- Publisher: The Voxel Agents
- Release Date: Sep 20, 2018
- Also On: iPhone/iPad, PC, PlayStation 5, Stadia, Switch, Xbox One
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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Sep 19, 2018The 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 focuses 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.
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Sep 19, 2018The 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.
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Dec 12, 2018The Gardens Between is good enough to get you interested in what it has to say, and smart enough to know exactly what to bow out. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s the kind of game that’s aware enough of its limitations that it doesn’t need to be. Go into it expecting a fun little diversion rather than an all-time classic, and you should find just enough here to make it enjoyable.
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Sep 27, 2018Although a lot of The Gardens Between is focused on its narrative, it also has clever brain-teasing puzzles and an engaging world that will hold the interest of gamers looking for an immersive story as well as those who love a challenge.
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Playstation Official Magazine UKOct 27, 2018With a beautiful ambient soundtrack, and a warm story wonderfully told, it’s one that will stick with you for a while. [Issue#155, p.78]
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Oct 23, 2018The Gardens Between remains one of the best puzzle games released this year, a combination of simplicity and lateral thinking, wrapped up in an endearing visual package. The story it tells is impactful, relatable, and human, enhanced by the excellent ambient soundtrack. If only there was more of it.
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Oct 8, 2018The Gardens Between gives us goof feelings. Altough the game ends quickly, puzzles are well designed and they deserve to be experienced, especially on Switch during portable sessions. Reccomended to those who appreciate slow and thoughtful gameplay.
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Oct 8, 2018There’s an elusive elegance to The Gardens Between. It’s short, charming, and shows its rewarding puzzle mechanic in just a couple hours without stretching the game to its breaking point.
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Sep 30, 2018A beautiful, relaxing puzzler that demands little more than your attention.
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Sep 26, 2018The Gardens Between is a lovely puzzle game that’s hard to put down until you’ve completed the experience.
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Feb 29, 2020The Gardens Between's story certainly does not shine but the game features a brilliant concept and artistic design and delivers a truly enjoyable experience.
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Sep 24, 2018The 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.
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Sep 24, 2018The Gardens Between is beautiful and feels fresh, but it’s also very short and quite easy. If you like puzzles games, though, you’ll probably enjoy it.
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Sep 19, 2018A 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.
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Edge MagazineOct 11, 2018The Gardens Between is at its best when it marries whimsical design with fresh twists on logic puzzles, each level delicately exploring a new idea before moving onto the next. [December 2018, p.122]
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Sep 19, 2018The Gardens Between is almost a truly great puzzle game, but it gets hung up in a couple of small areas. Gorgeous surreal environments pair with a perfect score to create a killer atmosphere for some of the most clever puzzle mechanics - complete with impressively consistent internal logic - that we’ve seen in some time. However, the title’s relative lack of content means it can be polished off quite quickly, even if you’re not in a hurry.
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Sep 19, 2018A 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.
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Oct 3, 2018It’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.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 13 out of 28
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Mixed: 10 out of 28
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Negative: 5 out of 28
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Sep 7, 2023
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Dec 25, 2022
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Nov 17, 2022