Find and identify new plants, pet your cat, speak to a coven, or join a cult. Use your collection of powerful plants to influence the story and unravel Undermere’s dark mysteries.
Puzzle games are usually not my go-to, but this one looked interesting and had good reviews and I'll be frank I just kind of got caught up in hype, which happens to me with games. However in this case, I would say it's definitely not unwarranted.
Off the bat I'll say if you're into puzzle or detective games in general, you should definitely give this one a look. I haven't played many of them so I don't have a lot to compare it to, but from my inexperienced perspective it feels like a very quality puzzle game.
What I liked about Strange Horticulture is that it has a very mellow atmosphere. Even when things are getting more intense towards the end of the game, the soothing music and dark surroundings still manage to come off unhurried. A lot of the games I usually play--RPGs, for instance--require a level of focus and awareness I just can't manage with all my energy going to school, so Strange Horticulture is a nice, chill game I can manage even when I've spent the day studying. The pace of the game is fairly slow, so if you're looking for something to keep you on the edge of your seat, this is not it.
Which is not to say it doesn't ask of you. The puzzles had me tilting my head, but there was only one I didn't manage to solve before the end of the game (I chose not to look up hints online). There is a hint mechanism within the game but it's hit or miss on whether it's helpful. I was delighted every time I figured out one of the puzzles, as you're usually rewarded with a new plant or a hint about your next move. The reward system felt neatly crafted; I loved filling up my shelves with plants and I really loved getting to definitively label my finds once I had confirmed which plant it was.
The story is fun as well, and you get to meet a variety of shady characters who you can choose to trust or not. There's a chat log for each of them that records your conversations, which is great if, like me, you often shelve games for weeks at a time to handle IRL stuff. And there are multiple endings! I love that; it ups the replay value so much. In fact, I will definitely be replaying this one to check out some of the other endings. This playthrough I got ending "II", which I felt was an overall good ending, but I will be interested to compare it to others.
The plant designs were eye-catching and creative, and there's just enough magic mixed in with the mundane (customers might come to you looking for a plant to help locate lost things, or to fortify courage, or open a lock) to make it feel like you're looking at a practical aspect of a semi-magical society.
Overall, worth the $13 I spent on it. It is on sale for the Steam summer sale.