Cloud Gardens – Review

Our Rating: 7/10

Cloud Gardens can even be seen as a kind of “toy”. Somewhat similar to what we see in Oskar Stålberg’s Townscaper City ​​Builder. By planting the right seeds, you can transform the scenarios that are often “arid” and devoid of life presented to you. Filling them with vegetation, often lush.

Gameplay

It is worth remembering that Noio Games is also responsible for the praised Kingdom and Kingdom: New Lands, among other titles. Cloud Gardens, in turn, is a kind of puzzle. However, a very light puzzle. Not to mention its sandbox mode. This provides the player with all the tools necessary for his garden in the clouds.

The highlight of Cloud Gardens is letting your imagination run wild.  Creating gardens even more full of life, even more beautiful, even more varied. The game is in a fully playable state.

Campaign

Playing the Noio Games title is quite simple. Even the “campaign”, which introduces you to a series of puzzles, is extremely peaceful. You only use the mouse to choose seeds and objects that will help to compose the scenarios.

The mouse is also used to drag and drop various elements proposed (in the “campaign”) for dioramas. This lets you create a set that is capable of covering garbage, old cars, road signs, and many other items.

The “campaign” of Cloud Gardens will count, after the release of version 1.0 of the game, with 06 chapters (Highways, The Junkyard, Rooftops, The Greenhouse, Heavy Industry, and Train Stations). For now, the Heavy Industry and Train Stations chapters are inaccessible.

More vegetation!

The objective during the campaign is to cover as much of the desolate scenarios presented as possible, with vegetation. To this end, we gain several seeds from time to time, which must be positioned in strategic locations.

A meter located in the lower-left corner is providing, little by little, how far you are (or not) from reaching a certain balance between nature and man-made objects. The more vegetation, and the more varied it is, the better for your diorama.

The Good, the Bad, and the Overall Experience

This game mode is the icing on the cake. Here you can unleash your imagination, use the most varied seeds (vines, cacti, different flowers, etc.), and create beautiful compositions. But it is important to emphasize that you can verticalize your “buildings”.

The Cloud Gardens sandbox is truly sensational. It allows the selection of various textures for the base of the diorama, and also has several lighting options. You can also opt for several different elements. You can decorate the stage as you see fit, also using the seeds you like.

It is sensational to observe, for example, how the vegetation expands, as you add elements to your little diorama. As it grows, little by little, sort of trying to cover all the elements created by man.

Conclusion

The limit is in your imagination. You can play without haste. Enjoy the game calmly, without pressure, without needing to stick to statistics and/or scores. Cloud Gardens is a calm, beautiful indie game with a relaxing soundtrack.

If you like this style of play, and enjoy playing something that can give rise to scenarios worthy of beautiful wallpapers, then this game is a must-buy for you. It is also worth remembering that Noio Games still intends to implement several improvements in the game. Get this game here.