CALENDULA

A nice but short metapuzzle. Supposedly it's a horror game, but besides one creepy visage it presents itself with just maybe a bit of repulsive imagery and even if kinda dour in its approach to describing one of the widely accepted life's miracles, the game is in the end sweet, and I dare to sound pretentious, leaning towards cathartic. There is one bugged level with the egg full of eyes, but you need to just reload it till it progresses to the cutscene, in my case it took 4 restarts of the game. The weird downside is that many of the regions of the world have no price set for the game, and I had to buy it in retail... a very bizarre way to limit the amount of people who would bother to buy the product. But then again it takes less than an hour to complete it, so I guess they would face an unending stream of refunds from people who completed the game if not bought in retail.

Nascimento é um milagre e quem quer que deu ponto negativo pra esse jogo é um jeca

Wow... ... wow. ... Just... ... wow.

最喜欢的解谜游戏之一了，创意拉满，就不剧透了，不恐怖的

meta启蒙之一

CALENDULA, developed and published by Blooming Buds Studio, is an experimental meta-horror experience that deliberately challenges the very concept of what it means to “play” a game. Rather than offering a conventional narrative structure or straightforward puzzle progression, it builds its identity around disruption, uncertainty, and psychological discomfort. From the moment it launches, the game makes it clear that it will not follow traditional design rules, transforming menus, settings, and interface elements into the primary battleground. The opening moments establish the tone immediately. Instead of presenting a functional “Start Game” option, the interface appears broken or hostile. Buttons refuse to work as expected, error messages interrupt progress, and seemingly normal settings like brightness or resolution adjustments become tools for advancement. What initially feels like technical malfunction gradually reveals itself as intentional design. The player’s confusion becomes part of the experience, forcing them to experiment with the interface itself in order to move forward. In doing so, CALENDULA blurs the boundary between player and system, making the act of navigating menus feel like solving a puzzle. Once fragments of the actual game world begin to appear, they do so in fleeting, disjointed sequences. The environments are surreal and sparse—abstract corridors, unsettling rooms, and dreamlike spaces that feel more symbolic than literal. There is no direct exposition explaining what is happening. Instead, the narrative emerges through implication and atmosphere. The game relies heavily on ambiguity, encouraging players to interpret meaning from fragmented clues rather than explicit storytelling. This design choice reinforces the unsettling feeling that the game world itself may be unstable or incomplete. The horror in CALENDULA is psychological rather than visceral. There are no traditional jump scares or overt threats. Instead, tension arises from the persistent sense of unpredictability. The interface behaves erratically, sound cues are minimal and often unsettling, and the lack of clear objectives fosters a lingering unease. By stripping away familiar gameplay conventions, the game creates a discomfort rooted in uncertainty. Players are not simply navigating a haunted environment; they are navigating a system that appears to resist their presence. Visually, the presentation embraces minimalism and distortion. The environments are deliberately abstract, often accompanied by glitch-like visual artifacts or strange graphical behavior. These elements enhance the feeling that the game is aware of itself as a digital construct. Sound design is equally restrained, relying on ambient tones and silence to build atmosphere. The absence of a guiding soundtrack or clear audio feedback reinforces the sensation of isolation and instability. Mechanically, CALENDULA functions more as an interactive concept than a traditional game. Progression is nonlinear and sometimes opaque. There are no clear checkpoints or reward systems in the conventional sense. The satisfaction comes from deciphering how to proceed rather than from overcoming enemies or mastering mechanics. This unconventional structure can be deeply engaging for players who appreciate experimental design, but it may feel frustrating to those expecting clarity or structured progression. The runtime is relatively concise, typically lasting a few hours, yet its impact often extends beyond its length. The experience lingers because it challenges assumptions about agency and interaction. By turning the interface into an obstacle and using confusion as a narrative device, CALENDULA positions itself as both game and commentary on games. It invites players to question how much control they truly have within digital systems and whether the line between player and program is as stable as it seems. Ultimately, CALENDULA stands as a bold example of experimental indie design. It sacrifices accessibility and conventional satisfaction in favor of conceptual ambition. While not universally approachable, it succeeds in crafting a distinctive psychological experience that remains memorable precisely because it defies expectations. For players willing to embrace ambiguity and meta-horror concepts, it offers a thought-provoking journey that redefines the relationship between user, interface, and game world. Rating: 7/10

表现力强，思路新颖，推荐大家来玩，我觉得应该没人在这之前见过这种游戏。另外标题界面以及bgm氛围这些我都特别喜欢

Jeux très, très intéressant et vraiment bien pensé. Exactement le type de jeux qu'on recherche quand on est pas fan du type "fortnite".. Par contre un peu trop facile comme énigmes, mais du coup très accessible pour faire découvrir le genre aux non-initiés. Donc je recommande car j'ai tout de même eu énormément de plaisir à y jouer.🙂

Excellent game. The narrative is short, but personally I think that is why the concept works: because it says what it wants to say and then gets out quick. It's easy with games based around a gimmick to become repetitive and hammer the meaning in lieu of compelling progression. It's a short but compelling narrative-driven game that doesn't want to be played. Can't get better than that!

两个字：阴间 红黑色调的界面，死气沉沉的bgm（关键有一首还很诡异），疯狂花屏，猎奇血腥的视频片段，什么眼睛，猪肉，血球，还有一张脸向我靠过来吓到我了，我都怀疑是不是地府出的游戏了。还有剧情设定只讲了个投胎转世，显得简单空洞，还不是阴间？ 实际上这款游戏的创意还是有的，就是在进入游戏前让你解谜，还加了克苏鲁的元素，但都败在了阴间游戏设计上，所以能不能出点阳间的？ 这款游戏你喜欢你也没关系，反正我实在是受不了了。