Strange Horticulture

Strange Horticulture is a puzzle game about a plant shop in the fictional Undermere. Instead of fighting enemies, you interpret descriptions, compare plants and decide which plant could help a visitor. Behind the seemingly everyday business unfolds a story of strange rituals, old secrets and conflicting interests.

Strange Horticulture released on Jan 21, 2022 for PC. On Jul 28, 2022 the Nintendo Switch followed, on Aug 4, 2023 the Xbox versions, and on Feb 23, 2024 the PlayStation 4. The iOS and Android versions released on Mar 26, 2024.

The game is available for PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, iOS and Android. On PC, Windows and macOS are supported. The Xbox version offers Smart Delivery and optimization for Xbox Series X|S. On PS5, the PS4 version runs via backward compatibility, not as a standalone PS5 version.

Every visit to the shop brings a different task. Using the leaf shape, appearance and description in your reference book, you match unknown plants. A hasty match can have consequences: some plants heal, others affect the mind or are poisonous. Careful reading and comparison is therefore more important than speed.

With Strange Antiquities, developer Bad Viking returns to Undermere. Here, mysterious antiquities take center stage instead of plants. The game, released in 2025, is a standalone sequel and not an expansion that requires Strange Horticulture to play.

Under Windows, Steam requires at least Windows 7, a 2.4 GHz processor, 1 GB RAM, a graphics card with 512 MB video memory and 1 GB free storage. The macOS version requires at least Mac OS X 10.5 and a 2.33 GHz processor. The current Steam client has additional OS requirements.

Your own collection grows during the game. You examine the plants on the counter and tell their properties apart with the help of an encyclopedia. Names and effects gradually become clear. Later jobs require you to reliably recognise plants you already know.

A map leads out of the shop into forests, to lakes and to remote places. Clues from conversations and letters help you find the right spots. Exploration works through location choices and puzzles, not through freely walkable 3D areas. New finds then expand your stock in the shop.

Customers do not always pursue the same goals. Which plant you give to a customer and how you handle the clues can change the course of the story. The occult plot relies on small-scale discoveries: individual jobs add up to a bigger picture.

The story takes place in a rainy town between hills and forests. Plant illustrations, muted colours and a tidy shop counter shape the presentation. The game combines a cosy sorting and reference system with eerie encounters, without turning it into an action-driven horror game.

Strange Horticulture is designed for one player. The puzzles revolve around observation, texts and logical combinations. A multiplayer mode is not part of the PC or console version. On Steam, there are achievements and cloud saves, among other features.

The PC version includes German on-screen text and subtitles. Full German voice acting is not listed on Steam. Other text languages include English, French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and Polish.