Strange Antiquities Review (Nintendo Switch): A Puzzling Mystery
The digital shelves of the Nintendo Switch eShop are crowded, but every so often, a title arrives that feels quietly, confidently different. Strange Antiquities, the follow-up to the critically acclaimed puzzle game Strange Horticulture, is one such title. It trades the occult botany of its predecessor for the dusty, enigmatic world of arcane artifacts, yet it retains the core formula that made the first game a cult classic.
Taking place almost entirely within the four walls of a mysterious shop, the game builds a world far larger than its physical space, delivering one of the most intellectually satisfying and atmospheric experiences on the Switch this year.
Unpacking the Mysteries of the Shop
In Strange Antiquities, you step into the shoes of an apprentice at a shop that deals in items of a peculiar and often paranormal nature. Your daily routine is anything but mundane. A cast of intriguing, and sometimes distressed, characters will visit your counter, each with a request or a cryptic artifact in need of identification. Your job is to use the tools at your disposal—a growing collection of reference books, a magnifying glass, and other esoteric instruments—to correctly identify the objects, understand their properties, and solve the problems of your clientele.
The gameplay loop is deceptively simple yet deeply compelling. A customer might bring you a strange, humming stone, and you’ll need to cross-reference its markings with illustrations in a dusty tome on geological anomalies. Another might describe a haunting and ask for an item that can ward off spirits, sending you on a deep dive through your inventory and lore books to find the perfect solution.
This single-location setting is the game’s greatest strength. The shop becomes your world. Every new book added to your shelf, every new tool unlocked, feels like a massive expansion. The act of physically grabbing a book, flipping through its pages, and comparing notes with the object on your desk creates a tactile and immersive puzzle-solving experience that feels perfectly at home on the Nintendo Switch.
A World Beyond the Counter
While the core of the game is identifying artifacts, a dark and compelling narrative quietly unfolds in the background. Each customer is more than just a puzzle-giver; they are a piece of a larger story, a thread in a tapestry of intrigue that hints at ancient cults, forgotten gods, and a looming threat. The world of Strange Antiquities is built not through expansive exploration but through letters, item descriptions, and the worried whispers of those who seek your help.
The atmosphere is masterfully crafted. A constant, gentle rain patters against the windowpanes, the shop bell jingles with the arrival of each new visitor, and the quiet rustle of turning pages becomes the game's primary soundtrack. It creates a cozy yet unsettling environment, a perfect backdrop for a story that slowly peels back its layers to reveal a deeply unnerving truth. This is a game best played on a quiet evening, where you can fully immerse yourself in its subtle but powerful world-building.
How Does It Play on Switch?
Transitioning a point-and-click style game from PC to a console can be challenging, but Strange Antiquities handles it with grace. The game is fully playable using either the Joy-Con controllers or the Switch’s built-in touch screen.
- Touch Screen Controls: This is arguably the best way to play. Tapping to select books, dragging items for inspection, and swiping to turn pages feels intuitive and natural, closely mimicking the original PC experience.
- Joy-Con Controls: Using the analog stick to guide a cursor is also a perfectly viable option. The controls are responsive, and contextual buttons make interacting with your desk and its many objects straightforward.
The game's minimalist visual style and focus on static screens ensure a flawless performance on the hardware. Load times are minimal, and the frame rate is rock-solid. The portability of the Switch adds immense value, making it the ideal platform for diving into a few puzzles on a lunch break or settling in for a long session on the go.
A Worthy Successor to Strange Horticulture?
For fans of Strange Horticulture, the burning question is whether this sequel lives up to the original. The answer is a resounding yes. The developers at Bad Viking have wisely chosen not to reinvent the wheel. Instead, they’ve refined and expanded upon the formula that worked so well. The core loop of identifying mysterious items remains intact, but the puzzles feel more varied and the overarching narrative is more ambitious and tightly woven.
Strange Antiquities feels like a natural evolution. It takes the foundational ideas of its predecessor and builds upon them, offering a new mystery to unravel within a familiar and beloved framework. It manages to feel both fresh and comfortably familiar, a difficult balance that it strikes with expert precision.
The Verdict: Is Strange Antiquities a Hidden Gem?
In a sea of action-packed blockbusters, Strange Antiquities is a quiet triumph. It's a game that respects the player's intelligence, rewarding careful observation and deductive reasoning. The satisfaction of finally identifying a difficult artifact or connecting two seemingly unrelated clues is immense. While its deliberate pace may not be for everyone, those looking for a rich, atmospheric mystery will find an absolute treasure here. It’s a beautifully crafted puzzle box of a game, and opening it up to discover the secrets within is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have on the Nintendo Switch.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What type of game is Strange Antiquities?
Strange Antiquities is a narrative-driven puzzle game where you play as an apprentice in a shop for mysterious artifacts. The core gameplay involves identifying strange items for customers by using a collection of reference books and tools.
Is Strange Antiquities a sequel?
Yes, it is the sequel to the 2022 indie hit Strange Horticulture. It features a similar style of gameplay but with a new setting and story focused on arcane objects instead of occult plants.
Do I need to play Strange Horticulture first?
No, you do not need to have played the first game. Strange Antiquities features a standalone story and mystery. However, if you enjoyed the gameplay loop of Strange Horticulture, you will feel right at home with this title.
How long does it take to beat Strange Antiquities?
The main story will likely take most players between 7 to 10 hours to complete, depending on how quickly you solve the puzzles. Discovering all the secrets and optional narrative threads can extend the playtime further.