Put berries in the hole. Get money. Win. This appears to be the law of Berry Bury Berry, a strange, esoteric, and beguiling puzzler on Steam that's got thousands of positive reviews already, even though I don't think anyone really knows what's going on with the hole.
But then, are we ever meant to? It seems like our mission is to grow berries and befriend them. They're colorful, spherical companions in this small garden you've found yourself in. Fodder for the hole, the gaping mass that always demands more. More, I said. More.
Rewards gleaned thus can be used to buy tools and make improvements that'll let you make more fodder for the hole, and learn about these green but distinctly ominous surroundings. What's really going on here? Do I want to know? Do you? Growing berries and dipping them into oblivion seems so much simpler.
All of this is to say, I can see why Berry Bury Berry has gathered a steady, infatuated audience. Made by Get(Color) Games, it's a bright, eye-catching, and bizarre-looking thing with a mechanical hook that seems fun enough off the bat to justify the $8 price-tag. I mean, the PowerWash Simulator games have proven that people love mundane yet satisfying tasks if they're translated in the right way mechanically.
Throw in a narrative rabbit hole that seems somewhere between the TV show Severance and space horror Mouthwashing, and it's a strong pitch. I've only played the demo, so I'm not far enough in to get an ending yet, but there's more than enough to push me forward.
Who knew it would feel so good to just put stuff into a giant hole? I mean, honestly, there are several aspects of my life I wish I could give this treatment to. Or perhaps I can… that's a question for another time. Berry Bury Berry is on Steam, and there's a free demo out now.
