Onde

+18

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The Gardens Between

Reviews

87%Audience ScoreBased on 138 reviews

music33 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

Stunning and unique audiovisual presentation with mesmerizing visuals, beautiful abstract art, and an immersive adaptive soundtrack that deeply intertwines with gameplay.
Relaxing, meditative, and atmospheric experience that emphasizes sensation, rhythm, and flow over difficulty or traditional storytelling.
Intuitive and creative puzzle-platforming mechanics involving wave-based movement that expand progressively and keep the gameplay engaging while complementing the artistic vibe.

Controls can feel sluggish, clunky, or imprecise leading to some frustrating platforming sections requiring precise timing and causing interruption of immersion.
Checkpoint placement is sometimes problematic, resulting in repeated backtracking that disrupts the otherwise smooth and zen-like experience.
Some players find the game too short, mechanically simplistic, or lacking in clear instructions and narrative, which might limit appeal to those seeking a traditional or challenging puzzle-platformer.

music
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47% positive mentions, 49% neutral mentions, 4% negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its ambient, adaptive, and immersive qualities that perfectly complement the vibrant visuals and gameplay, creating a relaxing, zen-like, and often surreal atmosphere. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, noting its dynamic integration with player actions and its therapeutic, meditative vibe. While some find occasional tracks less appealing or the difficulty disruptive to the calm mood, overall the music is considered a beautiful, integral element that elevates the entire experience.
- “The soundtrack is ambient and adaptive, responding dynamically to your movements and interactions.”
- “Each sound pulse produces musical tones that blend seamlessly into the background score, making traversal feel like participation in a living composition.”
- “At times, simply moving through a space feels like performing a quiet piece of music, reinforcing the game’s calming, almost therapeutic atmosphere.”
- “Music was supposed to be a big part of the game but ultimately it’s just electro-noise.”
- “I can't buy the OST to go with it!”
- “The checkpoints are also really bad in some areas, further disrupting the experience, sending you back a minute or more in places in a game that presumes to be a zen-like music experience; it is far from it.”
gameplay
69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23% positive mentions, 73% neutral mentions, 4% negative mentions
The gameplay of Onde is characterized by its simple yet elegant puzzle-platforming mechanics, deeply integrated with sound and visual design to create a unique, immersive, and relaxing experience. While its core mechanics are minimal and may feel repetitive to some, the game maintains engagement through varied level designs, smooth traversal, and a strong sensory atmosphere rather than traditional challenge or complexity. Overall, it offers a creatively rich, artful gameplay experience that prioritizes mood and discovery over mechanical depth.
- “The essence of this game and its mechanics are hard to capture in words—you really need to experience it for yourself.”
- “The core gameplay – surfing waves of light and sound to navigate abstract, evolving landscapes – is incredibly smooth and intuitive.”
- “A puzzle game with no tutorial where the various mechanics will engage with you in a visual manner to explain themselves, the best kind; you’ll interact with wave patterns to navigate the place in a strange mix of puzzle and platforming.”
- “In that regard it was pretty unique, creative and visually pleasing - the gameplay just wasn't fun for the majority of the time; they had parts that were fun and exciting but then it instantly went back to very slow paced and boring gameplay.”
- “Maybe original, but not relaxing at all thanks to a slow and frustrating gameplay.”
- “Being progress-blocked by mechanics that are difficult to get the timing down on is not my idea of a good time.”
graphics
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50% positive mentions, 43% neutral mentions, 7% negative mentions
The game's graphics are widely praised for their stunning, minimalist, and abstract art style, beautifully blending vibrant colors and smooth geometry to create a serene and immersive atmosphere. Many note the visuals evolve from simple to mesmerizing, harmonizing perfectly with the captivating soundtrack to enhance the overall aesthetic and emotional experience. While some mention occasional issues with visual clarity affecting gameplay, the graphics remain a central, standout element celebrated for their creativity and calming effect.
- “The score and visuals beautifully align to tell a story without a single word being uttered, and it’s a credit to the developers at how immersive the experience is.”
- “The shift from crisp lines to vibrant color swirls is mesmerizing, and the elegant abstract art style creates a uniquely serene atmosphere.”
- “A genuinely beautiful game with a very cute art style and visuals; satisfying to look at from start to finish.”
- “As for its visuals, this title uses the simple geometry of a circle as a form of art, composing beautiful patterns and every other element of the game, with a little exception you’ll find 3/4th into the game where the design takes a more 'skeuomorphic' design, and maybe the only thing I don’t like about the game.”
- “The bigger issue is that the visuals obfuscate the intended path a lot of the time.”
- “Checkpoints behind periods of waiting and timing things at weird angles, a rotating camera with controls that don't mirror the visuals until they suddenly do, endless dramatic buildup constantly popped by being sent back multiple screens, etc.”
story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19% positive mentions, 62% neutral mentions, 19% negative mentions
The story in Onde is abstract and non-traditional, focusing on emotional and sensory experiences rather than clear narrative or dialogue. While some players find it elusive or minimal, many appreciate its symbolic, wordless storytelling conveyed through visuals, music, and mechanics, creating a soothing and memorable journey. This approach may not suit those seeking conventional plots or challenges but offers a uniquely immersive and poetic experience.
- “The score and visuals beautifully align to tell a story without a single word being uttered, and it’s a credit to the developers at how immersive the experience is.”
- “It's not a very difficult game, and you could say it is somewhat simple, but there's just something magical about it between the super fun mechanics, the art, the music and the symbolic story told.”
- “You should definitely check this out as this magnificent wave "platformer" tells you a story and makes you feel about things without using any words.”
- “As for the story and/or progression, there aren't any.”
- “Mechanically light and devoid of a story, Onde may draw criticism for being an art-simulator first and a puzzle game second.”
- “☐ no story”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83% positive mentions, 17% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The atmosphere of Onde is widely praised for its serene, calming, and mesmerizing quality, combining beautiful visuals, vibrant colors, and a soothing soundtrack to create a uniquely therapeutic and harmonious experience. Its abstract art style and musical rhythm reinforce a tranquil, immersive environment that elevates the game beyond typical puzzle-platformers.
- “A surreal journey through an atmospheric environment, accompanied by beautiful music.”
- “At times, simply moving through a space feels like performing a quiet piece of music, reinforcing the game’s calming, almost therapeutic atmosphere.”
- “The shift from crisp lines to vibrant color swirls is mesmerizing, and the elegant abstract art style creates a uniquely serene atmosphere.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game focuses on evoking feelings through immersive visuals and sound design rather than a clear narrative, creating a deeply heartfelt and memorable experience. Players find the ending particularly heartwarming, enhancing the overall emotional impact.
- “Onde is less about understanding a story and more about experiencing a state of being, allowing emotional interpretation to replace narrative clarity.”
- “The actual ending was really heartwarming and nice, the visuals and sound design in this game are absolutely breathtaking, making it a truly great experience.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 50% negative mentions
Optimization is generally smooth, but some complex areas experience noticeable stuttering.
- “Performance was smooth.”
- “Crazy stuttering on some more elaborate parts of the game too.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
The game suffers from stability issues, including frequent freezing and bugs that cause sluggish performance. Additionally, the lack of cloud saves exacerbates these problems by risking lost progress.
- “No cloud saves, and the game freezes halfway through.”
- “It's buggy and sluggish.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 100% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
Grinding is challenging and may require extra effort or resources, such as using a "second life," to progress effectively.