Syberia II

Syberia II is the second adventure game in Benoît Sokal's iconic Steampunk franchise, a direct sequel to the first. Having located the eccentric idealist Hans Voralberg, elderly genius inventor and last living heir of his family's toy factory, Kate Walker is caught up in his fantasy world of childlike innocence and decides to accompany him to the end of the earth, so that he can finally see his utopian dreams come true. At the penultimate stage of their journey, Hans and Kate are stranded in a village of the Far Eastern North and taken in by the local tribe of Youkol, who practice shamanism and use mammoth bones and ivory as their primary buiding material. In the Chief's house and the Spirit Woman's cave where Kate and Hans are respectively tended to, we see quite a few potted plants and herbs, whose role, however, is medicinal rather than decorative. During a trance-like dream sequence, Kate also "visits" the Voralberg manor in Valadilene, where she encounters a majestic houseplant in the living room. (Mar Lox/afterdarkmysweet)

Syberia

Syberia is the first point & click adventure game in the iconic franchise created by the late Belgian comic designer Benoît Sokal and set in an alternate Steampunk universe, where Kate Walker, a young American lawyer, is sent by her firm to the small European town Valadilene, in order to seal the deal of a closing toy factory being sold to a large American company. Once there, Kate encounters a world she had never imagined, where automatons (mechanical human-like beings) co-exist with humans and do most of the practical jobs. The death of the factory's owner and the revelation of a dark family secret force Kate to change her plans and embark on a surreal journey in search of the last remaining heir to the factory, who was presumed dead but is actually still alive, although in unknown whereabouts. The picturesque Valadilene hotel where Kate is temporarily staying and the local notary's office feature a few nice potted plants. (Mar Lox/afterdarkmysweet)

Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis

In one more "crossover" instalment of the Sherlock Holmes videogame series, the eponymous hyperintelligent detective has to confront an enemy whose eccentric genius matches his own - none other than the infamous master thief Arsène Lupin, who keeps taunting Sherlock with cryptic letters, little poems containing clues and mathematical riddles that point to Arsène's next criminal endeavor. The first of those is to take place in the National Gallery of Painting, where the lovely arrangement of potted plants at the entrance is disturbed by an angry artist during an argument with the gallery director. As a result, one of the plants dramatically enters the ultimate state of misery. (Mar Lox/afterdarkmysweet)

Sherlock Holmes VS Jack the Ripper

Based on the real, unsolved case of Jack the Ripper's serial murders in late 19th century London, and via a thorough analysis of historical data, this adventure in the Sherlock Holmes franchise explores one of the numerous theories about the infamous killer's identity. Taking us through the seedy nocturnal sidestreets and establishments of Whitechapel and its surrounding areas (the Ripper's field of action), Sherlock and Dr. Watson gradually unveil a complex, as well as particularly macabre network of criminal activities that may or may not be related to the case. In one of his lines of research, Sherlock visits London's Central News Agency, where a solitary potted plant stoically endures its misery. It is the only houseplant present in this game where the convincing illustration of grey dilapidated buildings, dirty streets and all kinds of society outcasts creates an immersive, although bleak and suffocating atmosphere. (Mar Lox/afterdarkmysweet)

Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened 2008 Remake

The Awakened is one of numerous games starring our favorite quirky detective and his faithful pragmatist companion Dr. Watson, in adventures either directly based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novels or inspired by them. The latter is true for this game, which adds an interesting Lovecraftian element to the mystery solving plot. Sherlock's home, although mostly utilitarian, features a tasteful Victorian decor, as well as a couple of potted plants in the far end of a corridor. Not much later, in bookseller Barnes' store, we encounter an "officially" miserable houseplant (Sherlock himself remarks that it needs watering and is a "sad public display"), used by the owner as "bait" for his romantic interest, a florist across the street. There are also a few potted plants in the deceptively pretty sunroom of the Black Edelweiss Institute, a supposedly psychiatric clinic conducting gruesome experiments on its patients. (Mar Lox/afterdarkmysweet)

Discolored 2 - Office No. 3

In the visually gorgeous surreal game Discolored 2, in which we are trying to return color to a world rendered completely gray by a malicious organization, a not too miserable houseplant is featured in Office No. 3 of an unnamed agency, where the equally nameless protagonist works. After the office is ransacked following a series of coloring and discoloring misadventures with very real dangers and enemies, the poor potted plant is found strewn across the floor, in utmost misery among the debris. (Mar Lox/afterdarkmysweet)

Alex Hill: Whispers at White Oak Inn

Shortly after returning from suspension due to her unconventional methods, private investigator Alex (Alexandra) Hill is assigned a blackmail case connected to an allegedly haunted inn, where the tragically dead daughter of the previous owner is seen to roam at night. The interior of the building in question, as well as that of the detective agency where Alex works, is decorated with a number of interesting potted plants. (Mar Lox/afterdarkmysweet)