Manifold Garden

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,536 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • music
Manifold Garden Game Cover
Manifold Garden is a gorgeous puzzler that is something very different. It will test you and reward you in equal measure for a very unique experience.
Starting at $6.99Buy now
Get on Steam Get on itch.io Store Get on Xbox Games Store Get on Epic Games Store Get on Apple Store Get on PS Store

Manifold Garden is a meditative, first-person puzzle game that explores concise geometry and manipulation of gravity. Players will wrap their head around navigating through Escher-inspired architecture, solving puzzles by changing the direction of gravity and understanding the properties of the world around them. The game features beautiful, minimalist visuals that emphasize the unique world design and a serene, atmospheric soundtrack.

Play Modes

Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,536 reviews
graphics403 positive mentions
story32 negative mentions
  • Stunning visuals and unique non-Euclidean architecture create a mesmerizing experience.
  • Puzzles are engaging and encourage creative thinking, with a good balance of challenge.
  • The game offers a relaxing atmosphere with a beautiful soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • Some puzzles can feel too easy or simplistic, lacking depth and complexity.
  • The game can be disorienting and may cause motion sickness for some players.
  • Navigation can be tedious due to the large, open environments, making it easy to get lost.
  • graphics703 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning, minimalist aesthetic and mind-bending, non-euclidean designs that evoke comparisons to the works of M.C. Escher. Players appreciate the beautiful environments and intricate level designs, which create a captivating atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. While some find the visuals occasionally disorienting or overwhelming, the consensus is that the art style and visual presentation are the game's standout features, making it a must-play for fans of artistic and immersive gaming experiences.

    • “The visuals are stunning and it runs as smooth as butter, it was a bit trippy in the beginning with the gravity shifts and all, but as I played through the game it got a lot less confusing.”
    • “The visuals are utterly beautiful and make you just want to stop, look around, and take screenshots around every corner.”
    • “The graphics are fantastic and a little disorienting to start with.”
    • “While the graphics and environments are initially quite stunning, they quickly become bland and there is very little urge to explore as every corner looks similar.”
    • “The game seems to prefer visuals over gameplay, another aspect of which (besides intricate geometry) is the 'black matter', which has zero gameplay element: it’s just visuals, which obstruct your view and make exploration unnecessarily less pleasant.”
    • “The puzzles are nice, but they fall off in the finale, as the game focuses a lot more on the aesthetics than the actual puzzles it seems.”
  • gameplay649 mentions

    The gameplay of "Manifold Garden" is characterized by its unique gravity manipulation mechanics and visually stunning environments, which create a captivating experience. While the puzzles are generally engaging and introduce new mechanics at a steady pace, many players feel that they lack depth and complexity, often failing to fully utilize the potential of the introduced mechanics. Overall, the game offers a visually rich and thought-provoking journey, but some players find the gameplay repetitive and the puzzles too simplistic, leaving them wanting more challenge and variety.

    • “The mechanics of this game are incredible and the soundtrack is majestic.”
    • “The gameplay of Manifold Garden is a simple first-person block puzzle game with a unique set of twists.”
    • “The game gradually introduces a few different puzzle mechanics, but it doesn't really explore them enough; they just kind of pop up here and there.”
    • “The gameplay gets stale as soon as you realize it's just about understanding the room.”
    • “The game seems to prefer visuals over gameplay, another aspect of which is the 'black matter', which has zero gameplay element: it’s just visuals, which obstruct your view and make exploration unnecessarily less pleasant.”
    • “The puzzles do get pretty samey after a few hours especially since a lot of the non-fractal mechanics are mainstays in the first person puzzle genre, but it doesn't outstay its welcome at about 3-4 hours of gameplay.”
  • music453 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its beautiful, ambient quality that enhances the overall atmosphere and complements the stunning visuals. Many players noted that the soundtrack is both calming and immersive, with some tracks being memorable enough to add to personal playlists. While some found the music occasionally repetitive or subdued, the majority praised its ability to evoke emotions and elevate the gaming experience, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “The music and sound design were fantastic, and really lend to the visual style.”
    • “The soundtrack is absolutely stunning and I found most of the puzzles solvable without having to look up the solutions.”
    • “The music, visuals, atmosphere and architecture of this game are just incredible.”
    • “The music is not something I would listen to outside of the game, but it is perfect for setting the tone in-game.”
    • “I turned the music down before I even started playing, but it was still always so damn loud, and the soundscape in general added to the sense of unease and anxiety.”
    • “The soundtrack was not really a soundtrack but a low hum or drone with the occasional chords and heavenly organs; it just fit really well, everything sounded fantastic and it was as perfect a fit as can be for this game.”
  • story152 mentions

    The game's story is largely abstract and open to interpretation, with many players noting the absence of a traditional narrative, dialogue, or characters. While some appreciate the environmental storytelling and visual artistry that suggest a deeper meaning, others feel the lack of a cohesive plot detracts from the overall experience. Ultimately, the game is seen as a puzzle-driven experience that prioritizes gameplay and aesthetics over a defined storyline, leaving players to derive their own interpretations.

    • “Despite it seemingly being just an abstract art piece, Manifold Garden does have a story of sorts, though not the traditional kind.”
    • “The story is what you want to make it out to be, and there is no narration or voices, just good old puzzles.”
    • “Without any illustration whatsoever, the game tells a story, and if you're observant enough to appreciate it, you'll love this game.”
    • “There is no story, just a constant stream of puzzles and beautiful environments.”
    • “The problem I have with this game is that the story did not hook me.”
    • “There's not a single line of dialogue, there's no real characters, no overarching story progression.”
  • atmosphere110 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its haunting visuals, soothing sound design, and immersive environments, creating a captivating and relaxing experience. Many reviewers highlight the unique art style and atmospheric soundtrack, which enhance the overall gameplay and contribute to a sense of wonder and tranquility. Despite some minor gameplay issues, the game's aesthetic and atmospheric qualities are considered its standout features, making it a compelling choice for fans of atmospheric puzzle games.

