Reviews

• gamedeal user

  Aug 29, 2022

  I feel so apologetic for not recommending this game. I appreciate the overall aesthetics of the game, and the items that represent childhood and friendship... but it is completely boring and pretty much empty. The puzzles are simple and easy, Though I find it cute with the idea of backwards and forwards gameplay, it was not enough to keep me entertained, not at all exciting. To be honest, I might be hooked in this game if i'm younger, like 8 years old. I thought atleast the story would be deep but I saw and felt nothing. I played some more to give it a chance because I'm hoping to have awaken nostalgic emotions (and maybe the story could be open to interpretation), but there are no dialogue so even trying to connect the dots with the images seen seem lazy and did not help in understanding the story or the flow of the game. I'm sorry, but it isn't for me. T^T
• gamedeal user

  Apr 12, 2023

  I wanted to like this game, but the rotation mechanism triggered motion sickness, and I couldn't play. If you're predisposed to getting motion sick from certain movies or games, avoid this one. I really wish Steam allowed neutral reviews!
• gamedeal user

  Sep 20, 2018

  After getting the sweet chance to demo The Gardens Between at PAX, I knew I had to buy this game right away. The gameplay is simple, complex, and unique. It even comes with a soothing nostalgia factor! Definitely a great puzzle game to beat with friends too! Update: would love to see a DLC added for additional levels or possibly a level builder.
• gamedeal user

  Sep 20, 2018

  Beautiful graphics and music, with gameplay that seems deceptively simple but is utterly ingenious in its own right. This is not just a one click wonder! The levels build in intensity and complexity until you're grinning with adorable frustration. You can't be angry at this game, but you'll enjoy trying. Disclaimer: Completely stuck on a level. Still smiling.
• gamedeal user

  Sep 22, 2018

  When the game is [b]short[/b] and sweet and doesn't outstay its welcome, I ponder why this isn't priced more competitively. I didn't particularly felt awestruck or inspired upon completion, only signs of buyer's remorse. Length shouldn't be the defining quality of entertainment, but this leaves too much to be desired, that feeling couldn't be shaken off.
• gamedeal user

  Nov 23, 2018

  [b][i]The Gardens Between[/i] is a short and sweet lite puzzler with a predictable-yet-endearing storyline.[/b] First and foremost - the price point is too high by a good bit. It's not the length of the game (< 3 hours sans Achievement hunting) that bothers me as much as the depth. The puzzles range from simple to mildly clever; I mean that all in a good way. I never got frustrated and things progress at a good pace, but for this price I'd expect more complexity particularly in the endgame puzzles. When you consider the artwork, the fact that only three buttons are used, and fairly easy puzzles it can come off a bit mobile at times. It probably sounds like I am dumping on this a bit - and I really don't mean to. The world is masterfully crafted and the puzzles put a smile on my face several times. I enjoyed my time here, I just find it hard to recommend at full price. Even half is probably too much for some. [i]Essentially, this is a puzzle game where you can only go right or left.[/i] Going left reverses time. The characters are on rails so you don't directly choose paths. It gets a tad more complex than that, but not by much. I hate making comparison to other games, but I feel strong about this one. The story is reminiscent of [i]Gone Home[/i], and the puzzles are curious mix of [i]Braid[/i] and a hint of [i]Fez[/i]. [b]Pros:[/b] +Cute little puzzler that has charm +Lite puzzles that shouldn't frustrate many +The world creation is really neat [b]Meh:[/b] =Short, but Achievement hunting should add a bit [b]Cons:[/b] -Too expensive -They could have taken the puzzle complexity further; it all feels a bit too lite considering the asking price -It hinges on feeling mobile at times (which I believe it is, therefore explaining some of the design decisions; thankfully the price is the same) [b]This is certainly worth your time if you can grab it in a bundle or in a deep sale.[/b]
• gamedeal user

  Mar 12, 2019

  [h1]What if we made a walking sim and disguised it as a puzzle game?[/h1] The Gardens Between is a charming experience, I would like to say it utilizes a unique time manipulation mechanic, but It's been done better elsewhere. This is the type of puzzle game that's less about solving the puzzle and more about having the patience to convince the game you've solved it. I found myself getting impatient with the game, as the control of time is very slow with no way to speed it up, and the game freezes on events (collecting/losing your light, certain events in the world, etc) which would be fine in a tutorial, but as it continues through the entire game I felt myself being stopped every so often just for the game to confirm "Yeah, you really did do the exact thing you intended to, good job you" and it felt a bit hand-holdy and really hindered my enjoyment of the game. I finished the story in about 2 hours and have no intention of going back for the achievements, as I do not want to sit through the tedious act of completing any of these levels again. It was interesting enough that I wanted to see how the puzzles developed, but the most difficult challenge I faced was a level where you have to keep track of these jumping boxes as you climb a mountain, and even then it was a minor challenge. I would have liked to see some more interesting ideas, but I'm afraid the base mechanic doesn't lend itself to more than what's been presented here. I also found that some mechanics were inconsistent across levels, generally speaking when you have one of the objects that you can control out of time, it becomes stuck in time as you move your characters around, except in one instance where this is not the case. Overall I think this game is interesting enough to warrant a look, but I couldn't recommend this to any fans of puzzle games, and if a puzzle game isn't for fans of puzzles, who is it even for?
• gamedeal user

