- New Zealand Wellington Indie Studio Unclear Games Unveils World Premiere Trailer for ‘Gardens of Death’
- Fixed camera angles, intricate puzzles, malignant plant infections… A modern reinterpretation of the original Resident Evil trilogy
- Nintendo Life “Return of Classic Resident Evil”… Noisy Pixel, Gematsu, and DayOne Attract Simultaneous Attention
A new trailer titled ‘Gardens of Death ‘ for ‘The Florist,’ a fixed-camera survival horror game currently under development by New Zealand Wellington-based indie studio Unclear Games, has been unveiled for the first time.
The Florist is a fixed-camera survival horror game set in the lakeside town of Joycliff, where players must survive in a world overrun by a plant infection. Players must utilize limited resources and weapons to avoid or eliminate mutated infected creatures and uncover the town’s hidden secrets through puzzles and exploration.
It is a work that combines environments that change between day and night, evolving enemies, and direction that maximizes tension, characterized by adding modern systems to the grammar of classic horror. The game is scheduled for release in 2026 for PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2, with the exact schedule to be announced later.
A beautiful village, yet a ‘hell of flowers’… The density of horror created by fixed cameras
Joycliffe, the setting of The Florist, is depicted as a bright and vibrant lakeside town, unlike traditional horror games. However, its colorful appearance actually serves as a device to highlight the bizarreness and horror of a world overrun by plants.
In particular, the fixed camera perspective, reminiscent of classic survival horror, stimulates the imagination regarding threats from beyond the screen and maximizes tension. The sound design, featuring the interplay of footsteps and the sound of growing plants, also further heightens the intensity of the horror.
Furthermore, a world unfolds where the day and night cycle dynamically shifts, and enemies evolve and adapt. Through these elements, the development team aims to realize “authentic survival horror” by combining traditional genre conventions with modern systems. The trailer revealed new enemies, weapons, and levels, and also contained hints that several secrets are hidden among the vines.
‘Seeds’ and ‘Harvesters’… The Double Threat Created by Plant Infectants
The outlines of the main enemies were also revealed in this trailer. The ‘Seeds’ are beings mutated by plant infection; although they have already lost their function as living organisms, they move through organic growth, attack living beings, and suck up nutrients.
Players can respond with weapons such as the ‘Catclaw Revolver’ and ‘Rosetta Shotgun,’ and the existence of special weapons to quickly eliminate some powerful entities was also hinted at.
Another threat, ‘The Harvester,’ is a massive entity roaming Joycliff characterized by its relentless pursuit of unidentified targets. Wandering the town with a blood-stained sack, the Harvester exerts constant pressure, requiring players to stay one step ahead and uncover the town’s hidden secrets. The developers also hinted at the existence of additional threats, stating, “Even the Harvester is not the most dangerous entity.”
Introduction of unlimited inventory… A new attempt at genre grammar
Meanwhile, The Florist has also introduced systems that differentiate it from traditional survival horror. An ‘unlimited inventory’ is a prime example.
Regarding this, Nintendo Life commented, “The fixed camera and atmosphere are reminiscent of classic Resident Evil, but the structure allowing all items to be collected is a groundbreaking choice for the genre.” Unlike existing survival horror games where managing limited resources was key, attention is focused on what kind of tension structure the design, which expands the freedom of exploration and collection, will create.
In addition, modern convenience features such as various difficulty options, accessibility settings, autosave checkpoints, and hidden content will be provided. DayOne described it as “another noteworthy title to appear in the strange year 2026.”
“Resetting the Standard for Authentic Horror”… Unclear Games’ Challenge
Unclear Games, an independent game studio based in Wellington, New Zealand, is focusing on a modern reinterpretation of the core sensibilities of classic survival horror through The Florist.
Players approach the truth of the incident by collecting clues, analyzing the environment, and managing weapons, while leaving records in the in-game journal. This exploration-centric structure and environmental storytelling function as key elements that enhance narrative immersion beyond mere survival.
The development team stated, “Our goal is to present the best authentic survival horror of 2026 by introducing modern systems based on inspiration from legendary classic works.”
Information regarding ‘The Florist’
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Developer / Publisher | Unclear Games (Wellington, New Zealand) |
| Genre | Fixed Camera Survival Horror / Action Adventure |
| Release platform | PC (Steam) / PlayStation 5 / Nintendo Switch 2 |
| Scheduled for release | 2026 (Exact date to be announced later) |
| background | Lakeside Village Joycliff / Plant Infection Apocalypse |
| Camera method | Fixed camera view (classic Biohazard style) |
| Main weapons | Catclaw Revolver / Rosetta Shotgun / Unreleased Special Weapon |
| Major enemy | Seeds / The Harvester / Many undisclosed |
| characteristic | Unlimited Inventory / Day/Night Cycle / Autosave / Accessibility Options |
| inspiration | Classic Resident Evil series (PS1 trilogy, etc.) |
| Main Keywords | Fixed camera, survival horror, plant infection, puzzle, Joycliff, retro horror |
| Official Email | hello@uncleargames.com |
| Steam Page | Go to Wishlist |
