CALENDULA on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information

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How to play a game that doesn't want to be played? Calendula is an experimental meta game about trying to play a game. Use your logic to thrive against conventions and get surrounded by a dark atmosphere.

CALENDULA is a indie, puzzle and psychological horror game developed and published by Blooming Buds Studio.
Released on February 02nd 2016 is available in English on Windows and MacOS.

It has received 359 reviews of which 274 were positive and 85 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.2 out of 10. 😊

The game is currently priced at 6.99€ on Steam.

The Steam community has classified CALENDULA into these genres:

Indie Puzzle Psychological Horror Horror Surreal

Media & Screenshots

Get an in-depth look at CALENDULA through various videos and screenshots.

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System requirements

These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.

Windows
  • OS *: Windows 7 or later
  • Processor: 1.7 GHz Dual Core
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Card with at least 512 MB VRAM and Shader Model 3.0 or higher
  • Storage: 2 GB available space
MacOS
  • OS: Snow Leopard 10.6.8 or later
  • Processor: Intel Core Duo
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Card with at least 512 MB VRAM and Shader Model 3.0 or higher
  • Storage: 2 GB available space

User reviews & Ratings

Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.

Feb. 2026
CALENDULA, developed and published by Blooming Buds Studio, is an experimental meta-horror experience that deliberately challenges the very concept of what it means to “play” a game. Rather than offering a conventional narrative structure or straightforward puzzle progression, it builds its identity around disruption, uncertainty, and psychological discomfort. From the moment it launches, the game makes it clear that it will not follow traditional design rules, transforming menus, settings, and interface elements into the primary battleground. The opening moments establish the tone immediately. Instead of presenting a functional “Start Game” option, the interface appears broken or hostile. Buttons refuse to work as expected, error messages interrupt progress, and seemingly normal settings like brightness or resolution adjustments become tools for advancement. What initially feels like technical malfunction gradually reveals itself as intentional design. The player’s confusion becomes part of the experience, forcing them to experiment with the interface itself in order to move forward. In doing so, CALENDULA blurs the boundary between player and system, making the act of navigating menus feel like solving a puzzle. Once fragments of the actual game world begin to appear, they do so in fleeting, disjointed sequences. The environments are surreal and sparse—abstract corridors, unsettling rooms, and dreamlike spaces that feel more symbolic than literal. There is no direct exposition explaining what is happening. Instead, the narrative emerges through implication and atmosphere. The game relies heavily on ambiguity, encouraging players to interpret meaning from fragmented clues rather than explicit storytelling. This design choice reinforces the unsettling feeling that the game world itself may be unstable or incomplete. The horror in CALENDULA is psychological rather than visceral. There are no traditional jump scares or overt threats. Instead, tension arises from the persistent sense of unpredictability. The interface behaves erratically, sound cues are minimal and often unsettling, and the lack of clear objectives fosters a lingering unease. By stripping away familiar gameplay conventions, the game creates a discomfort rooted in uncertainty. Players are not simply navigating a haunted environment; they are navigating a system that appears to resist their presence. Visually, the presentation embraces minimalism and distortion. The environments are deliberately abstract, often accompanied by glitch-like visual artifacts or strange graphical behavior. These elements enhance the feeling that the game is aware of itself as a digital construct. Sound design is equally restrained, relying on ambient tones and silence to build atmosphere. The absence of a guiding soundtrack or clear audio feedback reinforces the sensation of isolation and instability. Mechanically, CALENDULA functions more as an interactive concept than a traditional game. Progression is nonlinear and sometimes opaque. There are no clear checkpoints or reward systems in the conventional sense. The satisfaction comes from deciphering how to proceed rather than from overcoming enemies or mastering mechanics. This unconventional structure can be deeply engaging for players who appreciate experimental design, but it may feel frustrating to those expecting clarity or structured progression. The runtime is relatively concise, typically lasting a few hours, yet its impact often extends beyond its length. The experience lingers because it challenges assumptions about agency and interaction. By turning the interface into an obstacle and using confusion as a narrative device, CALENDULA positions itself as both game and commentary on games. It invites players to question how much control they truly have within digital systems and whether the line between player and program is as stable as it seems. Ultimately, CALENDULA stands as a bold example of experimental indie design. It sacrifices accessibility and conventional satisfaction in favor of conceptual ambition. While not universally approachable, it succeeds in crafting a distinctive psychological experience that remains memorable precisely because it defies expectations. For players willing to embrace ambiguity and meta-horror concepts, it offers a thought-provoking journey that redefines the relationship between user, interface, and game world. Rating: 7/10
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Dec. 2025
A fascinating metaphorical journey, albeit one that doesn't perhaps land with as much punch as it could do. Nevertheless, this one's intriguing.
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Sept. 2025
А weird, surreal non-game that actively resists being played. Certainly not for everyone, but still an interesting experiment in interactive art.
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Frequently Asked Questions

CALENDULA is currently priced at 6.99€ on Steam.

CALENDULA is currently not on sale. You can purchase it for 6.99€ on Steam.

CALENDULA received 274 positive votes out of a total of 359 achieving a rating of 7.18.
😊

CALENDULA was developed and published by Blooming Buds Studio.

CALENDULA is playable and fully supported on Windows.

CALENDULA is playable and fully supported on MacOS.

CALENDULA is not playable on Linux.

CALENDULA is a single-player game.

CALENDULA does not currently offer any DLC.

CALENDULA does not support mods via Steam Workshop.

CALENDULA does not support Steam Remote Play.

CALENDULA is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.

You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for CALENDULA.

Data sources

The information presented on this page is sourced from reliable APIs to ensure accuracy and relevance. We utilize the Steam API to gather data on game details, including titles, descriptions, prices, and user reviews. This allows us to provide you with the most up-to-date information directly from the Steam platform.

Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.

Last Updates
Steam data 14 March 2026 08:20
SteamSpy data 11 March 2026 03:13
Steam price 15 March 2026 04:45
Steam reviews 14 March 2026 09:52

If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about CALENDULA, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.

  • SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about CALENDULA
  • SteamCharts - Analysis of CALENDULA concurrent players on Steam
  • ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck CALENDULA compatibility
CALENDULA
6.99€ Buy Now
Rating
7.2
274
85
Game modes
Features
Online players
0
Developer
Blooming Buds Studio
Publisher
Blooming Buds Studio
Release 02 Feb 2016
Platforms
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