Grunn is a very normal gardening game that is not a horror game at all

YouTube

I do love gardening, so of course I'm thrilled to hear that indie game boy band Sokpop Collective has released full-length game Grunn about doing some maintenance on a garden deep in the Dutch countryside. I like Sokpop for their distinct visual style and odd sense of humor, and Grunn looks like an enjoyable few hours of mildly spooky gardening-themed distraction.

I'm not going to beat around the bush, fellow gardeners, I don't think this is going to be a normal gardening game. I think it's going to be scary. That's not to say gardening can't be scary. Have you ever experienced the shear terror of realizing your tools aren't sharpened?

"It is time to garden. Explore the town. Meet the locals. Don't get lost," says the trailer as the protagonist explores, clippers in hand, a bucolic dutch country village in slight disrepair. There are people about, and odd doors, and creepy paths in the dark, and a nice little store with gardening supplies. You know, fertilizers and such.

That's fortunate because most of the tools you'll need to do your gardening job are missing. Just a pair of dodgy shears and a spotty watering can and a sad little spade. Also, going out after dark is forbidden. I wouldn't really recommend doing garden work after dark, though, unless you've got a nice bright work light. Then I guess it's okay.

You can find Grunn on Steam for $13, though it's 25% off until October 11.

Jon Bolding is a games writer and critic with an extensive background in strategy games. When he's not on his PC, he can be found playing every tabletop game under the sun.