STRANGE HORTICULTURE REVIEW – WHEN A GREY THUMB IS NOT ENOUGH
Strange Horticulture, an occult puzzle developed by Bad Viking Games and published in print by Iceberg Interactive, is a game called. It appealed to me immediately, not only because it was a puzzle game, but also because it has unique concepts. Even though I don’t like plants in real life I was happy to play a game where my dangerous and rare plants won’t die if they aren’t watered.
However, plants aren’t all that Strange Horticulture has to offer. You’ll be using them to CSI your way to solving the murder you’re being asked to solve. Although it may not seem so, there are many challenges in this game. Let’s get going, shall we?
STORY – THE JOURNEY BEGINS UNDERMERE
Undermere is a charming town, surrounded by castles and outlandish stones circles. It has a feeling of eerieness to it. You will play the role as a Horticulturist and need to explore nearby lands in order to find new plants for your shop. This is called Strange Horticulture.
Your cat is your plant supervisor! You will be responsible for the day-today running of your business. This includes solving murders and responding to unusual requests. But there’s more to this assassination. You will need your wits and yes, your plants to expose the greater evil that threatens Undermere and all of its surroundings.
GAMEPLAY: IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT
The game starts with some information about Undermere, and your newly-inherited plant shop Strange Horticulture. The game starts with a few trinkets, a map, some letters, and a lot of plants. Your plant book is the most important thing. This book, which is a grimoire-like guide, is essential for identifying both the plants you already have and those you purchase.
Pay attention to what information is in the book, and then compare it with what you see when you examine a plant. Drag a plant to the microscope icon. It will give you information about the plant, such as how it feels or what it smells like. You can also drag labels onto plants that are already in your book to name them. This will save you time and money in the long-term, I promise!
The map is your next best friend, after your plant grimoire. It will be your next best friend. You can use it to find new plants and to solve clues to secret riddles and notes that are sent to you by the postman once a day or from customers.
How many mysteries can you discover when you explore the map?
You will need your Will to-Explore points to explore the map. The compass charges slowly. You can water your plants quickly if you don’t want to wait. You may also receive points if you complete certain missions.
You should remember that not all areas you visit will be rich in treasures, and that you may end up with nothing. It’s good to have Hellbore around to help you with Strange Horticulture as you go. However, I would have preferred to be able to mark empty areas so that I don’t waste my points.
