DaRmaZat Some things hit harder the second time around.
Exactly one year ago, Perennial Order was released, and it’s always interesting to see if revisiting it brings new insights. Developed by Gardenfiend Games and published by SOEDESCO, Perennial Order is a 2D plant-horror boss rush set in a bleak Dark Age world where nature itself has turned grotesque. Painted in a haunting, storybook style, it blends Lovecraftian, body, and plant horror into a game that demands patience, precision, and resilience.
Spawned to Deliver Mercy
You take on the role of a Perennial Knight, an undying being, clad in bird-like armor, fused from flesh, plant, and steel, born from the gracious womb—a ritual of rebirth. Guided by the Monarch’s haunting voice, you’re sent to grant “mercy” to grotesque eldritch bosses, each confrontation more merciless than the last. Along the way, you’ll meet surreal NPCs, eerie oracles foreshadowing the nightmares ahead, and even a camp of fellow knights that feels strangely hollow, reinforcing the sense of isolation.
Often, you’ll choose between multiple forest paths—but these routes are usually narrow, flanked by thorny plants you must cut down. The isometric 2D perspective looks atmospheric, though the dark palette sometimes makes it hard to read where to go. Perennial Order‘s dark fantasy world can feel sparse, with only a handful of side paths or diversions, but the tension before each new boss increases with every step you take forward.
Sting, Dash, Repeat
Mastering the combat controls defines Perennial Order. Your weapon, a stinger grafted permanently to your arm, is controlled by the right analog stick in a twin-stick melee setup. Light and heavy strikes depend on how long you hold the stick, while critical hits rely on releasing it at just the right moment before max charge. The idea is clever, but the execution is clumsy. With no enemy lock-on, attacks often whiff in the chaos, leaving you open to instant death.
Wisps serve as stamina for dashing, forcing you to juggle cooldowns. Time-based challenges add another layer, whether dashing across platforms or reacting quickly when tendrils grab you—button-mashing to sting free before you’re dragged under. Controller presets are plentiful, yet bafflingly none allow you to move attacks off the right stick, making the awkwardness unavoidable.
You’ll hack through spiked plants to progress, run into surreal figures that expand the lore, and occasionally stumble upon branching paths. The woods often feel more like a corridor between trials than a truly explorable space.
Imprints of Instincts, Eldritch Storybook
But of course, bosses are where the brutality peaks. Each fight is a one-hit-death trial: fail once, and you’re instantly respawned at the encounter’s start. Many bosses cycle through multiple phases, some up to ten, demanding pattern memorization and perfect counter-execution. Later fights even introduce parrying—timing your strike at the exact frame you’d be hit. With instant death on the line, it’s as risky as it sounds. Mastery here is no small feat.
Defeating a boss rewards you with Imprints of Instincts—permanent perks like bonus damage, lower memory cost, extra wisps, or new abilities. These small rewards give you a tangible sense of progress, softening the sting of repeated deaths. Even though the game leans heavily on trial and error, each upgrade makes the next attempt feel a little more manageable, nudging you forward through the punishing loop.
Where Perennial Order shines is in its painterly 2D art style. It’s dark yet fairytale-like, every frame resembling a grim illustration. The combination of detailed brushwork and 2D spine animation gives enemies an eerie, puppet-like quality that fits perfectly with the eldritch horror theme. Amplified by the music, which is just as strong as it is fitting. It’s haunting, beautiful, and deeply unsettling.
Falling Feathers
For all its artistry, Perennial Order’s has many rough edges. The lack of a lock-on system makes combat unnecessarily clumsy. As noted, attack bindings locked to the right analog stick limit comfort, no matter the preset chosen. Pausing the game also doesn’t actually pause: the world keeps moving, NPC dialogue scrolls past, and even fights continue in the background—not ideal in a game this unforgiving.
Performance otherwise holds steady, but combined with the punishing design, these usability flaws weigh heavily. Co-op, both local and online, is a nice idea and could soften the edge, but wasn’t available to test for this review.
Final Thoughts
Perennial Order is a game of extremes. On one side, it’s visually breathtaking, dripping with lore, and carried by a soundtrack that nails the mood. On the other, its mechanics can feel stiff, unpolished, and outright frustrating. This is not a game for everyone. But for players who crave Soulslike brutality, thrive under trial-and-error mastery, and have the patience to endure countless failures, there’s something here worth digging into. For most, though, it will remain a haunting curiosity: a dark fairytale as fascinating as it is punishing.
Additional Information
Release Date: September 6, 2024
Reviewed On: PC. Download code provided by the publisher and PR agency.
Developer: Gardenfiend Games
Publisher: SOEDESCO
Website: Perennial Order
Relevant links: Perennial Order on STEAM
