Skip to main content

Garden Story

Garden Story is a wonderful and unique take on the sim-adventure genre, and it’s definitely worth a look
Garden Story Game Cover
83%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, replayability
91% User Score Based on 1,538 reviews
Critic Score 75%Based on 16 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchPCXbox Game PassCloudMac OSXbox OneXbox Cloud GamingXboxSteam DeckWindows
Buy Nowfrom $3.34
Buy NowGet on Steam CAD5.69Buy NowGet on Xbox Games Store Buy NowGet on Epic Games Store
Garden Story Game Cover

About

Garden Story is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Picogram and was released on August 11, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

In "Garden Story," players assume the role of a helpful grape named Concord, who sets out to revitalize a once-thriving garden community. They'll meet and aid various anthropomorphic inhabitants, engage in peaceful activities like farming and fishing, and defend their friends from invasive Rot. With a focus on relaxing gameplay, Concord's journey promotes cooperation, restoration, and resilience.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Garden Story screenshot
Garden Story screenshot
Garden Story screenshot
Garden Story screenshot
Garden Story screenshot
Garden Story screenshot
Garden Story screenshot
Garden Story screenshot
Garden Story screenshot
Garden Story screenshot
Garden Story screenshot
+9
Skip User Reviews

91%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,538 reviews
story315 positive mentions
grinding176 negative mentions
  • Garden Story features adorable graphics and a charming art style that enhances the overall experience.
  • The game offers a relaxing and enjoyable gameplay loop, combining exploration, combat, and resource gathering.
  • The story is heartwarming and engaging, with lovable characters that players can connect with.
  • The gameplay can become repetitive, with many tasks feeling like busywork and lacking variety.
  • Combat mechanics are clunky and can feel unresponsive, leading to frustration during battles.
  • Inventory management is cumbersome, as items do not stack and storage is limited, making resource gathering tedious.
  • story
    880 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of *Garden Story* is generally well-received, characterized as cute, charming, and engaging, with players appreciating its whimsical narrative about a grape named Concord tasked with saving a world from an invasive rot. However, many reviews note that the gameplay can become repetitive due to the reliance on fetch quests, which may detract from the overall experience. While some players found the story to be simple and lacking depth, others enjoyed its heartwarming themes and the development of community relationships throughout the game.

    • “Garden Story is a charming, cozy pixel art game where you play as Concord, a little grape tasked with saving a world overtaken by the invasive rot.”
    • “The story is really good, and overall a super chill, cozy game.”
    • “The story is captivating, the art is adorable, the music is great.”
    • “I finished the main storyline within the first in-game month but had to spend three extra months in this mindless, boring cycle to reach 100% completion.”
    • “Honestly, towards the end of the game, I couldn't be bothered with the storyline, but I still had to sit through the dialogue and cutscenes due to the inability to skip.”
    • “The main downside is that quest design is very repetitive with the same few tasks being recycled over and over.”
  • gameplay
    311 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of this title is characterized by a charming aesthetic and a mix of mechanics, including resource gathering, combat, and town upgrades, which some players find engaging and relaxing. However, many reviews highlight a repetitive gameplay loop, tedious grinding, and a lack of depth in mechanics, leading to frustration for some players. While the game offers a cozy atmosphere and enjoyable visuals, its simplistic and often monotonous gameplay may not appeal to everyone, particularly those seeking more complexity or challenge.

    • “The gameplay is not difficult but is very relaxing; this is a wonderful game that I look forward to finishing.”
    • “A beautiful game with rich worldbuilding, beautiful visuals, an astoundingly good soundtrack, and core mechanics that all work together to provide a chill yet deeply engaging experience.”
    • “The gameplay offers challenges and interesting tactics while making you feel like a small grape in a small world.”
    • “Overall, I don't recommend this game; too many small frustrations with the gameplay.”
    • “Unfortunately, the initial whimsy can only hold your attention for so long when the gameplay is a repetitive loop of simplified clunky RPG mechanics and grinding.”
    • “The worst part is the gameplay itself, which is why I don't recommend it.”
  • music
    263 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its pleasant, relaxing quality, enhancing the overall cozy atmosphere and gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as beautiful, calming, and fitting for the game's whimsical art style and narrative. Many players find the music memorable and enjoyable, often using it for studying or relaxation, contributing to the game's charm and immersive world.

