The Gardens Between Reviews

The Gardens Between is ranked in the 75th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Sep 20, 2018

Beautifully designed and painfully creative, The Gardens Between is an absolute delight. It's a shame that the lack of levels and short runtime prevent it from reaching true classic status.

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6 / 10
Sep 19, 2018

The Garden is a very beautiful and moving game that lacks some fresh ideas after a few minutes of game. Its mechanics are cool but it's too bad it lacks some challenge and never tries to renew its formula during the whole adventure.. that is only 3 hours long.

Review in French | Read full review

95 / 100
May 17, 2019

The Gardens Between was one of my favorite Switch games of 2019, and with its mobile release, it is now one of my favorite mobile titles. The Voxel agents have done a great job of optimizing sound, controls, and graphics, making the gameplay and story just as solid, if not a tiny bit better, on a cellphone than it was on the Switch.

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8 / 10.0
Oct 4, 2018

The Gardens Between is a beautiful and charming game that is as clever as it is touching.

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9 / 10.0
Sep 20, 2018

While it may seem like nothing more than a Braid clone, The Gardens Between is anything but. Creative and evocative, other than the length, there's little to dislike here.

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95 / 100
Sep 19, 2018

The Gardens Between is a masterpiece of minimalist storytelling, weaving a wordless tale of friendship and time. By drawing upon a few, nearly-universal childhood events, it allows the player to fill in the story with their own emotions and memories, creating a shockingly moving, personal experience. Featuring a gorgeous, surrealist style and challenging but fair puzzles, this is a must-have title for anyone who enjoys puzzle games.

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8 / 10
Oct 10, 2018

A unique and charming puzzle game which doesn't outstay its welcome.

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4.3 / 5.0
Sep 18, 2018

Full of wonderful dream like miniature island locations and some slightly head scratching puzzles, The Gardens Between is exactly what I wanted from the title. It offers a laid back approach to puzzle games, which doesn't artificially slap on time based goals. Given the time manipulation theme it is almost awkward to say that time can slip away from you when playing, trying to complete just that one more island. Overall, this is a stunning little puzzle title that deserves some love!

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4 / 10.0
Oct 2, 2018

It's short but not particularly sweet. There are many other games that evoke the same feelings as The Gardens Between, but they do so far more effectively.

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4 / 5.0
Sep 26, 2018

The Gardens Between is a short and sweet puzzle game where you control the flow of time.

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9 / 10.0
Sep 19, 2018

Melbourne studio The Voxel Agents' debut console game proves that they are already masters of the craft. This is a shining example of what indie games can be

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8.8 / 10.0
Oct 26, 2018

As an experience, The Gardens Between is a journey that's well worth embarking on. Its puzzles are gratifying, and its world is gorgeous and filled with personality. Its price may be too step for those looking for a meatier experience, and veteran fans of the genre might wish for tougher puzzles, but those hankering for a small game with a big heart will find plenty to love in The Gardens Between.

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8 / 10.0
Oct 4, 2018

A bittersweet tale of friendship that is masterfully presented through carefully designed puzzles revolving around time manipulation.

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7.5 / 10.0
Oct 5, 2018

The Gardens Between is a great way to spend autumn evening, when the bare branches unfriendly huddle outside the window, and the soul is filled with melancholy. It's time to get into the boat of memories and float in the past.

Review in Russian | Read full review

96 / 100
Sep 30, 2018

There are no words to describe how incredible my experience with The Gardens Between was. A simple but pleasant story. An unique and innovative gameplay. A magnificent visual that confuses the boundaries between game and art. Like everything good in life, I found myself thinking about every moment I've spent with this game, and I could not help feeling a strong sense of Déjà Vu.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

PS3Blog.net
ThaRaven403
80%
Oct 2, 2018

Final Thoughts The Voxel Agents have created a nice, simple and truly charming puzzler. Its price tag might be a bit heavy for the given play time, but you shouldn't let that keep you from diving into this game since it'll be totally worth playing as it's a great relaxing puzzler.

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73 / 100
Sep 26, 2018

The Gardens Between is an enjoyable and minimalistic adventure that has you watching two friends ascend abstract memory islands. The puzzle mechanics involving time manipulation are simple, but deliver ample variety over the short journey.

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Cubed3
Top Critic
7 / 10
Sep 23, 2018

The main strength of The Gardens Between is the deeper meaning found within. It utilises a largely voiceless and textless narrative to great effect. Not only is this an impressive feat on its own, it showcases the brilliance of the medium. This game eschews tradition to draw players into a fascinating world. As they witness the memories shared by Arina and Frendt, they may find themselves recalling their own childhood. While those memories aren't always the kind one can look back on with fondness, their significance can't be understated or forgotten. They are what shape us.

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8 / 10
Sep 22, 2018

The Gardens Between is a beautiful and innovative journey to the memories; memories of friendship and kindness that will make you wonder. If only the journey was not so short, it could've been one of the best experiences you'll ever have.

Review in Persian | Read full review

9 / 10
Sep 20, 2018

The Gardens Between feels right at home on the Nintendo Switch, allowing you to play in short bursts or in one go at home or on the go. The game looks great on the TV and on the Nintendo Switch, and the way the game is presented and how you interact with each small island you explore means that there is no slowdown or weird graphical artifact that would get in the way of enjoying this charming and short puzzle adventure. I highly recommend that you download The Gardens Between so that you can dive into its colorful and enticing world.

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