Garden Story

Critic reviews

• Way Too Many Games

  Aaron Price · Sep 14, 2021

  8.5

  If you are looking for a stopgap substitute for a 2D Zelda game, but with a bit more to offer in terms of depth and playability, Garden Story is the way to go. If you’re not willing to go out there and fight enemies at a particular time, just chill out, handle some requests, meet the characters, head back to bed, then do it all over again. Look for perks. Search for upgrades. This is a game you can either tackle in a handful of hours or enjoy it for much longer, depending on how much you’re willing to invest in it.

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• TechRaptor

  Tanushri Shah · Sep 13, 2021

  7.5

  Garden Story is a ripe take on Zelda-like ARPGs, but falls short in a couple of aspects.

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• Hey Poor Player

  Daymon Trapold · Sep 04, 2021

  9.0

  Some games show that you don’t have to be flashy and dramatic to be epic, and I think Garden Story is a shining example of that. At its core, Garden Story is a game about community and the bonds we forge within our communities. It’s about not underestimating the value of a friendly gesture to someone in need, or just how much we all rely on one another. With a moving, heartfelt story, beautiful pixel art and music, and addictive gameplay, Garden Story is a must-have for your Switch collection.

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• RPGFan

  Izzy Parsons · Sep 02, 2021

  8.0

  As an inexpensive and relatively short title by a one-person team, it is hard for me to lend much weight to the game’s misses. Garden Story’s characters and world have a magnetism; it’s hard to stop spending time with them once you’ve begun, and once you’ve finished the game, it’s effortless to stop back in. If you are happy to delve into an experience where everything but the gameplay shines, then Garden Story is definitely worth checking out.

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• 3rd-strike.com

  SebastiaanRaats · Sep 01, 2021

  7.2

  Garden Story is a delightful little RPG that is well worth seeking out if you’re a fan of old-school RPG games. The colorful world and endearing characters successfully draw you in, and even though the game isn’t without its flaws -we’re looking at you, inventory system- it’s very fun to play through.

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• Softpedia

  Cosmin Vasile · Aug 24, 2021

  8.0

  Garden Story is not actually about gardening, in the Stardew Valley sense, and that’s great. The story is about growing friendships and the organic development of communities. The mechanics are good enough to keep players engaged with the world.

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