Cloud Gardens

80%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,538 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • music
Cloud Gardens Game Cover
Cloud Gardens is a peaceful puzzle game with plenty of levels on offer and a sandbox mode also in tow. It’s a simple and joyous experience for everyone.
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"Cloud Gardens" is a calming game that allows players to create plant-covered dioramas using discarded objects and seeds. Players can choose between a sandbox mode with no goals or a campaign with challenges, requiring them to strike a balance between the natural and manufactured worlds. The game is a soothing experience that encourages creativity and problem-solving without frustration.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,538 reviews
graphics176 positive mentions
grinding8 negative mentions
  • A beautifully relaxing game that allows players to create lush gardens in post-apocalyptic settings.
  • The gameplay is simple yet engaging, providing a satisfying experience as players watch their plants grow.
  • The game features a calming soundtrack and charming pixel art, making it a perfect escape for stress relief.
  • Some players find the controls and camera movement to be clunky and frustrating, impacting the overall experience.
  • The game can become repetitive after a while, with some levels lacking variety in challenges.
  • There are minor bugs and issues with item placement that can detract from the enjoyment of the game.
  • graphics364 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming pixel art style and soothing aesthetics, creating a calming atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the unique blend of low-poly and retro visuals, which effectively capture a post-apocalyptic vibe while remaining visually appealing. The combination of beautiful graphics and relaxing sound design contributes to a meditative gameplay experience, making it a delightful choice for those seeking a visually pleasing and tranquil game.

    • “The graphics are simple yet detailed, and the whole thing has a dreamy vibe.”
    • “Gorgeous graphics with a peaceful, ethereal atmosphere.”
    • “The visuals of this game are absolutely stunning.”
    • “Repetitive and not aesthetically appealing.”
    • “Graphics have been dulled down by about 60%, everything has labels whilst before was completely fine, just took a few minutes to figure out how to play in the very beginning.”
    • “Really enjoyed the kingdom games but felt the simple graphics didn't fit with cloud gardens; felt it could've used a bit more refinement.”
  • gameplay262 mentions

    The gameplay of Cloud Gardens is characterized by its simplicity and relaxing nature, allowing players to grow plants in post-apocalyptic settings by strategically placing objects to encourage growth. While the mechanics are straightforward and can feel repetitive over time, the game offers a soothing atmosphere enhanced by a beautiful soundtrack, making it ideal for short, stress-free sessions. Although it lacks depth and complexity, the creative mode provides an enjoyable distraction for those seeking a calming experience.

    • “I enjoyed my time with Cloud Gardens for its relaxing gameplay and atmosphere, using it as a great low-stress distraction game.”
    • “The laid-back gameplay, pleasing aesthetics, and relaxing ambience of Cloud Gardens provide a delightfully unique and immersive player experience.”
    • “The gameplay is super simple and relaxing, and there's a creative mode, and the music just tops it all off!”
    • “This product does not commit to being a true sandbox nor does it commit to being a fulfilling gameplay experience; it attempts to find a balance between the two, which is meritable, but fails apparently in its execution.”
    • “Neutral feeling to this game, it might be a bit hard to understand the gameplay and it does get repetitive after a few games.”
    • “But as far as gameplay goes, this is not a 'puzzle game that's satisfying without frustration' as advertised.”
  • music259 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and immersive qualities, perfectly complementing the relaxing gameplay and charming pixel art style. Players appreciate the soothing soundtrack that enhances the meditative experience of nurturing gardens, although some note that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant asset, contributing to the game's tranquil atmosphere and making it an ideal choice for unwinding after a long day.

    • “The game’s soundtrack is a beautiful backdrop to the meditative gameplay, enhancing the experience of nurturing gardens amidst ruins.”
    • “The music lulls you in, the mechanics engage, and the engrossing atmosphere will keep you playing for hours on end - not because you're winning anything, but because you're creating tiny masterpieces with each new level.”
    • “With a soothing background music that practically lulls me to sleep, Cloud Gardens allows anyone to slip away into a beautiful imaginary world where you can wile away your time by creating cute flower gardens on forgotten old islands in the fog.”
    • “Also, the music is wholly uninspiring; I was really hoping for chill beats instead of generic synths.”
    • “Music can get a little repetitive, but great for a short chill-out session after work.”
    • “The art style is a sort of muted retro voxel style that lends itself well to the post-human era, and the music is incredibly relaxed to the point where you almost don't notice it's there until it's gone.”
  • atmosphere116 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Cloud Gardens" is widely praised for its calming and immersive qualities, featuring beautiful pixelated graphics and a soothing soundscape that enhance the experience of revitalizing decayed landscapes with flourishing greenery. Players appreciate the game's ability to provide a relaxing escape, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a gentle, low-stress gaming experience. Overall, the combination of art style, music, and gameplay mechanics creates a rich and engaging atmosphere that captivates players.

