The Gardens Between Reviews
The Gardens Between is, in my opinion, one of the most original and emotional puzzle games to hit the PS4 this year. Each of the puzzles has been carefully planned out and crafted into memorable and fun situations, even the ones which don’t seem like puzzles at first until you look around and work out what you have to do. The music can get a little repetitive in-game (it changes as you move through the chapters), but the ambient sounds and the calmness of the tune really help you think about the solutions. It also allows you to immerse yourself as you sink into the world of Arina and Frendt within the spectacular looking dream-like environments.
The Garden Between may not be a puzzle game that challenges you, but it is one that makes you think. It’s enchanting, creative, introspective and entertaining, and whilst it’s let down by its simplistic gameplay, it’s got enough nostalgic charm to stay afloat.
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!
Journey through a world that can only exist in your dreams. A dreamlike world seen through the eyes of two young children reminiscing about their time spent together. Their struggles, their joys, their adventures. This is The Gardens Between.
Childhood is maybe the most important stage of our lives. Still, it's the stage we face with the most tranquility. The simplicity with which The Gardens Between talks about friendships and childhood touched me, making me remember and reflect. Playing this game is like reliving these memories, even if for a short period of time. Despite being far from a perfect game, it's an experience I think everyone should have.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The game design and narrative blend harmoniously, while sustained with a full-fledged soundtrack and colorful world, The Garden's Between stands out thanks to its ingenious puzzles and a simple approach on telling a small adventure full of details.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The Garden Between is a title whose narrative and aesthetics make it certainly attractive, but the design of the puzzles always remains in a quasi, being a good gameplay but that does not get to take advantage.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The Gardens Between is a short and simple adventure that holds a lot of charm. It plays upon the nostalgia we all have for childhood and focusses on experiences we've left behind in adulthood. It's also distinctly bittersweet in how it deals with the nature of change within relationships. While it's not the longest game, it's perfectly put together, and though the puzzles aren't too difficult, the way they're crafted should be praised as should the whole package.
A childhood bond reimagined as a series of elegant, time-based diorama puzzles, The Gardens Between is short but very sweet.
The only error I can see here is that The Gardens Between ends on a weird note. This is something that could've been expanded upon, but the developers left us guessing. The complaint is rather minor in the grand scheme of it all as the experience is one that shouldn't be missed.
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.
With a bittersweet story and a gorgeous, dreamlike world, The Gardens Between is time-bending puzzle game that you won't soon forget.
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
With only three buttons, this time-bending story is an impeccably crafted minimalist model of video game and puzzle design
A seductive art style, hazy synth sounds, and some well-designed puzzles give The Gardens Between a pleasant mood, but it doesn't stay in the mind long after the credits.
A beautifully told tale of childhood memories wrapped around an inventive, if overly short puzzler, The Gardens Between nonetheless remains a warm and touching experience that deserves your time.
The Gardens Between is a magical journey that's well worth your time
Relaxing as it is taxing, The Gardens Between offers a poignant coalescence of charming visuals, a relaxing soundtrack and a bittersweet story.
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.
The Gardens Between is almost a truly great puzzle game, but it gets hung up in a couple of small areas.