Garden Story Reviews
The frequent combat in this ARPG is hit-and-miss, but behind it is a sweet and sincere tale set in a land you'll care about saving and starring the G.O.T.Y (grape of the year).
As one of the surprise drops of the Nintendo Indie World showcase, we couldn't wait to get our hands on Garden Story, one of the most hyped "wholesome" games of the past few months. What we were expecting was perhaps not what we received - and it certainly has its flaws - but nevertheless, we couldn't help being won over by Garden Story's charm as well as its systems.
Garden Story is a beautiful game with a laid back attitude, but the slow paced gameplay won't be to everyone's taste.
Garden Story offers an enjoyable, light and relaxing experience, although not perfect, between action adventure and life simulator.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Garden Story is not the apple of my eye, nor is it rotten. I enjoyed my time helping Concord clear the rot, especially with the boss fights, but by the third town (out of four) I felt I had picked more apples than I could eat in a week. Dungeons were exciting, but the other mechanics left a sour taste as they were introduced too late to matter and became another mechanic I could easily ignore. Garden Story simply was not my jam.
Garden Story is a ripe take on Zelda-like ARPGs, but falls short in a couple of aspects.
As an inexpensive and relatively short title by a one-person team, it is hard for me to lend much weight to the game’s misses. Garden Story’s characters and world have a magnetism; it’s hard to stop spending time with them once you’ve begun, and once you’ve finished the game, it’s effortless to stop back in. If you are happy to delve into an experience where everything but the gameplay shines, then Garden Story is definitely worth checking out.
Taking cues from Zelda and Stardew Valley, Garden Story is a charming adventure packed with action and crafting that can often be oddly paced, dampening the fun of an otherwise delightful time.
Garden Story is a wonderful and unique take on the sim-adventure genre, and it’s definitely worth a look.
The Grove is slowly getting much weaker, and only one tiny grape is capable of saving it. In Garden Story, you play as Concord and must defend your community against Rot while also uniting the villages that have been torn apart by it.
Garden Story reaches for the sun with its bold stalks, but a shallow root system robs it of the stamina needed to fulfill its lofty dreams.
At times frustrating, Garden Story is a fantastic example of how charm can help push a game to the next level, despite some frustrating design choices.
Garden Story is not actually about gardening, in the Stardew Valley sense, and that’s great. The story is about growing friendships and the organic development of communities. The mechanics are good enough to keep players engaged with the world. The stakes are never high. Concord doesn’t shine as a protagonist but the world around him is colorful and fun, a good reason to spend 15 minutes at the end of the day doing a little work to make it even better for everybody else.
It's a title that would have been better had its length been pruned back to 8-10 hours. Anyone looking for a particularly chill experience that isn't very demanding may derive more pleasure out of Concord's adventure than I did, but it's hard to overlook how so much of your in-game work just doesn't really matter. The downward sloping difficulty curve, boring daily tasks, and lackluster enemies make Garden Story a crop that's not worth rushing to harvest.
When it comes to relatively chill adventures in more of a classic style the Switch has pretty great representation already and can now add Garden Story to the list...
With elements and features that allow players to truly take their time playing, Garden Story is an excellent choice for those looking for an easygoing game. Although some core activities can get tedious due to the system design, and gardening and building could have been more fun or at least more purposeful, it has been a wonderfully pleasant journey on the whole. From the melodious music to the pleasing pixel art and cute characters, there is plenty to savor in this game.
Some games show that you don’t have to be flashy and dramatic to be epic, and I think Garden Story is a shining example of that. At its core, Garden Story is a game about community and the bonds we forge within our communities. It’s about not underestimating the value of a friendly gesture to someone in need, or just how much we all rely on one another. With a moving, heartfelt story, beautiful pixel art and music, and addictive gameplay, Garden Story is a must-have for your Switch collection.
When I imagine my ideal cosy scenario, I picture being under fluffy blankets and playing the latest indie game with a nice cup of tea. The game of choice always has to match the environment. I can hardly be cosy if I’m hunting down the latest cults in Far Cry. One rainy day and a blanket fort like no other, I decided to give Garden Story a go. Instantly drawn in by the adorable graphics and soft-hued colour palette, I knew this light-hearted game would fulfil my recreational needs.
I have enjoyed my 25+ hours with Garden Story for Switch so far. While I have cleared the story, there are still a few upgrades I don’t have, and more cosmetic unlockables to get for Concord to wear. The game is a very chill, relaxing adventure, aside from the bosses which are more hardcore for some reason. However, casual players can still enjoy it using the option to disable death if they so choose. I prefer not to use such an option unless necessary, but it’s a nice inclusion if you want it. The game is marred by a few relatively minor flaws, like the previously mentioned inventory issues. However, it’s a rather unique and enjoyable little journey overall. You can nab Garden Story on the Nintendo Switch eShop for $19.99, and it is also on Steam. Can you help Concord, the unlikely grape hero, restore peace to an ailing grove?
Overall, Garden Story is a lovely and easygoing game that appeals to a broad audience. Despite some easier-than-expected dungeons and some elements being introduced much later than they should be, the game more than makes up for any shortcomings with its charming design, music, and gameplay. It’s enjoyable to play, no matter how you approach it. So jump off the vine and soak up this charming and wholesome experience under the sun!