The Gardens Between: Difference between revisions

'''''The Gardens Between''''' is a [[puzzle game|puzzle video game]] developed by Australian studio The Voxel Agents and published in September 2018 for [[Microsoft Windows]], [[macOS]], [[Linux]], [[Nintendo Switch]], [[PlayStation 4]]. It was later released for [[Xbox One]] in 2018, [[iOS]] in 2019, [[Android (operating system)|Android]] in 2020, and [[PlayStation 5]] in 2022. The game, which conveys its story through visuals and gameplay rather than dialogue or narration, follows two children, Arina and Frendt, in the treehouse in a garden between their houses. In a dreamscape, they progress through sets of island levels, each representing different shared experiences. The characters walk along a path that winds through each level, and the player solves environment-based puzzles that prevent themthe pair from reaching and activating a portal at the end of the path. To do so, the player controls the flow of time forwards and backwards and causes the characters to interact with nearby objects, rather than moving the pair directly. Many puzzles involve a lantern carried by Arina which can absorb spheres of light needed to activate the portal, or objects activated by Frendt that affect light-emitting flowers or adjust the flow of time for parts of the environment.

The game was developed by The Voxel Agents over the course of four and a half years, beginning in 2014, based on a prototype idea from 2011 about playing a memory video back and forth. The island levels are derived from [[Japanese dry garden]]s, and are inspired by the developers' own childhoods. The Voxel Agents had previously primarily developed games for mobile devices, but intentionally did not do so for ''The Gardens Between'' to change their expectations for it. Critics praised the gameplay, art style, and the wordless characterization of the two protagonists, though some found the puzzle difficulty uneven or the plot shallow. ''The Gardens Between'' won the "Game of the Year" award at the 2018 Australian Game Development Awards, a 2019 [[Apple Design Awards|Apple Design Award]], and the "Best Puzzle Game" award at the [[2019 Webby Awards]], and was nominated for several other awards.

The presentation of the game was highlyalso praised; the ''Nintendo World Report'' review praisedapplauded the "stunning art style", while Lindsay Mayhew of ''[[TouchArcade]]'' praisedliked that it told its short story without "pointless filler".<ref name="TAreview"/><ref name="NWRreview"/> The ''GameSpot'', ''Eurogamer'', and ''Rock, Paper, Shotgun'' reviews heavily praised the wordless characterization of Arina and Frendt, and the ''Jeux Video'' and ''USgamer'' reviewers praised the integration of the story and gameplay, though the ''GameSpot'' review disagreed.<ref name="RPSreview"/><ref name="USGreview"/><ref name="GSreview"/><ref name="JVreview"/><ref name="EGreview"/> ''Rock, Paper, Shotgun'' and ''GameSpot'' liked the story's themes, though the ''Polygon'' reviewer felt that focusing on children growing up was an overplayed trope in [[indie game]]s.<ref name="RPSreview"/><ref name="PLGreview"/><ref name="GSreview"/> Both the ''USgamer'' and ''Eurogamer'' reviewers found the story to be too sweet and straightforward, as there was no conflict between the two characters, and the ''Jeux Video'' reviewer called the story sweet but shallow; Evens-Thirlwell of ''Eurogamer'' said that "best friendships are rarely this untroubled", and that it was a missed opportunity.<ref name="USGreview"/><ref name="JVreview"/><ref name="EGreview"/> The music was not remarked upon in many reviews, but the ''Touch Arcade'' reviewer praised the soundtrack, and the ''Jeux Video'' reviewer said that it was nice though unvaried.<ref name="TAreview"/><ref name="JVreview"/> Several reviews concluded that the game was short but sweet, with the game's length matching the type and depth of the story it told while keeping any flaws from being overwhelming.<ref name="USGreview"/><ref name="GSreview"/><ref name="EGreview"/>