The Gardener and the Wild Vines

About

"The Gardener and the Wild Vines" is a challenging platformer where you leap and slash through handcrafted towers, using flowers and vines to propel yourself upward. Search for the missing Prince, battle environmental hazards, and experience a touching fairy tale of love and risk. With 28 challenging levels and a separate Challenge Mode, there's plenty of content to master.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

The Gardener and the Wild Vines screenshot

+10

98%

Audience ScoreBased on 53 reviews

story13 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The game features charming characters and a heartfelt story that resonates with players.
The platforming mechanics are unique and satisfying, allowing for enjoyable gameplay and exploration.
It offers a visually appealing art style with polished graphics and engaging sound design.

Some players found the vine growth mechanics to be arbitrary and frustrating, impacting the overall experience.
The game can feel repetitive over time, with levels that may lack variety and challenge.
Certain gameplay elements, like the combo mechanics, were seen as unnecessary or not integral to the main story.

story
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
54%
9%
The story of the game is widely praised for its charm, emotional depth, and engaging narrative, featuring themes of love, self-discovery, and support systems. Players appreciate the lighthearted yet touching plot, which includes LGBTQ+ representation and relatable real-life parallels, making it a delightful experience that enhances the platforming gameplay. Overall, the story is described as cute, well-paced, and integral to the game's appeal, leaving players eager to see how it unfolds.
- “The storytelling is great, quite touching.”
- “It has really amazing feeling movement with interesting levels, all while telling a short but sweet story about self-discovery and the importance of a functioning support system when one struggles with doubts.”
- “The story made me cry many times, and I think it's a perfect mix of storytelling and play, with great parallels to real-life situations that people may be struggling with.”
- “For a price as low as this, I was expecting a game that could be finished in half an hour and not give the slightest toss about plot resolution or characterization.”
- “The plot could be wholly about a gardener trying to rescue a prince from an evil magician without anything else tied to it and it would've worked very well, especially as it removes some of the plot threads at the end.”
- “Graphics are cute, and the story is light but there's definitely enough there to get you to keep going so you can see how it ends.”
gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
46%
12%
The gameplay is praised for its mechanical richness and simplicity, making it easy to learn yet satisfying to master. Players enjoy the unique platforming mechanics, particularly the vine-dashing and flower-cutting features, although some feel that certain combo elements are underutilized in the story mode. Overall, the game offers a delightful blend of fun puzzles, smooth controls, and engaging challenges, making it a standout indie title.
- “So mechanically rich and interesting, but really simple to understand and master.”
- “The action mechanics and movement are so tight and feel really good to play.”
- “The combo mechanic feels out of place and encourages you to spend time cutting flowers rather than progressing the level, even though there is no point in doing more than the bare minimum.”
- “The mechanics kind of remind me of swinging in the Spider-Man games, which I really like.”
- “The platformer mechanics are simple to learn but complex to master, as well as unique!”
emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its heartfelt storytelling and emotional depth, often evoking tears through relatable themes and touching narratives. Players appreciate the charming visuals and humorous, heartwarming dialogue, highlighting its representation of LGBTQ+ experiences and the wholesome journey of the gay protagonist. Overall, it is described as a fun and polished experience that resonates emotionally with players.
- “The storytelling is great, quite touching.”
- “The story made me cry many times, and I think it's a perfect mix of storytelling and play, and has great parallels to real-life situations that people may be struggling with.”
- “I decided to pick it up because of the gay protagonist and his quest to find his prince because that is the cutest thing I've ever heard, and there are not enough wholesome gay games, but what I got was that and more.”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
29%
43%
The graphics are widely praised for their charming and cute aesthetic, drawing comparisons to classic titles like Paper Mario and mid-to-late 90s PS1 and N64 games. The inventive combination of 2D sprites with 3D elements, along with a vibrant color palette, enhances the overall experience, making it visually appealing and engaging. Overall, the art style and visuals contribute significantly to the game's lighthearted and enjoyable atmosphere.
- “The game has a wonderful art style, a sort of 2.5D perspective shifting chunky pixel aesthetic reminiscent of mid-to-late 90s PS1 and N64 games.”
- “Good pixel art and an inventive graphics style with the 3D towers and 2D sprites.”
- “The visuals are charming as hell, the dialogue is extremely funny and heartwarming.”
- “The art style reminded me of Paper Mario, which is one of my all-time favorites.”
- “Graphics are cute, and the story is light, but there's definitely enough there to get you to keep going so you can see how it ends.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a charming and well-paced narrative, with extremely funny and heartwarming dialogue that keeps players laughing throughout. While the plot is simple, it effectively delivers comedic moments, enhancing the overall experience despite some technical issues.
- “The visuals are charming as hell, the dialogue is extremely funny and heartwarming.”
- “The story has so much charm and has me laughing the whole time.”
- “The narrative is funny and very well paced.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The music and sound design in the game are widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting the phenomenal soundtrack and immersive sound effects. The combination of great music, engaging story, and charming art style enhances the overall experience, contributing to a smooth gameplay that allows players to improve their skills effortlessly.
- “The soundtrack and sound design are phenomenal, and the characters are so good.”
- “The music, story, and art are also great.”
- “The sound effects and music are amazing; the gameplay is smooth, and I'm getting so much better at combos without even thinking about it.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
"The Gardener and the Wild Vines" offers a short playtime of 3-4 hours, but its replayability is enhanced by extra challenges, collectibles, and built-in challenge modes, making it a polished and engaging experience worth revisiting.
- “The Gardener and the Wild Vines is a relatively short game, clocking in at about 3-4 hours, but there are extra challenges and collectibles to add replay value.”
- “It is an overwhelmingly polished, quick, but highly replayable experience with built-in challenge modes and bonus objectives.”
- “The game is relatively short, clocking in at about 3-4 hours, but there are extra challenges and collectibles to add some replay value.”
- “Once you finish the main story, there isn't much incentive to play again, as the experience feels complete.”
- “While the game offers a unique experience, the lack of varied endings or significant choices makes replaying it feel unnecessary.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The character development in the game is praised for its engaging narrative that effectively explores themes of love and friendship, contributing to a compelling story.
- “The game features a compelling story and character development that beautifully explores themes of love and friendship.”
- “The character arcs are well-crafted, making the relationships feel genuine and impactful.”
- “I was deeply invested in the characters' growth throughout the game, which added a rich layer to the overall experience.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Players appreciate the presence of numerous movement techniques and optimizations, suggesting that the game encourages exploration and mastery of its mechanics.
- “There are lots of little movement tech and optimizations to be discovered.”
- “The game offers a plethora of optimization options that enhance gameplay.”
- “I love how the optimization mechanics encourage creativity and skill development.”
- “The game is riddled with performance issues that severely impact gameplay.”
- “Optimization feels like an afterthought, leading to frustrating lag and stuttering.”
- “Despite the potential for depth, the lack of proper optimization makes it hard to enjoy.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its calming quality, which complements the engaging puzzles and story, creating an overall enjoyable experience.
- “Loving the puzzles, story, and calming atmosphere.”