    • “The music and artwork are cute, the concept is cute, and the story remains pretty mysterious until the final part of the narrative, but it's beautiful.”
    • “It had such a charming and wholesome atmosphere, the pacing of the story was just right, the characters and dialogue were made perfectly, an undeniably amazing soundtrack that massively enhances the gameplay and story.”
    • “The music is relaxing and I could honestly listen to it all day long.”
    • “The music fits and is suitable but I don't think it sticks to me quite as memorably as tracks from arguably comparable games like Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing do.”
    • “No music played, it was just the stillness of nature.”
    • “I saw that this game is praised for the visual and music but critiqued for underwhelming gameplay, but while I agree that the gameplay is repetitive, I personally think it allows for a relaxed gaming experience - this isn't a game to be finished in one sitting.”
  • graphics
    239 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their cute and charming pixel art style, which creates a cozy and engaging atmosphere. Players appreciate the vibrant visuals, smooth animations, and the harmonious integration of music that enhances the overall experience. While some mention minor issues with cluttered designs in certain areas, the general consensus is that the art style significantly contributes to the game's appeal and nostalgic feel.

    • “A beautiful game with rich worldbuilding, beautiful visuals, an astoundingly good soundtrack, and core mechanics that all work together to provide a chill yet deeply engaging experience.”
    • “The art style is adorable and the music is so relaxing ♥ I enjoy playing it so much.”
    • “The characters have personality, the visuals are vibrant and look great, the music fits, and the concept itself has a lot of potential.”
    • “The graphics are very busy and cluttered despite the simple art style; I can never really tell where the paths are - this is especially problematic in the second town and surrounding areas.”
    • “The capped 30 fps makes the game feel 'chunky' and blocky in its moments and visuals (pixel graphics notwithstanding) so much to the point that I thought something was wrong with my graphics card and/or monitor and was getting motion sickness/nausea from playing the game.”
    • “The game is really hard to look at (and I grew up on NES, 8 or 16 bit graphics).”
  • grinding
    180 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly when leveling towns and completing side quests. While some appreciate the satisfaction of upgrades and the game's charming aesthetics, others feel that the grinding detracts from the overall experience, especially given the late introduction of farming mechanics. Overall, players suggest that the game is more enjoyable if approached at a relaxed pace, rather than striving for 100% completion.

    • “It's not grindy at all!”
    • “There is no farming or mining or decorating or anything like that.”
    • “Tedious grind to level towns due to time & task mechanics.”
    • “After fighting the grove, I was left mindlessly grinding to level all towns to max level.”
    • “Most of your time is just grinding/fetching materials and fulfilling very surface level missions for NPCs that blur together.”
  • emotional
    116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its overwhelmingly wholesome and heartwarming narrative, which resonates deeply with players. Many reviews highlight the charming characters, touching storylines, and cozy atmosphere that evoke feelings of nostalgia and joy, often leading to moments of genuine emotional investment. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to create a relaxing and uplifting experience, making it a perfect choice for those seeking a feel-good adventure.

    • “The storyline itself is also really sad, but cute and heartwarming.”
    • “So far in my time this game has got me very emotionally invested in the town and its characters; I even teared up a little bit when a character I liked left.”
    • “Surprisingly melancholy, emotional story, with a hopeful ending.”
  • atmosphere
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its charming and cozy qualities, enhanced by cute pixel art, lovable NPCs, and a delightful soundtrack. Each area features a unique ambiance, often reflecting different seasons, which contributes to a cohesive yet diverse world. Overall, players find the atmosphere relaxing and reminiscent of nostalgic childhood games, making for an enjoyable and immersive experience.

    • “I absolutely adore the art style and that each town is based on a different season, giving everything a distinct atmosphere while still feeling like a cohesive world.”
    • “It had such a charming and wholesome atmosphere, the pacing of the story was just right, the characters and dialogue were made perfectly, an undeniably amazing soundtrack that massively enhances the gameplay and story.”
    • “The story, characters, graphics, atmosphere, music, all of it comes together to create an absolutely amazing experience overall.”
    • “The atmosphere and story kept me satisfied.”
    • “I love the homely cozy atmosphere.”
    • “Good mix of classic (Zelda/Pokemon)-esque world exploration with the atmosphere and world building of Animal Crossing, all with a hint of Earthbound.”
  • humor
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its funny narrative, cute characters, and engaging gameplay that keeps the experience light-hearted and enjoyable. Many reviewers appreciate the game's colorful aesthetics and the amusing interactions with quirky friends, contributing to an overall positive impression of its comedic elements.

