Plants, Please

Somewhat of an indie darling, Strange Horticulture is simultaneously the name of a video game, the name of the plant shop in said game, and a pretty good two word summery of what the game is about.  Set in a fictionalized version of England's Lake District, players take the role of a shopkeeper and proprietor of houseplants.  As far as I can tell, none of the plants featured in the game exist in real life, so for better or worse I couldn't get in-game versions of any of the the half-dozen kinds of decorative plants I actually have in my home right now.  That said, a wide variety of visually interesting plants are featured in the game, including some which have very outlandish properties.  

The gameplay feels kind of similar to titles like Potion Craft: Alchemy Simulator and Papers, Please.  Customers come into the store, usually to request a plant by name or a solution to a problem they are having.  Either way, the player must then puzzle out which of the initially unlabeled stock is the correct one to give (based on clues provided by the customer or found in a specimen catalogue).  New plants can be acquired by traveling via a grid-like map, though knowing were to go involves following clues and tips provided from a variety of sources.  Later in the game a storyline involving a cult and a covenant of witches materializes, but I won't spoil that by going into any further detail.  

Overall, Strange Horticulture is an atmospheric puzzle game with a laid-back, albeit slightly sinister vibe.  The punishment for guessing incorrectly is mild and the process of figuring out what to do is just challenging in enough that it feels satisfying when the solution is found.  On top of that, there is a built-in hint system that the player can use if they're feeling stumped.  It would have been nice to see more sketches and artwork depicting what the wider world looks like, but that might be asking for more than what the brothers duo dev team can provide (given the extremely limited resources at their disposal).  As for criticisms, there are two things that I initially found slightly confusing.  

The first is the fact that ringing the countertop bell calls a customer.  Normally, it's the other way around.  Of course, I understand the reason for this.  The developers want the player to be able advance at their own pace.  It's just that this particular aspect of the game is pretty much the opposite of how it works in the real world.  

The other thing is the act of giving a plant to a customer doesn't actually deprive the player of that plant.  Presumably, a cutting or extra unseen specimen is what is actually being provided...still I found it weird at first.  Again, I understand why it's this way.  The process of growing more plants would involve harvesting seeds; not to mention worrying about things like soil, water, temperature, and sunlight.  Features like that would blow out the scope of the game quite a bit and, while great ideas to consider for a potential sequel, the implementation of them would undoubtedly makes things a bit more complex than what the developers probably had in mind.  Regardless, I'm looking forward to the announcement that "Audrey II" will be available in the form of DLC.