STRANGE ANTIQUITIES
- Hubert Spala
- Sep 22
- 5 min read
STRANGE ANTIQUITIES is one of those sequels that makes you look back at its predecessor with fondness, while also wondering how you ever managed without the refinements of the new installment. Much like its older sibling, STRANGE HORTICULTURE, it asks you to identify mysterious items through careful observation, deduction, and intuition. But unlike its predecessor, this title does everything with a touch more flair, a bit more substance, and a confident wink that says “Trust me, I’ve got this figured out.” And indeed it does.
The core gameplay loop is where the most immediate improvements shine brightly. While STRANGE HORTICULTURE had you carefully analyzing plants to deduce their names and properties, this game turns that formula up several notches. Artifacts are now your main focus, and each one is a puzzle box begging to be solved. How you can inspect an item has expanded dramatically. You are no longer limited to simply squinting at a leaf and wondering if it looks more jagged than the picture in the book. Instead, you get to tap into a wonderfully eccentric toolkit - feeling the texture of materials, inhaling subtle scents, listening for faint resonances, and even paying attention to the moods that objects seem to emit. Some items might hum with an odd vibration, while others might carry an aura of unease, like a cousin’s casserole that you’re not quite sure is safe. The variety of investigative tools is satisfying and helps keep each puzzle fresh.
To support all this sleuthing, the game arms you with a small library of tomes and references. One book covers symbology, another details a variety of gemstones, yet another catalogs curses and their symptoms. Each tome becomes an indispensable ally, and the pleasure lies in cross-referencing and piecing clues together. The process never feels too daunting - it avoids the trap of overwhelming the player with endless, obtuse riddles - yet it also never veers into trivial territory. It strikes a steady, enjoyable rhythm. And while the automated labeling system is convenient, there is a certain basic charm about keeping it switched off and writing your own labels, savoring each little eureka moment when you solve an item’s mystery and learn its name. Personalizing your tags turns the collection into something uniquely yours, like a slightly spooky but heartfelt scrapbook.
And then there is the game’s creative use of seemingly ordinary tools. A candle, for example, isn’t just a candle - sometimes flames change color in the presence of certain relics, and at other times, artifacts reveal secrets only under flickering light (or, indeed, lack of it!). Even the weight of an object is a clue to its nature, a small but welcome detail that adds depth to the process. The weather can also play a role, as some items seem to display additional behaviors when it sprinkles outside. These touches feel clever rather than gimmicky, and they add a delightful unpredictability to the proceedings. It’s as if the developers sat down and asked, “What else can we make players notice?” and then answered with a cheeky grin, “How about everything.”
Pacing is another area where this game shines. Each in-game day presents new challenges, introduces new characters, and slowly unfurls the overarching story. At the same time, your arsenal of investigative tools grows steadily, ensuring that the gameplay never stagnates. The magical lens that reveals an object’s aura feels particularly satisfying, as though you’re peeking into another dimension. Later, special items unlock the ability to solve puzzles on maps, opening up small but delightful forays into exploration. The careful cadence of drip-feeding these tools ensures that you are never bored and never overwhelmed, just consistently intrigued.
Exploration puzzles are sprinkled throughout, and while they are not the main attraction, they make for enjoyable detours. These tend to lean on observation skills - noticing shapes, spotting patterns, recognizing symbols in the environment. They feel like a change of pace, a chance to stretch a different mental muscle before returning to the main business of artifact identification. None of them overstay their welcome, and they lend variety to the overall experience.
Of course, atmosphere plays an enormous role here too. Much like STRANGE HORTICULTURE, this title nails that hard-to-define but immediately recognizable mood - a cozy mystery tinged with just enough eeriness to keep you on your toes. Playing it feels like settling into an old armchair with a steaming cup of tea, while rain patters outside and occasional thunder rattles the windows. And there might be an odd knocking coming from the attic. The soundtrack and visuals combine to make this world strangely comforting but slightly uncanny, inviting you to linger. And yes, petting the cat remains an option. Honestly, all games should take note - feline interaction is a mechanic we should be demanding more often.
If there is a weak link, it lies in the narrative. The story is not bad - in fact, there are moments when it is quite engaging - but the overall arc feels a touch rushed. The climax arrives with the pacing of a second act rather than a grand finale, and while it sets up interesting ideas, it does not quite deliver the follow-through that would make it truly memorable. The buildup is serviceable but unspectacular, and the resolution fades quicker than the memory of what you had for breakfast two days ago. It is not a dealbreaker by any means, but compared to the finely tuned gameplay, the story simply does not reach the same heights. I am sorry, but I just finished the game, and earned two endings, and could not tell you much about what happened. Maybe I wasn't paying that much attention, but if I can be blamed for that, it's because the unfolding events didn't grab that attention boldly in the first place.
Even with that caveat, STRANGE ANTIQUITIES is a delight. It offers a rare balance in puzzle design - challenging enough to spark pride when you solve something, but never so obtuse that you need to reach for a guide (In my playthrough, I never used the Hint system once, so that's that!). It is casual without being shallow, clever without being pretentious. The best puzzle games create that sparkly “aha” moment, where you feel like a genius for connecting the dots, and this game produces those moments with satisfying frequency. Add in the charming atmosphere, the imaginative use of tools, and the steady sense of progression, and what you have is an experience that is consistently rewarding from start to finish.
Yes, it may be a relatively short adventure, one you could complete over the course of two or three evenings, but those hours are packed with satisfying little triumphs. This game feels like a lovingly expanded and polished version of its predecessor, carrying forward everything that worked and then layering on more. For anyone with a fondness for gentle brain-teasers, STRANGE ANTIQUITIES is absolutely worth the time. And if the developers are planning another entry in this series - well, I will be the first in line, ready to light my candle, open my tomes, and pet that cat all over again.
Comments