Do they love plants but fail to keep anything they put in a pot? It doesn't matter, I have the perfect game for you. Botany Manor It originally came out for PC, Nintendo Switch and Xbox in April 2024, but finally reached the PlayStation (PS4 – PS5) consoles and here we offer them a review of this new version.
This work by the English team Balloon Studios and published by Whitethorn Games is a game of “botanical riddles.” Do not let that description scare them because it is not something realistic and you have to know absolutely anything about plants to enjoy it.
Botany Manor It takes us to the titular mansion in Somerset, England, from the end of the 19th century. We control its owner, a woman named Arabella Greene who has dedicated her life to the study of botany and prepares to publish a book about it. We have to help her collecting clues that explain how to make a dozen plants flourish and put them into practice to fill a book with our conclusions.
The plants we find in the game are not real – although they are definitely inspired by real flora – and have very curious characteristics. Some flourish under very specific conditions such as when they listen to certain sounds or only if there is specific lighting.
Putting the clues in order to discover the flowering circumstances and then thinking about how to replicate them is one of the charms of this game. Even the most complicated riddles – those that require a bit of basic mathematics – are fun and do not put too much pressure on the players. It is a simple and relaxing game that fits perfectly in the description of the 'Cozy Games' ('comforting games') that are so fashionable lately.
The structure of the game remembers classics a bit like Going Home o What Remains of Edith Finch. We go through a huge house finding letters and documents that dictate the story and little by little we are unlocking access to new rooms and sections of the mansion. But unlike those games, Botany Manor It has more elaborate puzzles and a minor approach in the narrative. That does not mean that it has no plot. In fact, it tells a very interesting story.
Arabella Greene is representative of many women who in past centuries made enormous contributions to science only to see her work ignored or stolen because of a society that belittled her gender. Although its ending is bittersweet, it is a great lesson about what really matters in scientific research and a reminder that although there is a lot of work to do in gender equality, we have advanced something.
But on the other hand, it is also an ugly reminder of the way the sciences focus on the upper classes. If Arabella – being recognized and accommodated – had difficulty positioning themselves in science, can they imagine how impossible it could be for the lower classes to access that world? Botany Manor He does not comment on it, but it is something that inevitably brought my mind.
Since we talk about the upper classes of England, I think this game will have a special charm for series fans such as Downton Abbey y Bridgerton for its scenario and setting. The botanical mansion has an excellent and very varied design that has its inspiration in the great medieval houses of the nobility. It is also very beautiful and colorful. The graphics do not look realistic or intend to be and that is good because I prefer their style of flat textures and bright colors that focus on the flora of the stages. Music also depends a lot on plants and quiet melodies with touches 'Lofi' shine in the moments after a flowering.
Although I heard that the game had some technical problems in its launch on other platforms, the PS5 version that I played worked perfectly. The whole game ran to 60 fps, without falls, maintaining the beautiful quality of the graphics and colors. I didn't run into 'bugs' or 'glitches'.
They also have to take into account that it is a fairly short game. Finish with all the trophies, including Platinus, took me just four hours. That short duration did not bothered me at all. Although I was wanting more and they would not have bothered some extra puzzles, a little more difficult, Botany Manor He left me with a smile on my face. Resolving his riddles was a lot of fun, exploring his beautiful stages was very pleasant and discovering his story filled me with just anger and satisfaction at the end. It is a very beautiful indie game that deserves to be in the libraries of exploration lovers, riddles and plants.
Review made with a digital copy of Botany Manor for PS5 provided by Whitethorn Games. This game is also available for PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Series X | S and for PC.
Discover more from Gamerfocus
Subscribe and receive the latest entries in your email.
