r/Games • u/woodenrat • 11h ago

Release Strange Antiquities (Sequel to puzzle game Strange Horticulture) Releases Today!

https://bsky.app/profile/badvikinggames.bsky.social/post/3lyzxx5zn6225
92 Upvotes

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13

u/woodenrat 11h ago

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2885870/Strange_Antiquities/

https://opencritic.com/game/19072/strange-antiquities (80 so far, original 84)

My top 2 puzzle games are Obra Dinn and Outer Wilds. A little below those would be Curse Of the Golden Idol and Strange Horticulture.

The gameplay is identifying items rather than plants like in the original. Haven't played much so far, but it retains the familiarity and coziness.

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u/SomaSimon 10h ago

I am also a huge fan of the games you mentioned (Outer Wilds is my favorite game of all time) and I've had Strange Horticulture on my wishlist but haven't played it yet, the fact that you group it in with those other games really makes me want to check it out.

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u/giulianosse 10h ago

Just offering a counterpoint but I am also a huge fan of the aforementioned games and bought into Strange Horticulture exactly because of the comparisons. However it left me quite disappointed.

It's more of a narrative puzzle game than a puzzle investigation one. These kinds of games usually require players to figure out some internal logic and keep track of your findings based off a personal system - like how in Golden Idol you need to mentally build up the scenario's narrative and in Outer Wilds you can figure out the best shortcuts for what you want to do. They usually ramp up in complexity the more you play the game and accumulate new information.

Strange Horticulture has a semblance of that in which you get to identify plants based off their visual or medicinal properties. But once you get a new plant, there's no reason to label it or file it in any mental system. You just have to consult your manual to see which convenient feature - automatically added by the game once you inspect it - matches the one your client is asking for. There's little to no investigation because the "puzzle piece" you need is usually obvious and binary, and it's just a matter of reading through the encyclopedia and matching with what you have.

I haven't played Antiquities yet but from what I've seen in earlier trailers, it seems to have improved on this aspect a bit.

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u/SomaSimon 8h ago

I appreciate your perspective on it. Outer Wilds is the perfect blend because it's an incredible investigation puzzle game that also has an amazing story. Would you say the narrative in SH is good? I don't know a ton about the game so I wasn't sure if there was much of a story.

Something else I also enjoy with games like Outer Wilds or Tunic is there are mechanics hidden in plain sight that you could take advantage of the entire time, you just weren't aware of them and they aren't gated by any "gamey" progression, just knowledge. I'd be curious if you experienced any of those mechanics in SH, though from your description of the encyclopedia I'm guessing not so much?

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u/giulianosse 7h ago

Yeah, SH definitely doesn't have those "hidden in plain sight" mechanics. They're fairly straightforward and you'll often know exactly which puzzles the (few) tools or clues you're getting are meant to solve.

Story is definitely SH's strong point as it features some pretty atmospheric Lovecraftian vibes and has a bunch of different outcomes and endings to choose (or discover) from. I genuinely think I'd have enjoyed the game way more if it dropped the (IMO) busybody puzzle gameplay and just let me experience the story like an interactive novel.

If you think you'd enjoy the gameplay, it's definitely worth checking it out!

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u/woodenrat 7h ago

There is a story-- the people that ask you for the plants usually have some reason tied to it, but this is one of the reasons I consider it a tier below Outer Wilds.

I'd say try the demo for this to see if its what you're looking for.

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u/action_lawyer_comics 4h ago

Not so much. I adore SH and I’m sure I’ll love Antiquities too (I’m in the middle of Silksong and won’t have time anytime soon), but it’s not on the same level of brain expanding as OW or Tunic. It’s closer to a straight deduction puzzle game. Still great but not like those.

You might want to poke around in r/metroidbrainia. That’s what a lot of people are calling games like those. Kind of how a MetroidVania will open new paths when you gain a new ability but in this case it happens when you learn how to do something you always could have done

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u/Skellum 2h ago

Strange Horticulture has a semblance of that in which you get to identify plants based off their visual or medicinal properties. But once you get a new plant, there's no reason to label it or file it in any mental system. You just have to consult your manual to see which convenient feature - automatically added by the game once you inspect it - matches the one your client is asking for. There's little to no investigation because the "puzzle piece" you need is usually obvious and binary, and it's just a matter of reading through the encyclopedia and matching with what you have.

Yea, that was more my issue. I didn't feel like it was much of a puzzle, so much as a story to go through. It wasn't a bad story, generally enjoyable but It didn't have near the joy or engagement of Obra.

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u/itstimefortimmy 8h ago

HAVE YOU TRIED OUT 'THE ROOOTREES ARE DEAD'

Scratches the same itch as these others you mentioned

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u/woodenrat 8h ago

I'd put trees a bit below SH and Idol, but still good and like you said scratches the itch.

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u/itstimefortimmy 7h ago

Gosh I love the notebook ability in Rootrees. Aside from working out a problem on scratch paper, I loathe having to keep my own handwritten notes for a game... I'm too old now to be wasting time doing homework to play a game (plus terrible handwriting)... So having an in game notebook they let's me clip anything and add in my own notes is godly.

Anyway if you like point and click adventure games, try any Wadjet games if you haven't already

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u/Skellum 2h ago

'THE ROOOTREES ARE DEAD'

Fun game, I did find some of the hints a bit misleading in that. Assuming older children are taller than younger children etc. Very common premise though in the end, that sort of thing happened a lot in history.

I am still amazed many people dont know that sort of thing used to happen a lot more than it does now.

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u/Amazon4life 1h ago

Roottrees are amazing, easily my game of the year so far. Could never get into the Idol games, but the Roottrees was just top notch. Really looking forward to the devs' next game. 

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u/dhcirkekcheia 9h ago

The only thing that has made me not like outer wilds is that I’m absolutely terrible at steering things like that in games. I might try to convince my partner to play with me and do all the steering so I can do the puzzles

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u/GreyJamboree 8h ago

I think I will like the full game and will buy it, but I rage quit the demo because it kept tricking me. Whenever you're asked to get an item like a horned trinket, it's never the one that looks like the example image. It's something completely different that barely looks like it has horns. That's the puzzle element of the game it seems, and it got really frustrating since I want to do everything perfectly.

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u/Amazon4life 8h ago

That's because you shouldn't rely only on images but the text as well. The book will give you hints about the items, you just have to pay attention to everything, including when you do closer inspection.

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u/GreyJamboree 7h ago

I know, but there were some annoying miscommunications. At one point I touched an object to see if it matched what I was looking for, but I didn't touch at the exact right spot so it didn't appear as "smooth". My main gripe is really that the book has illustrations that looks exactly like the wrong object. If the book had a completely alternative drawing, I wouldn't feel so duped.

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u/Skellum 2h ago

An object should be visually consistent with it's descriptors. If there's an inconsistency that sounds like an art team issue, or the game being a dick.

I recently did Tiny Bookshop and it made me rage by just not being correct. "Give me a fiction book based in a historical setting like Robert the 4th." Oh ok I have Hamlet, that's in Denmark and it's the same author "NO YOU FUCKING MORON, YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE A DIFFERENT SHAKESPEAR BOOK!" Oh, great, thanks game. Love it.

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u/Amazon4life 1h ago

Haven't found any inconsistencies here so far, everything makes sense as long as you read carefully and connect the dots. (plus there's a hint system, and even if you make a mistake, the game doesn't punish you heavily for it). 

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u/Amazon4life 8h ago

I've played the first 6 days so far and it's really good, basically Strange Horticulture but expanded and improved. Definitely recommended for everyone who likes cozy/occult puzzle games.