Cloud Gardens Reviews
Cloud Gardens is a competent, unique puzzle game and a contemplative, relaxing dreamscape, all rolled into one small package.
Cloud Gardens is a gentle-looking, gentle-sounding toy in the “chill” genre. It has a pretty good game hung on top, participation in which is largely optional. Noio’s stated aim “to fill you with satisfaction without the frustration” is a motto that’s been observed. Your mileage will vary based on what you find satisfying and what you find frustrating, but the gameplay, the themes, the music, the sound, and the graphics are all of a piece, admirably on-message, and contribute to a unique, bittersweet atmosphere.
Cloud Gardens is a lovely relaxing game and beautiful to look at, but it gets repetitive rather quickly.
Just out of its early access and now also available on Xbox, Cloud Gardens is a great experience. Organic puzzles, that's what had never been made of memory. And the title even has the luxury of doing it well, bringing lightness, calm and a few moments of reflection to meet the challenges required.
Review in French | Read full review
While I can't fault Cloud Gardens for its cool visuals or interesting themes, those things are ultimately lost to fiddley controls and a somewhat obtuse gameplay loop. Many players will likely enjoy the creative side of this game, but others will be left wondering why they are trashing up perfectly nice scenes.
Cloud Garden is a peaceful puzzle game with plenty of levels on offer and a sandbox mode also in tow. It's a simple and joyous experience for everyone.
Cloud Gardens is a dystopian sandbox puzzle-slash-sim from Noio where you make the most of the apocalypse by making plants grow. It's an ultra-Zen title that forces you to slow down, think about life, and do a little gardening - which is a totally welcome experience for when you need a breath of fresh air in today's suffocating world.
All in all, Cloud Gardens is definitely a title that leans more towards experience than game, but its classification matters much less than how it feels to play around with its tools or the positive message it espouses. By focusing on creating and elevating green spaces, we can return our world to one where nature is in harmony and a balance is struck between humanity's footprint and mother nature's embrace. Spending a few minutes or even a few hours experimenting with Cloud Gardens feels like a worthwhile endeavor.
Cloud Gardens is an experimental game, so it's clear that not everyone will enjoy the title; a certain amount of friendliness will be required from the player. If you take this into account, you're in for a relaxing and soothing affair, from which you can take away an unusual experience and maybe even some nice screenshots. What's all the more disappointing, however, is the underdeveloped item and camera controls, which make gameplay unnecessarily difficult in places. The game is still in Early Access for now, though, so one can hope for future improvements.
Review in Czech | Read full review
This is one of those titles where its a bit of a struggle to know how to feel about it...
Cloud Gardens is the perfect break you need if what you're looking for is an escape from the frenetic paced games or stressful environment of your everyday life. Without any story, enter this relaxing sandbox adventure and challenge yourself to create beautiful gardens in post-apocalyptic settings. In short, this is what the game is all about and it is an absolutely therapeutic journey.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
On a clear crisp Summer’s day, I like to be outside pottering around in the garden. Tending to plants and weeding brings a sense of tranquillity to what might have been a long week at work. When I saw Cloud Gardens was available to review, I was keen to extend my green fingers to the gaming world. Let’s dive straight in.
Cloud Gardens is a casual, laid-back, puzzle-solving experience. That being said, it’s not the type of game that you will want to play for hours on end, but it’s entertaining in short spurts. It offers over one hundred levels, which sounds impressive, but bear in mind that many of the assets are constantly reused, making levels feel tedious after a while. This makes it ideal for a system like the Switch, where you can pick it up and play here and there on-the-go.
Cloud Gardens becomes a hallmark of a genre, a liminal adventure that fights a visual style with a simple and appropriate gameplay. A perfect and magnificent proposal that we can hardly complain about.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
With a creative essence, Cloud Gardens carries many feats through the incredible art of gardening in dystopian terrain. While its aesthetic is quite cozy, its farming concepts make for a relaxing and fun puzzle game, presenting a significant extension that can become even greater for those who are interested in the Creative Mode proposals. Thus, there is a detail that cannot be denied: as well as the soils made available in the abandoned structures of its stages, the title is also very fertile in ideas and is full of fruitful qualities.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Cloud Gardens is a very relaxing but low-content product that is recommended for everyone if it is available at a much lower price.
Review in Persian | Read full review
I’ve been following the development of Cloud Gardens for quite some time. In fact, to my utter disbelief, it has been a whole year since I covered the Early Access Steam version! Having enjoyed it thoroughly, I naturally was alerted when an Xbox code dropped onto our list.
Cloud Gardens is a hypnotizingly meditative experience and perhaps one of the best chill games I’ve played all year. Its soothing soundtrack and peaceful dioramas are made more pleasant and calming with each careful move made by a contemplative player. Cloud Gardens reminds us that the apocalypse isn’t bad news for the Earth — just humanity. Life will continue to flourish and thrive long after we’re gone; Cloud Gardens showcases that bittersweet beauty of a world without us.
Cloud Gardens unfolds its true potential when you accept it's a game without any pressure.
Review in German | Read full review
Cloud Gardens is a chill, charming experience to play. The music adds to the relaxing gameplay. Finishing each diorama and moving on to the next brings such a sense of satisfaction. Cloud Gardens isn’t just a game it also encourages its players to be mindful of what is around them. To de-stress, chill out while also being creative and having fun!