    • “The atmosphere is 10/10, loved the soundtrack and overall sound design.”
    • “The fractal-based visuals and the atmospheric soundtrack make this one of the most unique puzzle games out there.”
    • “The geometry, the architecture, the colors, the soundscape, and atmosphere: I've rarely been so immersed in a game as this one.”
    • “The primary atmosphere that resonates throughout the game's entirety is one of surprising simplicity yet mind-bending complexity, and it is created fantastically by allowing the player to traverse an infinite space of geometry that bends into itself.”
    • “The music adds to the ethereal atmosphere created by endlessly repeating pale structures that fade off into the distance.”
    • “The atmosphere is really chill and the music relaxing.”
  • grinding45 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite tedious, with many puzzles requiring excessive backtracking and navigation through expansive levels that detract from the experience. While some puzzles are engaging, a significant number are criticized for being predictable and repetitive, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. The game's beautiful visuals are often overshadowed by the laborious nature of solving puzzles and the slow movement speed, making the gameplay feel more like a chore than a challenge.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Having to walk on the tree's sides and find that one particular spot to climb up in order to advance felt less like a brain teaser and more like tedious busywork, even more so when you gotta bring a red cube up with you.”
    • “But when the game tries to amp up the difficulty in the last quarter it becomes a mess in which many of the puzzles are hard only because the player does not see necessary parts of the puzzle or the visuals or maps are otherwise built in ways that make the progression unnecessarily tedious.”
    • “Incredible visuals and some interesting mechanics, but puzzles felt tedious and like a chore towards the end.”
  • emotional23 mentions

    Players report a strong emotional impact from the game, often feeling moved despite the lack of characters or dialogue, largely attributed to its exceptional sound design and stunning visuals. Many express feelings of awe and nostalgia, with some experiencing a mix of emotions ranging from joy and intelligence from solving puzzles to anxiety and confusion during gameplay. Overall, the game successfully evokes a deep emotional response, making it a memorable experience for players.

    • “Despite the complete absence of characters or words, I found myself feeling quite emotional as the ending played out.”
    • “Absolutely breathtaking, and I feel a bit emotional that my journey with it has come to an end.”
    • “This game made me cry tears of awe.”
  • replayability21 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the potential for different endings and achievements that encourage revisiting, many feel that the core puzzles offer limited replay value due to their repetitive nature and the game's relatively short playtime of around 4-12 hours. The visual appeal and challenging puzzles may entice some players to return, but the lack of additional content and the linearity of puzzle-solving diminish long-term replayability.

    • “And, wait for it, it has replay value, which I think is very rare for this genre.”
    • “Although, there are some achievements which add a fair amount of replayability to the game.”
    • “+good replay value, due to the many possible different endings, rooms, and connections there are to explore and solve.”
    • “There's a few achievements you probably won't get your first time, but, like most puzzlers, no real replayability.”
    • “Replay value seems pretty low, and will deliver around 6-12 hours of puzzle solving and exploring.”
    • “Only bummer is it being only like 4 hours of gameplay with not much replay value and no extra content available.”
  • optimization16 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is highly praised, with many users reporting smooth performance, impressive graphics, and minimal bugs. While some players noted that it could be demanding on lower-end systems, the majority found it well-optimized for its ambitious design, delivering a polished experience. However, a few critiques mentioned potential areas for improvement in graphical performance and linearity in gameplay.

    • “The game is optimized well, and I encountered few bugs, if any.”
    • “It's very polished, it runs smoothly and plays amazing.”
    • “The optimization of this game is something else.”
    • “I only wish it was better optimized; I could barely run it on my laptop.”
    • “It isn't very long, though, and graphical performance likely could be improved.”
  • stability10 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with users reporting a range of glitches, including visual issues and occasional game-breaking bugs that can disrupt gameplay. While some players experienced minor glitches that were easily resolved, others found the game too buggy to enjoy fully, leading to frustration and a diminished experience. Overall, the game's mechanics are praised, but the stability issues significantly impact its playability.

    • “The routes to it could've used more hints to its existence and more testing, since often I got visual glitches, like doors showing as closed at a distance while being open when I came near them or loops not working and requiring backtracking or reloading of saves.”
    • “There's graphical glitches from time to time, and sometimes I 'died' somehow without any real explanation of what caused it.”
    • “Some mechanics/areas feel very awkward and the whole game is almost inexcusably buggy; I encountered tons of game-breaking bugs in my relatively short playtime and while watching my friend play it.”
  • humor3 mentions

    Reviews indicate that while the game offers a unique experience, its humor may not be as prominent or witty as expected, with some players feeling it leans more on ambient music than comedic elements. Additionally, the game's development history and exclusivity deal have affected some players' perceptions of its humor value. Overall, the humor is noted to be present but not the standout feature.

    • “The humor in this game is top-notch, making every moment feel like a funny hour packed into a unique experience.”
    • “I feel like the game delivers a perfect blend of witty humor and engaging gameplay, keeping me entertained throughout.”
    • “The jokes and comedic elements are cleverly woven into the gameplay, making it a delightful experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

84% average critic score

Buy Manifold Garden

Play time

6hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
2hMain story
15hCompletionist
4-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 29 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games

Game News