Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator
- February 22, 2024
- stillalive studios
- 13h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator" is a relaxing game where you can plant and nurture your dream garden using real-life techniques. Complete tasks from neighbors, unlock new tools and seeds, and discover the story behind an abandoned community garden. The game features different colorful plant varieties and allows you to enjoy your garden in full bloom throughout the changing seasons.
PC
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Xbox
Reviews
- Garden Life is a beautifully designed game with a charming art style and relaxing atmosphere.
- The gameplay is engaging, allowing players to creatively design their gardens and discover various flower types.
- The game offers a cozy experience with no time constraints, making it perfect for players looking to unwind.
- There is a frustrating plant limit that restricts players from fully utilizing the expansive garden space.
- The inventory management system is cumbersome, lacking sorting options and making it difficult to find specific items.
- Some players have reported frequent crashes and bugs, impacting the overall gameplay experience.
- story214 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally described as cute and endearing, featuring charming characters and a relaxing atmosphere, though some players find it simplistic and wish for deeper character development. While many appreciate the cozy narrative and the absence of time pressure, there are criticisms regarding certain plot elements, such as the handling of LGBTQ+ themes and the introduction of a ghost character, which some players found off-putting. Overall, the story complements the gameplay, providing a light-hearted backdrop for gardening and quest fulfillment, but players express a desire for more content and improvements in quest management.
“Got this game during the first few days of release, the story is beautiful and the game aspects make you feel so relaxed, the characters you meet are adorable and the plants are so beautiful.”
“The story is sweet, the design is beautiful and interesting, the gameplay is fun and rewarding.”
“The storyline is great, I love that one of the main characters, though passed away, is represented as non-binary with the 'they' and 'them' pronouns.”
“The game starts out cozy, with you learning about the girl who was running the garden and meeting various friends and family, and then you are introduced to the ghost of the girl. It’s not a cozy storyline to have a ghost narrating the game; it was cozy learning about her through friends and family. I got a refund as this is not my idea of fun.”
“There is a major story barrier with the bridge repair quest resulting in a monotony of being stuck in the story and doing day after day with fairly little progress. It is far from game-breaking, but it just reminded me to slow down, decorate, rearrange things, and organize my flowers and inventory.”
“I know there's a free play mode, but I wanted to play the story, get achievements, etc. However, within 3 hours, I was beyond stressed out with the amount of things to do.”
- graphics125 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beautiful art style and charming aesthetics, often likened to a cozy, Studio Ghibli-like experience. However, there are significant concerns regarding optimization, with many players reporting crashes, motion sickness, and inconsistencies in graphic quality, particularly with certain elements appearing flat or poorly finished. While the visuals are endearing and contribute to a relaxing atmosphere, the technical issues detract from the overall experience for some users.
“The voice acting is really well done and the graphics are breathtaking.”
“The graphics are great; when the plants grow, it's beautiful.”
“It's a beautiful game, the visuals and art style.”
“The art and in-game graphics are clearly AI.”
“The graphics make me motion sick, no matter how I tweak them, and some of the flowers look really flat (like literally flat) and sloppily finished, while this whole game is about gardening and selling flowers.”
“Gets repetitive pretty quickly and the graphics look so washed out despite playing it in 4K.”
- gameplay66 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally described as relaxing and enjoyable, with beautiful visuals and rewarding mechanics that cater to gardening enthusiasts. However, players note some frustrating mechanics and a lack of user-friendliness, particularly regarding progression and repetitive tasks. While the game offers hours of entertainment, there are areas for improvement, especially in quality of life features and certain gameplay loops.
“The gameplay is pretty long too, so it’s hours of entertainment in your own virtual garden!”
“I love the gameplay loop and the variations of flowers.”
“I'm very pleased with the game; I recommend it to anyone who enjoys gardening and is looking for a relaxed gameplay.”
“As much as it is relaxing to play, it's also full of annoying mechanics and not user-friendly.”
“The gameplay is pretty repetitive, with collecting flower clippings and new seed variants to get more flower clippings of other colors, so if that isn't your cup of tea in cozy games, then this may not be the one for you.”
“I think that's too long, as a lot of gameplay is locked behind that progression (you can't even cross the bridge or get into the greenhouse, only about 25% of the garden is available until you progress).”
