The Garden Path is an upcoming new game from Carrotcake, whose sole developer is Louis Durrant. This indie game is as much about exploration as it is other pillars upon which the game hinges, including the process of gardening, meeting the characters, unlocking achievements, and fishing. Game Rant spoke to Durrant about these mechanics and how his vision for the game changed over time, as well as future plans for The Garden Path and Carrotcake.

There is a certain weight to each mechanic and feature in The Garden Path, according to Durrant, and they are all connected into one big underlying system. Everything in The Garden Path is unique, like the fact the game doesn't load all foliage and characters all at once, but instead the world is constructed and deconstructed as players traverse it. One of the features that comes up the most is fishing, which works in a very peculiar way both to catch fish and use them.

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The Garden Path offers gamers many ways to play and achieve whatever it is they are looking for, and that is because Durrant didn't want to lock accomplishments or features behind a gate. Instead, while the focus is on growing plants, planting seeds, and other gardening activities, The Garden Path has a fishing system that allows players to work exclusively on it without missing anything. The flora in The Garden Path comes in the form of many different species, so players have options to choose from, and that greenery is based on the real world.

"I had to figure out how to bring your fishing into the garden because the garden is brought into fishing by catching things, having things, work into the fishing. But then I like to have the fish go back and affect the garden, and that's my central challenge."

Fishing introduces fish that are not exactly the way people know them, but rather they are magical creatures whose existence is tied to sound and songs. The act of catching fish happens by casting a rod and having both the right tone and pitch so fish will be lured to the player. Then, fish have the ability to make trees grow, to plant specific seeds in the garden, and use their own songs to unlock several actions or fulfill needs players may have.

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"I thought how many games you can go and pick oregano, sage, rosemary, and I thought, 'wouldn't it be nice to have this sort of real world and have plants and foliage that are real?' But then have fish like birch tree fish, something that exists only in the game."

Players can decide to fish all day long without having to worry about the gardening part, because fish will help in those regards. In fact, there are several types of fish in The Garden Path, and each of them has its own unique power which can help grow crops or even let daytime or nighttime last for longer. The possibilities with the fishing system are seemingly endless, and it encourages players to take their time and relax in the garden by doing what they like rather than being forced to do something for the sake of unlockables.

Overall, The Garden Path is an interesting game that's not afraid to be bold in its gameplay features. Fishing may seem like the peak of what the game can offer, but it's just the tip of the iceberg according to Durrant. Players who love games like Stardew Valley, Terraria, Don't Starve, and RPGs in general should keep an eye on The Garden Path, and maybe check out other work from Durrant like Crossing to the Cold Valley to see what they might be getting into.

The Garden Path is in development for PC, set to release in 2021.

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