I started Arboreta Games in early 2021 as a single-person studio, which it remains today.

I found myself struggling to find games that scratched my particular itch - games which are: short (a few hours), cinematic and not loaded with combat and skill-trees that are in conflict with the tone and theme of the game.

So I became interested in creating games that: prioritise creating interesting worlds where the player can get lost and invested in, are approached from a cinematic perspecitve and are relatively short (can be finished a few sessions). I am also very interested in exploring my native Scotland as a setting for games, which until now has been under-used.

Arboreta's first game, a third-person cosmic horror tale -The Black Iris - was released in February 2021 on itch.io to positive reviews from the likes of PCGamer.

I am currently working on a new project - It Sleeps Below the Haar - an exploration horror game that is building on many of the themes and mechanics explored in The Black Iris. ISBTH will be released in Autumn 2022.

- Jamie