Strange Antiquities (2025)

Players are invited to step into the role of an Apprentice Thaumaturge at Strange Antiquities, a mysterious shop in the town of Undermere. The position demands both intelligence and fortitude, as the apprentice will be responsible for managing the shop while the proprietor attends to pressing matters elsewhere. Precision and attention to detail are crucial for supplying the town’s residents with the arcane items they require.

Life in Undermere

Undermere appears at first glance to be a tranquil lakeside town, yet it lies on the edge of the known world and a realm beyond. The shop stands as a guardian of reality’s fragile boundaries, and the apprentice is tasked with preserving this delicate balance. From the very first day, the apprentice must be prepared for a range of unusual and sometimes unsettling experiences.

Daily Responsibilities

The shop itself is warm and candle-lit, welcoming townsfolk with varied and often surprising needs. Every day involves interacting with new customers and carefully studying their requests:

• Study and Identify: Examine, catalogue, and classify strange artifacts. Success requires keen observation, deductive reasoning, and consulting illustrated tomes. Mistakes can carry significant consequences.
• Help or Hinder: Decisions when handling powerful items have meaningful outcomes. The apprentice can aid a customer or inadvertently cause harm. In a small community, misdeeds are remembered.
• Explore and Discover: Occasionally, tasks require leaving the shop to investigate rumors or recover artifacts. Hand-drawn maps provided by the proprietor guide these excursions.
• Solve and Uncover: Beyond daily routines, the shop itself holds mysteries. Its history is deep, and hidden secrets await discovery within its walls.
• Tending the Familiar: Jupiter, the shop’s cat, requires daily care and attention. Interaction with the feline companion is both necessary and rewarding.

Ominous Signs in the Town

Unsettling occurrences in Undermere suggest that dark forces are at work. Reports include the reappearance of ailments in residents such as Barton Potter, and malevolent presences like the creeping darkness in Jack Hungerford’s house. While the proprietor must travel to Ravenglass, consultations with the occult scholar Verona Green are planned to address these threats. The apprentice may be called upon to defend the town from unknown forces attempting to destabilize the boundary between worlds.

The Legacy of Strange Antiquities

The shop is described as the life’s work of its proprietor, offering both rewards and mysteries to those who serve within it. Visitors and artifacts alike can present dangers, and some curiosities are better left untouched. The environment emphasizes careful judgment and respect for the arcane.

About the Developers

Created by two brothers from the UK who have been collaborating on games for over ten years, Strange Antiquities follows the success of their 2022 title Strange Horticulture. That previous game received critical acclaim, award nominations, and featured prominently on numerous year-end lists. Player feedback on platforms like Steam has remained overwhelmingly positive with close to 12,000 reviews.

While not a direct sequel to their earlier work, Strange Antiquities introduces a fresh narrative and new gameplay opportunities. Fans of Strange Horticulture will recognize familiar faces and references, but the story and experiences are distinct. The developers express gratitude to players for their support, reviews, and engagement, emphasizing their excitement to continue sharing their immersive, occult-themed worlds.

Stay Connected

Players are encouraged to wishlist and follow Strange Antiquities to receive updates on development and help spread awareness of the game. The title promises a rich, engaging experience for those drawn to mystery, exploration, and arcane discovery.