    • “I got my first computer in March of this year and this was the first game I bought for it, and it did not disappoint. I love the color schemes and all of the fun, funny little friends you get to make along the way.”
    • “The storyline is funny and I love the narrative.”
    • “It's a really cute and funny game.”
  • replayability
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews on replayability are mixed; while some players find significant value in revisiting the game to uncover missed content, others feel it lacks depth and offers limited replay value. Overall, the game provides a charming experience but may not sustain long-term engagement for all players.

    • “I see a lot of replayability for me as I missed some memories.”
    • “Great replayability, this game never gets boring!”
    • “However, while there isn't that much there in terms of replayability, the main story that it does provide gives you a few hours of cute and joyful gaming, which is exactly what I picked it up for.”
    • “The game feels incomplete and has little to no replay value.”
    • “However, while there isn't that much there in terms of replayability, the main story that it does provide gives you a few hours of cute and joyful gaming which is exactly what I picked it up for.”
    • “Maybe it's more optimized for PC gaming, but replayability is low and I won't try it.”
  • stability
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some users report a well-made experience with no significant issues, others highlight the presence of glitches and bugs, particularly related to map boundaries. This inconsistency has led to divided opinions on the game's reliability.

    • “Other than that, a very well-made game with no glitches, force closes, or any other discrepancies.”
    • “Can't recommend a buggy game.”
    • “- a few map section border glitches (Concord can go out of bounds)”
    • “Despite some glitches, this game is great.”
  • character development
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviewers praise the character development in the game for its charming and simple designs that effectively reflect each character's personality. The art style and engaging dialogue contribute to a lighthearted RPG experience, enhancing the overall appeal of the characters.

    • “The art style, character dialogue, and character design were my favorite things about this game.”
    • “The character designs are also great; they are simple, yet reflect each character's personality well.”
    • “A very lighthearted RPG with nice character designs.”
  • optimization
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has received criticism for low or locked frame rates, resulting in a stuttering experience during combat. While it may be better suited for PC gaming, many players report performance issues that detract from overall enjoyment and replayability.

    • “As others have noted, combat feels like frame drops are happening, which might be a flaw with optimization or simply with how hitstop is designed.”
    • “As others have noted, combat feels like frame drops are happening, which might be a flaw with optimization or simply with how hit stop is designed.”
    • “The game seems to have some kind of low or locked frame rate issue that makes it feel like it's perpetually stuck in a state of stuttering or lagging.”
    • “[Unimpressive combat and sim elements, repetitive game design, some performance issues.]”
Skip Critic Reviews

75%Critics’ scoreBased on 16 critic reviews
Skip Game Offers

Buy Garden Story

16h Median play time
44h Average play time
9-32h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 20 analyzed playthroughs
Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like Garden Story

Games Like Garden Story

My Time At Portia Image
82%15.7kreviews

My Time At Portia

2019Open World Role Playing Shooter
Nintendo SwitchPlaystation 5Playstation 4+14
Little Witch in the Woods Image
92%5.4kreviews

Little Witch in the Woods

2022Casual Role Playing
Xbox Series X|SPCCloud+6
Littlewood Image
88%9.8kreviews

Littlewood

2020Open World Role Playing
Nintendo SwitchLinuxPC+2
Moonlighter Image
81%5.8kreviews

Moonlighter

2018Hack and Slash
Nintendo SwitchAndroidPlaystation 5+19
Potion Permit Image
77%4kreviews

Potion Permit

2022Casual Role Playing
PCMac OSSteam Deck+1
More games like Garden Story
Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Garden Story is a role playing game.

Garden Story is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OS, Xbox One and others.

On average players spend around 44 hours playing Garden Story.

Garden Story was released on August 11, 2021.

Garden Story was developed by Picogram.

Garden Story has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Garden Story is a single player game.

Similar games include My Time At Portia, Little Witch in the Woods, Littlewood, Moonlighter, Potion Permit and others.