Botany Manor
A puzzle game about cultivating magical flora in a 19th-century manor.
Botany Manor is a 2024 puzzle game from Balloon Studios, an English independent developer based in Devon, and published by Whitethorn Games. The game takes place in an English countryside manor from the 1890s, where players grow magical plants. It received generally positive reviews, with critics highlighting its environmental design, tone, and pacing.
In the game, players control Arabella Greene, a retired botanist who has inherited a Somerset manor. She researches plants for a book on "Forgotten Flora." The gameplay is point-and-click across chapters, each requiring the player to grow one or more plants. These plants have magical properties that react to conditions like light or temperature; players adjust the environment to make them bloom. Clues for growing each plant are scattered around the manor and collected in a notebook. When a plant blooms, the notebook shows an illustration and more details, and the player unlocks the next stage, often by finding a key to a new room.
Balloon Studios was founded by Laure De Mey, who previously worked at Ustwo Games, the creators of Monument Valley. De Mey said the inspiration was to explore a manor setting, drawing from Charles Darwin’s Down House and the fictional manor of Lara Croft in Tomb Raider. The late 19th century was chosen to evoke an "era of great scientific discovery" and to make a puzzle game about fantastical botany feel plausible. The development team aimed for a "clear and straightforward" puzzle design and difficulty, wanting a "nice peaceful setting" that was "not too challenging, but obviously not too simple" to avoid straining the player. The game was announced at a Nintendo Indie World event in November 2022 and released on 9 February 2024 for Nintendo Switch, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
On Metacritic, Botany Manor received "generally favorable" reviews. OpenCritic reported strong approval, with 91% of critics recommending it. In Japan, four Famitsu critics gave it a total of 29 out of 40. Reviewers praised the botanic theme and environmental design, comparing it to games like Strange Horticulture or The Witness. Larryn Bell of Shacknews said the themes highlight "the overall interconnectedness of nature" and the environment's effect on wellbeing, though she felt plants could have been more useful.
- Developer
- Balloon Studios
- Publisher
- Whitethorn Games
- Release date
- 9 February 2024
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Genre
- Puzzle
- Setting
- 1890, Somerset manor
- Protagonist
- Arabella Greene
Lore & Background
Set in 1890, players assume the role of Arabella Greene, a retired botanist and inheritor of a Somerset manor who is researching plants for a book about the world's 'Forgotten Flora'. Gameplay involves completing point-and-click puzzles across several chapters by growing plants with magical qualities that respond to environmental conditions such as light or temperature. Clues for growing plants are dispersed throughout the manor and collected in a notebook; when a plant blooms, the notebook reveals an illustration and details, and progression to the next stage is unlocked, often via a key to a new room.
Botany Manor was developed by Balloon Studios, a Devon-based team founded by Laure De Mey, who previously worked with Ustwo Games (developers of Monument Valley). De Mey cited the house of naturalist Charles Darwin, Down House, and the fictitious manor of Lara Croft from Tomb Raider as inspirations for the manor's design. The late nineteenth century was chosen to capture an 'era of great scientific discovery' and provide a feasible premise for a puzzle game about fantastical botany. Development pursued a 'clear and straightforward' approach to puzzle design and difficulty, aiming for a 'nice peaceful setting' that balanced being 'not too challenging, but obviously not too simple' to minimize strain on the player.
The game was announced at a Nintendo Indie World event for the Nintendo Switch in November 2022 and was published on its announced release date of 9 February 2024 for Nintendo Switch, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Reader's Guide
Upon release, Botany Manor received 'generally favorable' reviews according to Metacritic, and strong approval on OpenCritic, recommended by 91% of critics. Reviewers praised the game's execution of its botanic theme and environmental design, drawing comparisons to games such as Strange Horticulture and The Witness. The game's sedate and relaxing pacing was widely remarked upon, with critics characterizing it as part of a genre of 'cozy and wholesome' titles focused on cultivation and creation, in contrast to games predicated on violence and conflict. The lack of time limits and gentle guidance were noted as contributing to a laid-back experience. The narrative, told through letters, notes and objects, was mostly praised for telling a thoughtful and poignant tale about overcoming adversity and discrimination in the late nineteenth century, though some critics found the protagonist's personal story one-note and reliant on notes that failed to dig deep into her emotions. Some critics observed bugs and quality of life issues, such as the inability to document clues more thoroughly and a lack of clear player location on a map, though these were described as small issues with little impact on the actual game. Accessibility features were also praised.
Did You Know?
- The manor design was inspired by Charles Darwin's Down House and Lara Croft's manor from Tomb Raider.
- On OpenCritic, 91% of critics recommended the game.
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