The Gardens Between Reviews
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.
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
Beyond those couple of snags, and really, those snags just remind us designing puzzles is a human effort, The Gardens Between stands out among its physics/puzzle/metaphor-driven peers. It's beautiful to look at and listen to, gratifying to solve (most of the time), and in the the end tells a simple story that's just bittersweet enough to sting your brain into thinking about your life a little.
Relaxing as it is taxing, The Gardens Between offers a poignant coalescence of charming visuals, a relaxing soundtrack and a bittersweet story.
As a title that I would consider a bit "under-the-radar" compared to the heavy-hitting games coming this fall, The Gardens Between is a wholly unique experience that you shouldn't let fade away from your memory.
A unique and charming puzzle game which doesn't outstay its welcome.
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!
The Gardens Between is a beautiful and charming game that is as clever as it is touching.
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.
The Gardens Between is a short and sweet puzzle game where you control the flow of time.
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.
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
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.
A bittersweet tale of friendship that is masterfully presented through carefully designed puzzles revolving around time manipulation.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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