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Games

'The Gardens Between' Is a Deeply Chill Puzzler That Won't Break Your Brain

Yes, sure, it involves time travel, but it's simpler than you think.
​Image courtesy of The Voxel Agents
Image courtesy of The Voxel Agents

Over the past week, in-between Sunday football games and my daughter watching cartoons, I’ve picked away at The Gardens Between, a delightful puzzler where time moves forward when you walk forward, and backwards when you—well, you get the idea. It’s a simple concept executed well, with solutions to everything staring you (maddeningly!) right in the face.

The Gardens Between is not The Greatest Puzzle Game I’ve Ever Played, and I don’t have a particularly hot take. It’s charming, engaging, and the right kind of hard. I never felt the desire to look up a solution, but felt rewarded for my time and attention. It’s also, like so many games now, a perfect Switch game. (It’s also on PC, Mac, and PS4.) It’s good, I liked it, and I’m only here to put this game on your radar, as you prepare to sit on the couch after eating too much Thanksgiving leftovers.

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