The Gardens Between

The Gardens Between is a puzzle game originally released in 2018 from Australian developer, The Voxel Agents. In November 2020 the game was released on Stadia, and was included as a free pro title. This game had been on my radar for a while, but the inclusion as a pro game finally got the controller in the hands.

The game tells a story about childhood friendship between a boy and a girl. The story elements ingrained in the level design itself, but is really only advanced through vignettes at the end of each level. Each level relates to an experience the two friends had, and the level mechanics tie directly into what the friends were doing. The presentation is as if the two kids are reliving their past through their imagination, which gives the game a very nostalgic feel.

The game itself isn’t difficult, and gameplay revolves around a time based mechanic. The puzzles naturally guide you towards the solution, which gives you a satisfying feeling of accomplishment for simply doing what the game demands. These types of puzzle games tend to be my favourite, with games like the Turing Test standing out as great examples. The Gardens Between doesn’t overstay its welcome either, clocking in just over two hours for a complete run through. It is short, sweet, and to the point.

A price tag of twenty dollars might be a tough pill to swallow since the game is pretty short, but at a deep sale or as a pack-in with Stadia pro, it is hard to not recommend taking an afternoon to run through The Gardens Between.