The Psychological Strain of Seeking Order in Strange Horticulture

Rain mists the shop window. A jet black cat purrs softly on the counter beside your trusty almanac, its pages crisp and sparse. Rows of plant life line the conservatory shelving, devoid of name and purpose. This is Strange Horticulture, your botanical haven and studious refuge. A place of solace for the peculiarly inclined. But don't be fooled by the homely, Victorian comforts, for something sinister lurks underneath.

At its core, Strange Horticulture is an investigative game; a puzzle-strewn occult setting oozing with gothic intrigue. Gameplay revolves around the naming and application of herbological antidotes, presenting a narrative that tackles the intense pressures and psychological battles faced by often-overlooked characters in investigative stories.

Strange Horticulture takes this to an extreme, with players acting in a highly peripheral profession: that of the humble horticulturalist. An enthusiast for all that is strange, dark and mysterious, certainly, but not a character whose job it is to bring about order and justice. 

Any one of your patrons could be the true protagonist over the player character. For one: Investigator Reuben Ward, who's currently snowed under with murder at the door and occult activity on the rise. While the position of horticulturalist might easily be dismissed as insignificant to the average investigative plot, it soon becomes clear that the game's story arc hinges almost entirely on the player’s ability to find, identify, and distribute their stock of specialised flora and fungi to the people of Undermere and beyond.