Mandrake Talks Curses and Consequences

Developer Failbetter Games released a new video for its upcoming rural life sim Mandrake. The three-minute video sees Communications Director Hannah Flynn discuss the Covenant of Weeds while showing pre-alpha footage from the game. The Covenant of Weeds is a curse placed on the village of Chandley, which has been in place for a hundred years and which prevents the populace from actively growing plants themselves. As a sorcerer, players are exempt from the curse, but their ability to use horticulture causes concern from villages who have seen the consequences of the curse.

Mandrake is inspired by British history and folklore. Returning to their family’s abandoned home, they look to make a life in the village and uncover mysteries that were left behind. Players grow various crops that get stranger as their skills grow, such as plants that can call down rain to water the gardens for them. The game is planned to release on Steam Early Access, though a date has not been announced.