- grinding24 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 4 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is perceived as somewhat tedious by some players, particularly due to inventory management issues and repetitive tasks. While many find the gameplay enjoyable and charming, the lack of a sorting feature and the need for micromanagement can lead to frustration, especially as the number of items increases. Overall, opinions vary, with some players appreciating the grind while others feel it detracts from the relaxing experience they sought.
“Not too long, fun to do and collect everything, not too grindy either.”
“It wasn't the chill, relaxing game I was looking for; it's very grindy and requires a fair bit of micromanagement, but it was so charming I stuck with it anyway.”
“When you have pages and pages of seeds and flowers, 99 stack limits become tedious without a sorting function.”
“Inventory management needs a rework; it's very tedious at the moment, and also the flower catalog takes forever to scroll through.”
- optimization18 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback from users. While some players report a smooth experience with no glitches, others criticize the limitations on plant capacity as indicative of poor optimization, suggesting that the developers prioritize performance over player experience. There are calls for more graphics options and adjustments to the planting limits to enhance gameplay without sacrificing performance.
“It's a very relaxing and beautiful game, so many quests to complete and enjoy. It gives off cottage core vibes and the aesthetics are beautiful. I haven't found the game to have any glitches yet; everything runs smoothly.”
“Quests and requests from different characters all run smoothly.”
“I have read in a few other reviews that they had problems with the optimization, but it ran smoothly for me.”
“Granted they're upping it to 1000, but this just screams poor optimization packaged into concern for their players.”
“You need to provide more graphics options in settings and fix the awful optimization.”
“Please reconsider this and either remove the limit of flowers you can plant or at least triple the limit size because I appreciate the more flowers you have, the more it'll affect the game performance.”
- stability17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- -12 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with numerous users reporting frequent glitches, crashes, and freezing issues that disrupt gameplay. While some players have experienced smooth performance and found the game aesthetically pleasing, others have encountered significant bugs, such as unresponsive quests and cumbersome inventory management. Overall, stability remains a notable concern for many players.
“The game runs smoothly without any crashes or bugs.”
“I haven't encountered any stability issues; everything works as intended.”
“The performance is consistent, making for a seamless gaming experience.”
“It just freezes up and I am left with no option but to exit without saving.”
“The bus never drives off and the game just freezes.”
“- game randomly freezes and crashes!”
- music14 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful and relaxing qualities, enhancing the overall cozy atmosphere. Reviewers appreciate the chill soundtrack, which complements the art style and natural sounds, creating a serene experience without being intrusive. The combination of music and wildlife sounds contributes to a lovely and immersive vibe.
“It is so chill and relaxing, the soundtrack is beautiful.”
“Very chill with nice music and natural sounds of wildlife (especially the froggos!)”
“The soundtrack isn't too intrusive, which is always a plus in cozy genre games.”
“The art style and music/voice acting!”
- atmosphere14 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for being charming, cozy, and inspiring, with many players noting its dreamy and somewhat melancholic vibe. The graphics enhance this experience, making it visually appealing and engaging for those who enjoy collecting and decorating. Overall, the atmosphere contributes significantly to the game's enjoyment, providing a relaxing and immersive environment.
“The atmosphere of this game is wonderful and I happily spend hours playing it.”
“Graphics are really nice and the atmosphere is cozy and kind of dreamy/melancholic!”
“Chill atmosphere and very little risk?”
“Inspiring and charming atmosphere for an artist, and educational for a budding interest in botany.”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game emotionally engaging, highlighting its relaxing atmosphere, cute decorations, and heartfelt story that fosters a sense of coziness and connection. The characters are described as beautiful and touching, contributing to a wholesome experience that balances fun with emotional depth, making players feel seen and appreciated throughout their journey in the garden.
“The decorations are cute, the seasons are nice, it's a very relaxing game with a little heartfelt story on top of it all from beginning to end. It made me fall in love with taking over this garden.”
“Beautiful and touching characters.”
“It's all very sweet, and this game really surprised me with how it made me feel so seen and cozy.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the reviews highlight the stunning character designs and beautiful illustrations, they do not provide specific insights into the depth or progression of character development within the game. Overall, the focus is more on the aesthetic appeal rather than the narrative or emotional growth of the characters.
“The character designs are gorgeous, and the illustrations are perfect.”
“The game is beautiful, and I can tell the design team had a good time coming up with the decorations, character design, and environmental look.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted through amusing decor and witty descriptions, providing a lighthearted touch that enhances the overall experience of the calmer gameplay.
“The decor and their descriptions can be pretty funny, adding a nice little touch to a calmer game.”
