Strange Antiquities Before You Buy

What Is Strange Antiquities?

Strange Antiquities is the direct sequel to Strange Horticulture, the indie puzzle hit from Bad Viking and Iceberg Interactive. Where the first game had you identifying plants for curious townsfolk, this one shifts focus to occult relics, magical trinkets, and cursed artifacts.

 Strange Antiquities Before You Buy 

You’re an apprentice shopkeeper left to run the store while your master travels. Customers walk in with strange requests, sometimes describing their needs plainly, other times dropping vague clues or riddles. Your goal is to match their requests with the right artifact by observing, cross-referencing, and puzzling out details from your encyclopedia and tools. It keeps the same cozy-but-mysterious atmosphere of Horticulture, but with a darker, more magical shop vibe. Think Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley mixed with Papers, Please deduction work and a touch of Return of the Obra Dinn.

How the Game Works

At its core, this is a puzzle and management game. Each workday starts in your little shop, where you wait for customers to ring the bell. They’ll describe an item, a problem, or even a cryptic symptom of a curse.

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You’ll then:

• Inspect artifacts with tools like magnifying glasses or scales.
• Cross-check details with your reference books (gems, symbols, curses, materials).
• Make deductions based on physical clues and written descriptions.

The early puzzles are straightforward, but as you progress, the game throws layered challenges at you. Later customers might describe an item in riddles or reference obscure symbols that require checking multiple books at once. The fun comes from slowly mastering the systems and feeling clever when everything clicks.

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Outside of the shop, you’ll also explore Undermere through a clickable map. These expeditions unlock new story beats, introduce new relics, and occasionally reward you with rare items for your collection.

How It Compares to Its Predecessor

Strange Horticulture was all about learning plants, their look, smell, and properties, and slowly piecing together their uses. Strange Antiquities builds on that idea but makes the puzzles more varied. Instead of just identifying plants, you’re juggling cursed objects, magical tools, and ancient symbols.

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It’s also a longer game. Where Horticulture could be wrapped up in around 6–8 hours, Antiquities stretches closer to 12–15 depending on how thorough you are. The difficulty curve feels smoother too,  you’re eased into the system before it ramps up into true detective work. For fans of cozy puzzle sims like Potion Craft, Her Story, or even Obra Dinn, this is right in your wheelhouse.

The Atmosphere and Storytelling

This isn’t a game about jump scares or dark horror. Instead, it leans into a whimsical, mysterious vibe. The town of Undermere is filled with odd characters who rely on your artifact knowledge to solve their strange problems. There’s an overarching story involving curses, ravens, and strange happenings in town, but it never overshadows the daily rhythm of running the shop.

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The writing strikes a balance between cozy and unsettling, giving you that “magical but slightly eerie” energy that fans of Horticulture loved. If you liked leafing through dusty tomes in the first game, this one doubles down on that immersive, bookish charm.

Strengths and Weaknesses

What It Does Well

• Deep Puzzle Mechanics: Multi-layered identifications feel satisfying.
• Cozy Mystery Vibes: Great mix of whimsical and eerie atmosphere.
• Replay Value: Multiple paths and secrets to uncover.
• Length: More content than the first game.

Where It Might Lose You

• Slow Pace: Heavy reading and methodical gameplay aren’t for everyone.
• Occasional Frustration: Some late-game puzzles blur the line between clever deduction and guesswork.
• Niche Appeal: If you didn’t like Horticulture, this won’t change your mind.

Who Should Buy It

• Fans of Strange Horticulture who want more depth.
• Puzzle lovers who enjoy patient, methodical problem-solving.
• Gamers into cozy sims like Potion Craft or narrative puzzlers like Obra Dinn.
• Anyone who enjoys detective-style deduction mixed with a magical setting.

Skip it if you’re looking for action, twitchy gameplay, or something you can play without reading.

Final Verdict: Is the Game Worth It?

Strange Antiquities nails what it sets out to do: deliver a more complex, more varied, and longer-lasting version of Strange Horticulture. The core loop of identifying items and helping odd customers remains addictive, and the expanded systems give it a fresh feel without straying too far from what worked.

It won’t be for everyone,  especially players who prefer faster or combat-driven games,, but if you’re the type who enjoys putting on your detective hat and losing yourself in a cozy mystery, this game is well worth the purchase.

Final Score: A worthy sequel that delivers great value for puzzle X mystery X detective game fans.