  May 28, 2019

  The art style is very pleasing, and the game has a certain charm to it that I really liked throughout the experience, but the actual gameplay is slow and simple. Many times throughout the game I felt like I had already solved a puzzle early in advance. The solution was clear, I just had to wait to complete the steps. Steps that are a slog to complete due to the slow walk speed of the characters, and the constant backtracking that the time travel mechanic forces you through. The puzzles themselves are too simple. As stated above you usually find yourself solving the puzzle, or whatever phase of the puzzle you are on, in your own mind, much sooner then when the game lets you complete them. There were no moments that really made me stop and think about the solution for any longer than 30 seconds. And the length of the game is short. I finished it in about 2 hours. When half the game is backtracking, it makes it even worse. For the sale price of $7.99 this game is pretty decent. But I can't recommend it at all at the normal price of 20 bucks considering the length of the game and lack of quality puzzles.
• gamedeal user

  Oct 1, 2019

  [h1]The beauty of childhood friendship [/h1] The Gardens Between is a lightly story-driven puzzle game focusing on two childhood friends. It’s hard to discuss too much of the story without spoiling the game, things start out kind of vague, but it all comes together with the end of the game. It may seem initially that this is a gameplay-driven title, but by the end of the game I realized that the story is what was really important. And it’s a beautiful story, particularly if you relate to it. This is the first game in a while that’s made me tear up a little. [h1]Positives: [/h1] [list][*]Almost across the board, the art here is fantastic. The levels, even the main menu, are absolutely beautiful. The art style fits the game well and the choice of colours here gives everything a lovely, dreamlike feeling. [*]The gameplay here is unique. I had expected some weird control scheme to control both characters, but you don’t control the characters at all. Instead, you control the timeline of the level as well as making the characters interact with certain objects in the levels. This time-control stuff works really well and adds some interesting challenges to many of the levels. It made the game feel fresh to me, and certainly helped me enjoy it more as something new. [*]As I mentioned, the story is beautiful. I’m not going to go into any detail about it, but it really resonated with me and made the game all the more special to me. [*]The level design is excellent and every level feels fresh. All of the levels are based around a single object or a theme, something like a dinosaur skeleton or a lost jacket. Having each level focus on something like this helped make them feel unique. New mechanics were regularly introduced which also helped keep things fresh, and even familiar mechanics are used in varying ways to keep things interesting. [*]There are some levels that are harder than others, but for the most part they’re pretty straightforward, and it makes for a nice relaxing experience. As long as you don’t go in expecting to be challenged, it’s thoroughly enjoyable. [*]After each group of two to three levels, you get a nice little animation that delivers some of the story. I found these to be lovely little scenes that helped me get to know the characters better, and also provided a nice break between levels. [*]The music is fantastic. It’s beautiful throughout the game, but the song that plays with the credits is particularly good, and helps make the end of the game pack more of a punch. [*]If you’re an achievement hunter, you’ll be pleased to know that this is an easy 100%. I was actually surprised by how low the achievement percentages were for many of the achievements. [/list] [h1]Neutral: [/h1] [list][*]Some may consider $20 for this game to be too much, I feel like $15 would have been a better price point. I paid $7 for this during a sale, but I would have been quite happy paying twice as much as that. I think most people will consider $20 too steep for 2-3 hours of content, but it’s certainly worth getting on sale. [/list] [h1]Negatives: [/h1] [list][*]This is probably the dumbest thing I’ve ever complained about, but I HATE the way their eyes look in the game. Particularly for Arina, I just feel like the eyes don’t fit with the overall aesthetic and for whatever reason they bothered me for the duration of the game. [*]The only other issue I had was also pretty minor, it takes way too long to quit out of the game. First you have to quit the level you’re in, which takes you back to the level select screen. Then you have to quit the level select screen, which takes you to the main menu. Then you can finally quit to desktop from the main menu. It’s not a huge issue like I said, but it takes a solid 15 seconds to quit out and I found it pretty frustrating. [/list] [h1]Verdict: [/h1] The Gardens Between is a beautiful, light puzzle game that tells a wonderful story. Its levels are well designed and relaxing to play, and by the time you reach the end you really feel like you’ve been on a journey with the characters. If you can grab this on any kind of discount, you absolutely should. If you found this review helpful, please consider following my curator page: [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/33633486/]Kemo's Corner.[/url]
• gamedeal user

  Nov 28, 2019

  Well, this was a very nice and enjoyable game, although very short. I completed it in four hours, but missed about eight achievements. That's ok, I'm not an achievement hunter. If I stumble upon them during gameplay, great. The game play was awesome. So much was done with so little. Three keyboard commands, left arrow, right arrow, and spacebar. That's it. But, this game packed a LOT of gameplay and hard thinking into those three buttons. Each level was very unique, with new game mechanics introduced or expanded upon in every level. Game play was a strong point. The story was so so. I don't know if I'm just ignorant or what, but the revealed theme of the game was a bit underwhelming for me. I was hoping for something much more soul shattering, but I got what I got. Anyway, I'll keep this short. I had a great time playing my four hour game, and have no regrets about buying it. I was just hoping for a bit more of a gut churner story. But, what I got was pretty mundane and meh. So . . . Jake and Elwood are giving this a thumbs up, but they wish the cigarette lighter would get fixed. Game on folks!