    • “The post-apocalyptic atmosphere is so soothing, odd as that may sound, and the action of revitalizing the rusted, decayed landscape is balm for the soul.”
    • “The music lulls you in, the mechanics engage, and the engrossing atmosphere will keep you playing for hours on end - not because you're winning anything, but because you're creating tiny masterpieces with each new level.”
    • “Played it a bit and I really like the art style and atmosphere, but for me personally it is just no fun at all.”
    • “The general atmosphere is soothing, yet haunting at the same time as you watch nature reclaim urban landscapes.”
    • “I think most people are just going to play it for the atmosphere; once you understand the mechanics, it's not very difficult, so you can just make pretty environments with a little bit of thought behind it.”
  • story88 mentions

    The game's story aspect is largely subjective, as it lacks a traditional narrative but allows players to create their own stories through environmental elements and objects. While some players appreciate the meditative experience and the subtle storytelling suggested by the game's settings, others note that the "story mode" offers a more structured gameplay experience, albeit without a grand plot. Overall, the game encourages personal interpretation and creativity, making the storytelling experience unique to each player.

    • “This is not one of those cases; I love Cloud Gardens. I just finished the main story and had so much fun. Each level was enjoyable to watch slowly get taken over.”
    • “Every scene tells a story of a piece of urban landscape fallen to time and to nature. It is your job to set the seeds that will reclaim the concrete and uncover some of the story along the way.”
    • “I'd like to end my review by commenting on something subtle about the game: Cloud Gardens doesn't have a story, per se, but its setting and objects allow you to create a narrative.”
    • “Cloud Gardens has no story, other than the one you assume has happened.”
    • “Easily have lost hours to this as I let the music set the mood and the scenes silently offer me a story that might be more to my imagination than the game itself.”
    • “As each chapter sets you up with a theme, I'm not sure if the game is giving a story or if it's simply me trying to add one as I place my little plants into the wasteland.”
  • replayability20 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability, with players noting its creative mode and regular updates that introduce new themes, props, and plants, enhancing the experience even after completing the main campaign. Many users highlight the endless ways to approach levels and the sandbox mode, contributing to a relaxing and addictive gameplay experience that keeps them engaged long-term. Overall, the combination of diverse options and continuous content updates ensures a high level of replay value.

    • “The replayability aspect and the creative mode have kept me entertained long after completing the main campaign.”
    • “Replayable enough, though no procedural/user content.”
    • “There have been regular updates with new themes, props, and plants being added, and the way you can create unique scenes even on the same level by using different plants and using the props in different ways means that even without the sandbox mode, there would be plenty of replay value.”
    • “With endless ways to finish most levels, the replayability is pretty endless.”
  • optimization14 mentions

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players report smooth performance and no bugs, others experience significant issues, particularly on older hardware, leading to overheating and the need for refunds. Overall, there are calls for better optimization to enhance the gaming experience, especially for those using less modern systems.

    • “This game is so relaxing and satisfying and pretty and actually a fun optimization game :D I love it so much.”
    • “Overall, the game is pretty well optimized.”
    • “It runs smoothly and lets you save at any point; loading and saving works great, and it has its own screenshot function to let you take pictures and turnaround videos of your creations.”
    • “I'm running this on a maxed out 2013 MacBook Pro, so yeah, I know it's not exactly modern hardware, but I've run games plenty on this machine and holy cow, this game has horrendous performance on it.”
    • “I love the concept, would very much like to get to enjoy this game, but yeah no, there's some serious optimization work missing here.”
    • “Unoptimized, made my GPU get very hot and made me have to refund the game once again. Fix this, and I'll think about playing again.”
  • emotional12 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is described as a complex blend of sadness and wholesomeness, evoking strong feelings that range from optimism to misery. Players appreciate its beauty and design, which contribute to an emotional roller-coaster experience, though some find this intensity inappropriate for a mood-based game. Overall, it leaves a lasting emotional impact, fostering both chill vibes and deeper reflections.

    • “This game is not only so very beautiful, but also so well designed it makes me want to cry.”
    • “Playing this for a while left me genuinely emotionally affected and filled with optimism for the future.”
    • “Simultaneously sad and wholesome.”
  • humor10 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding it funny, entertaining, and subversive, often highlighting amusing elements like "funny blip blops" and "funny plants." However, some users note that the camera controls can be quirky, which may detract from the overall experience.

    • “I like this game, it is funny and entertaining and some may call it deceptive.”
    • “Funny, subversive, and encouraging.”
    • “Haha funny plant”
  • grinding10 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, primarily due to cumbersome inventory management and limited options for item manipulation. The repetitive nature of placing objects and collecting resources can become monotonous, although some features, like the ability to summon rain for plant growth, offer a refreshing break from the grind. Overall, the experience may require significant time investment, leading some to feel that it demands more commitment than they are willing to give.

    • “Micromanaging an inventory when you have no idea how much you have, can barely see, and sometimes have to sort through what it is you have, and can't do as much as it seems like you should be able to do with it is ultimately tedious and frustrating.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “However, over time, the game can get a bit tedious, as one generally just places objects over and over and then collects the fruits of the matured plants.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game is generally enjoyable, featuring appealing voxel graphics and soothing vegetation effects, but it does experience occasional bugs and glitches that can detract from the overall experience.

    • “The game offers some really nice voxel graphics, although there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
    • “A bit buggy at times, but great still!”
    • “The game has weirdly soothing growing effects from the vegetation you grow around the specific area, but it suffers from stability issues.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

71% average critic score

Buy Cloud Gardens

Play time

8hMedian play time
8hAverage play time
6hMain story
20hCompletionist
2-16hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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