Some games have you shooting zombies for hours on end. Others having you saving the world, or another world, or the entire galaxy. Some games are more down to earth, teasing your brain with carefully planned systems designed to trick you. Botany Manor is none of these. Instead, Balloon Studios has crafted a game about relaxation. While there are puzzles to solve, in this Botany Manor review you’ll learn that the journey is more important than the destination.
The game begins in 1890, Somerset, as the titular manor isn’t in its best shape. Immediately upon starting, you’re informed that ‘some things have deteriorated’. It’ll come as no surprise, then, that it’s up to you to get things back into shape. This is done – mostly – by using the various attributes of flowers.
Your job, then, is to plant and grow specific flowers to overcome certain incidents. For example, in the first chapter it’s a simple task of growing a singular flower that is good at removing smog. In all honesty, the conservatory in which you’re doing so already seemed pretty clean to us, but then so does most of Botany Manor‘s simple but effective aesthetic.
Before you can grow any of the many plants in Botany Manor‘s repertoire, you must first learn about the conditions each requires. This is performed by collecting clues from around the environment and assembling them in the game’s Herbarium – think Pokedex for plants. It’s not a complicated process. You’re free to explore at will and never have any time or dexterity demands to face. Instead, you may stroll at your leisure learning about the plants and the history of the manor, compiling the clues and assorting them through very immediate clues.
The challenge in Botany Manor then, isn’t about solving the puzzles. Instead, it’s one of organisation. Once some progress has been made in the game you’ll find that the opportunities around you outweigh those needed for the task at hand. As such, you’ll need to collate everything you’ve found in the correct manner. This is made a little more awkward by the fact that you can’t read the details of any collected piece – at least, we couldn’t find a way to do so during preparing for this Botany Manor review – once it’s been added to the Herbarium. It does however, list where you obtained it so you may return to look at it again.
This is symbolic of the to-and-fro within the game. At one moment you’ll be gazing around a new room or area, and the next checking corners for missed items. All the while, taking in the simplistic, colourful surroundings. You’ll never be taxed too hard and you’ll never find anything blocking your progress for more than a few moments. But that in itself is rewarding. Botany Manor isn’t a walking simulator like What Remains of Edith Finch. It’s something completely different. A relaxing experience that wants you to be at piece with its mindful progression system. Slow down, breathe, and take a moment to get away from the everyday.
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