Is Greenhearth Necromancer the Next Cozy Hit? A Magical Balcony Awaits

With a name like Greenhearth Necromancer, you’re likely to be wondering what it’s all about. What kind of game is it? If I were to define it, I’d call this a cozy gardening sim with visual story elements. But it’s also semi-idle, uses cards, and gives you customization options. You have narrative choices, and you’re a necromancer tending both live and undead plants. There’s a lot to explore here.

The Story

In Greenhearth Necromancer, you are a young person returning from university (necromancer school) to your grandmother’s co-op apartment, which you have inherited. Your grandmother was a greenwitch and kept a vibrant living garden on her balcony. You loved her. You had a special relationship with her. She became ill while you were away at school. And now she’s died.

You are a necromancer who now possesses a balcony perfect for growing things. Soon after arriving, you’ll begin to meet the neighbors, other members of the co-op who knew your grandmother. There are mixed feelings about you (at least from the folks I’ve met so far). As part of the story, you’ll interact with the other tenants, creating relationships over time. You’ll learn about the other people and their struggles while also dealing with your own grief.

The Gameplay

When you arrive at the apartment, the balcony plants haven’t been tended in a long while. The plants have died. But you’re a necromancer, and you can revivify dead plants, making them undead. Tending both dead and live plants gives you various materials for use in magic, potions, pesticides, and fertilizer. At the beginning of the game, you’ll also choose what type of necromancer you are, which impacts your options.

Plants are best suited to certain spots on the balcony, but you can use magic to help them thrive and, if they do happen to die, you can revivify them. Then there’s the option of composting plants for ingredients you can’t get any other way. The game boasts over 50 species of plants with different looks depending on whether they’re alive or undead. You’ll eventually be able to give your balcony an overall aesthetic that suits you through choosing which plants to keep, along with decorations.

“Is your aesthetic the alien and strange, with tentacles and bulbous things and eyes staring at you, or is it childlike and playful (and just a little creepy)?”

The main gameplay comes in two types. One is through the managing of your plants, and the other is through the various event cards that will be dealt to you. Gold cards are the main story, and silver cards can either be played for an event or for other benefits.

What is Semi-Idle?

Here’s where this game really differs. Eventually, you’ll have played out all of the cards, and your plants need time to grow. This is where you step away. You’re actually encouraged to leave the game running in the background and walk away for 30 minutes to an hour. And, you don’t even have to worry if you leave it running longer and something dies. You’re a necromancer.

Greenhearth Necromancer has music and background sounds you can choose to play. So the game can serve as a backdrop for other things you’re doing, like reading, paying bills, or whatever. You can even leave it running while you play another game.

Will You Play Greenhearth Necromancer?

Greenhearth Necromancer is one of those unique games that doesn’t fit neatly into a genre. It has a beautiful art style and soundtrack. The story is full of heart and choices. It treats magic as fantasy but also with care so that, if you’re part of the witchy world, you’ll feel comfortable. And, notably, the characters use they/them pronouns, have varied appearances, and nuanced stories.

The answer for me is, “Yes.” I’ve barely touched on what this game has to offer. And I’d love to share more, but it’s more of a personal experience. With its semi-idle quality, it’s a little tougher to stream or record (though not impossible). My advice is: Be curious. If you’ve read this and watched the videos and you’re still unsure, try the demo. But try it. You might surprise yourself.

Greenhearth Necromancer is currently discounted to $8.79 until May 25. And, while you’re on the Steam page, check out their news feed for the D&D 5E supplement, personality test, and updates!