The Lost Gardens

About

The Lost Gardens is a single player platformer game. It was developed by Rabbit Hole Studios and was released on October 31, 2017. It received very positive reviews from players.

Forgotten and lost to time, a mysterious entity known as The One has awoken you; an ancient robot known as The Caretaker. You are tasked with reclaiming the world from a being known only as Fear before he finishes draining the world of life.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 34 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

monetization2 negative mentions

The game features a visually appealing art style that combines 2D and 3D elements, enhancing the overall aesthetic experience.
Gameplay is intuitive and fun, with simple controls that make it easy to pick up and play, providing a satisfying experience for both casual and dedicated players.
The developers are actively engaged with the community, taking feedback and implementing improvements, which gives players confidence in the game's ongoing development.

The game feels too short and unfinished, with some players expressing a desire for more content and updates.
There are issues with the frame rate and lack of native controller support, making gameplay less smooth and more challenging than it should be.
Several bugs and glitches have been reported, which can detract from the overall experience, especially in an early access title.

gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
The gameplay is characterized by its easy-to-learn controls and intuitive mechanics, making it accessible for new players. While the initial difficulty presents a challenge, particularly with jumping and enemy encounters, players find that the game becomes significantly easier as they progress and unlock new abilities. Overall, the combination of responsive movement, engaging puzzles, and interesting enemy designs contributes to a fun and exploratory experience.
- “Easy to pick up and play immediately because simple controls make for a quick sense of comfort with gameplay.”
- “This game is still in early access at the time I am writing this review, overall I enjoyed the first chapter of the game, the mechanics are fun and simple and the enemies/bosses as well as the environments have interesting designs.”
- “First of all, we have the gameplay, for this I'm including all of the movement/platforming as well as combat, both of these took some getting used to but are actually very responsive and fun once you get the hang of it.”
- “Next up is difficulty, this game started pretty difficult with jumping being a challenge and enemies constantly whittling down your health bar, but then you get used to the jumping and you unlock a gun, and the game became ridiculously easy. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is something to point out. When I started the game, the mechanics gave the impression that this game would be fairly difficult, but that illusion faded as you are showered with long-range abilities and a bigger health bar.”
- “First of all, we have the gameplay. I'm including all of the movement/platforming as well as combat. Both of these took some getting used to but are actually very responsive and fun once you get the hang of it.”
- “- gameplay (movement and combat)”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The story is engaging and unfolds nicely, keeping players entertained despite some confusion in level design. The expansive world encourages exploration, with collectables enhancing the experience, although some areas may feel empty. Overall, the narrative successfully captivates players, making it a highlight of the game.
- “The story is compelling enough to keep you in explore-mode while just getting your bearings.”
- “Story unfolds nicely.”
- “Finally, I just have to say the world is a lot bigger than I expected it to be for how linear the story in this region was, which I love. I enjoy making it so there is no place left covered by fog on my minimap, and having collectibles/consumables to go and find, such as the memory logs and health and energy canisters, makes exploration fun. I would like to point out that there are a lot of areas behind cave entrances that have nothing and make the world feel a little empty, but from a lore perspective, it makes sense that the world is a little bare, so I don't really mind it.”
- “Finally, I just have to say the world is a lot bigger than I expected it to be for how linear the story in this region was. I enjoy making it so there is no place left covered by fog on my minimap, and having collectibles/consumables to find, such as the memory logs and health and energy canisters, makes exploration fun. However, I would like to point out that there are a lot of areas behind cave entrances that have nothing, which makes the world feel a little empty. From a lore perspective, it makes sense that the world is a little bare, so I don't really mind it.”
- “If you are looking to play this game and don't want any spoilers on the story or anything of the sort, stop here and go play the game.”
- “I finished the storyline, although the level design was a little confusing. Overall, the graphics and story kept me entertained.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is consistently praised as phenomenal and fitting, enhancing the overall atmosphere and complementing the game's visuals and puzzles. Reviewers highlight the strong alignment between the soundtrack and the game's aesthetic, contributing to a responsive and immersive experience.
- “The music is a good fit and complements the look and feel of the game itself.”
- “The controls are responsive, the atmosphere is really nice, and the soundtrack is very fitting.”
- “Looks great, with phenomenal music and great puzzles.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The graphics of the game are praised for their exceptional quality and appealing art style, which effectively combines 2D and 3D elements. However, some players noted that the frame rate could be improved for a smoother experience, as it currently detracts slightly from the overall visual enjoyment. Despite minor issues with level design, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's entertainment value.
- “The game's visuals look exceptionally nice; however, if the frame rate was increased by 5 or 10 fps, this game would probably run exceedingly smoothly.”
- “The art style is very appealing with the combination of 2D and 3D.”
- “Nice artwork!”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization approach of this game is positively received, as it involves live streams of the development process where player feedback is actively considered and integrated, distinguishing it from typical cash-grab early access models.
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers consistently praise the atmosphere of the game, highlighting its appealing ambiance and fitting soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
- “The controls are responsive, the atmosphere is really nice, and the soundtrack is very fitting.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with users reporting several minor bugs and glitches that do not significantly impact gameplay. One common issue involves character animations, such as the player character unintentionally walking away during key actions, suggesting a need for improved animation synchronization.
- “There were quite a few bugs and glitches (not game breaking at all), just things like when I was restoring color to the world, my player character was in a walking animation, so he kept walking away while the color was being restored. The easy way to fix this would be to create an animation when the character arrives at the sanctuary so that it looks like he's actually doing something to restore the color to the world and that it isn't just happening because he walked by.”