Pay then. Sorry, I was sent on behalf of Yolf, the giant horned cat who sits on a branch demanding payment on a mandrake. This folk gardening simulator from dim sea And Fallen London Developers Failbetter games just unveiled a new version at today's Wholesome Snack show, putting Yolf's need for you to get your affairs in order front and center.
You play as a farmer who wants to take up gardening, despite curses and strange folklore creatures that make it difficult. Jolf, Feilbetter says, lives next door. He is “a furry, friendly neighbor who nevertheless demands payment of the debts your ancestors owe him.” He will only take cash for this amount of 962 gold crowns.
To make up for this, you'll have to get your witchy butt in order and plant a few things. There are goose trees in the game and they seem like a good bet, especially if they turn out to be gold. You can also engage in foraging, fishing and mining in “a world of old, wild forces, supernatural spirits that dwell in places where mortals dare not go; deeper stories and deeper secrets.” The most dangerous supernatural creatures seem to only appear at night, and the game warns you to go out after sunset.
What intrigued me most, aside from the gorgeous, vibrant art style, was the ability to run around the sleepy countryside of Chandli, communicating with people, spirits, gods, and ghosts through dialogue boxes that remind me of a laid-back version of Disco ElysiumWords are scrawled on the portrait side. On the other hand, Failbetter also says you can do the following, which all sounds cool: “Make friends with the river. Eavesdrop on the dead. Spend a haunted night at Butcher's Oak. Have tea with the god who lives in your chimney.”
Either way, your job is to grow food and renovate the old mandrake house that you will call home. There is no cannibalism here, at least that’s what the developers say.
As of now, Mandrake still doesn't have a release date, but you can add it to your wishlist at Steam. If you'd like to read in detail how this happened and the journey to get to this point, I'll point you to this article written by former RPS player Alice B. Perfectly cylindrical gamer after its opening this summer.
