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We caught up with developer Cloth Cat Games, specifically both creative producer Ben Cawthorne and producer Tara Naz, all to learn more about the upcoming party game that combines harvest simulation elements with sports mechanics.
"Hello everyone and welcome back to Gamereactor. I'm still at London Games Fest, we're still at the New Game Plus as you can tell from the beautiful backdrop we've got here.
And I'm currently here with a couple of the team from Cloth Cat Games. I'm here with Tara and I'm here with Ben.
And we're here to just talk a little bit about Planted! So, this is almost, well, pretty much brand new at this point."
"You only announced the game to the public recently, so just give me a little bit of that elevator pitch, tell me what to expect from Planted! Sure, so Planted! is a horticultural combat game, that's how we've decided to frame it. So it's part gardening sim, part sports game.
And so you compete in a range of arenas, which are gardens, for resources to kind of better your opponents and score the most points."
"So, it's a party game, but it obviously has that combination of, I guess, overcooked meets gardening in a way, in many different aspects.
So tell me, how are you going about this and trying to set Planted! up as something that feels special and unique in this increasingly crowded genre?
Yeah, I think what we've given ourselves is just like a range of tools and toys within our game development to kind of throw unexpected curveballs at the player."
"So we got that core loop down, where you sow, grow and throw. But then what else can you do to kind of heighten and disrupt that gameplay?
And I think that's kind of what we've been doing since we got that core loop in place.
But yeah, four-way battles, definitely where it lands perfectly, you know, when the chaos is just about right.
And so it's just about us getting that balance right, and whenever we add something new, you know."
"And Tara, tell me then a little bit about what we can expect from the chaotic gameplay.
How have you designed, or how have you implemented the action in Planted! so that it feels completely fresh?
Everything about it feels natural with the controls, to be honest.
And when you're playing it, especially with us playtesting it, we are at each other's throats constantly."
"We take it very seriously. So the fact that we can have fun playing it just makes us really enjoy it and kind of want to bring it out to everyone else.
I was speaking a minute ago to one of the other members of your team, and they were telling me about what you have in the game right now is a couple of modes, a couple of maps.
So there's obviously grand plans for this. So how do you look at Planted! as a framework to build something increasingly special with?
Yeah, I mean, that's kind of what we get excited about, but we have to like, no, let's get this bit done."
"I think it's one of those things, it's like a sponge for all our stupid ideas.
And so if anything, it's just like trying to maintain the scope versus the kind of quality we want to bring to it.
You know, we're an animation studio as well as a game studio, so kind of like personality, character design is really important to us.
And so whenever we introduce something new, it's like, how can we enhance that and boost it and make it like over the top, you know?
So yeah, so lots more opportunity to expand, you know, it's just like having to draw the line, I guess, at some point, you know."
"And this sort of game, this sort of party title, it's made for everyone.
So what's your sort of philosophy to that then, to difficulty, to making sure that Planted! feels accessible for newer players, to younger players, but also those people who want some real chaotic, you know, local action?
Yeah, I think that's something we've kind of tried to expand on after we built the core loop, is that on the surface, there is a simple process in which you play it, which anyone should be able to pick up and play."
"But then there's like a meta layer below that, like knowing when to harvest, knowing what is worth more points than others, knowing when to use a certain power-up to get the best benefit from it.
And I think that, and also, you know, as we progress the challenges, that there's like, okay, you can get through this game, because I hate games where you hit a full stop, but if you go back in, you can really kind of gain the highest achievement possible in that."
"So it's just getting those two, you know, you can enjoy this at a base level, but there's something else for you if you really delve into it and learn all the bits and bobs, you know, that we've put in.
I know it's still early doors and you can't really talk about a great deal of things yet, but I was also told a little bit about a volcano level that's potentially in the play."
"So Tara, tell me a little bit about that.
There's a volcano.
That's all you're going to get out.
Well, it's in the trailer, and it just shows that you can garden in very ridiculous places, I think."
"You know, like, okay, you might start in an allotment, which is what we got in the demo, but you go to some very odd places.
Yeah, you go on a journey.
So, obviously, Planted, you want to make it available to as many people as possible, because it's that sort of game that will excel with a broader audience."
"So what sort of platforms are you looking at? What's the sort of idea with launch?
Yeah, so with all platforms, so anything we think will sit well with it.
So it's PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch.
All of those will, like, benefit the game in some way, because they've all got interesting features in terms of, like, the way you play with friends."
"You know, accessibility options like PC, like, you know, we'll have achievements throughout all of those platforms as well.
And also cross-play.
Like, we're really keen that if someone's playing on PC and their friend's on Xbox, they can still play together.
Not easy to develop, I might admit, but we're very keen on it because, like I said, it really comes into its own when you've got four friends playing it together."
"So that's why we want to really bite the bullet and make it work across those platforms, you know.
And you mentioned earlier that the game sort of has this foundation for you to do whatever you want with it.
So is launch the end of the road for you guys, or is it just the beginning?
No, I hope not. I think what we'll do is we'll kind of respond to how the players play the game."
"And then we'll just bring more of that content, you know, like we'll see where people are finding the most fun.
I think that's why I'd like to do it as an approach.
So, yeah, if we can see people play a certain way or there's certain, like, arenas that they enjoy, then we'd love to expand on that, I think."
"And we're making sure we can do, you know, like it's not just like a one and done.
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
All right. It's a final question then.
So the launch is planned for this year, I believe, later down the line."
"No confirmed date yet.
Before GTA.
Before GTA. But everyone seems to hope before GTA at this point.
What is one thing that you want to spotlight about Planted that you think people really should spotlight?
You know, people should really be talking about this part of the game."
"Yeah, I mean, I think there's one thing.
I mean, like, I think the immediate accessibility to how you play, how we onboard players with, like, our sort of vibrant visual approach, and then just how much fun you can have once you jump in and learn all the bits and use all the stupid power-ups."
"Yeah, just that it's really fun to play with everyone.
I mean, I think we've got such an amazing team that have done such a fantastic job of creating essentially Ben's vision to life.
So, yeah, I just want everyone to play it."
"Well, stay tuned for more from Planted.
Obviously, later down the line, before GTA, so that gives us almost a deadline of November 15th or something like that.
And obviously, all platforms, cross-play, all that good stuff."
"So stay tuned for more.
And, yeah, for more on Planted, you know where to find it on your local Game Rector region.
Take care, guys."
