It seems fitting that I’m typing this entry on a hot summer night, with a chorus of cicadas buzzing away outside my window and a bright, peachy moon rising in the sky. Nights like these give me a certain feeling that is hard to describe. It’s a type of tranquil magic that I sometimes find in the games that I play. Most recently, I have found this magic in a quiet yet moody life and gardening sim called The Garden Path.
If you’re familiar with the types of games I’m drawn to, you know that I love an artistically rendered game. If you’re new here, I’m a sucker for some pretty art, and carrotcake — aka UK-based illustrator and solo developer Louis Durrant — delivers just that. The garden is lovingly painted in warm yet soft tones, which add to the game’s comforting atmosphere. Although, players with visual impairments like color blindness may find the visual style to be a bit muddy.
The Garden Path does not hold your hand, though it does embrace you tenderly. It provides a space for you to explore and grow at your own pace, especially if you’re trying to be on that slow-living vibe. The soft visuals and whimsical soundscape immerse players in a cozy metaphorical blanket, if they’re not wrapped in a physical one already. Playing on the Steam Deck makes the experience all the more intimate. Add some mood lighting, a little snack, and maybe the pitter-patter of rain outside and you’ll reach peak cozy vibes.
Intentionally, the game is light on tutorial or instruction, though it is not without structure or goals to work towards. Visitors to your garden may have requests, though you are not required to fulfill them. There are mysteries in the garden to discover, though ultimately it is a spacious sandbox for exploring, foraging, and well… gardening.
Time passes in a combination of real and game time. The hours of the day are synced with your own, while the game “year” is condensed into 28 real world days. A pace that falls in between the one-to-one passage of time in Animal Crossing (if you don’t time skip) and the fast-paced grind of getting through multiple seasons of Stardew Valley in one marathon session. You do have the option to shift the hours of your game world to suit your preference, so you can see the daytime world if you’re only able to settle in and game in the evenings. Personally, I find the reflection of your own time to be quite grounding, especially as a primarily nighttime gamer with a day job. The dustflies and glow worms are out in the evening hours, and the soft chirping of insects in the night air feels like home.
There is thoughtful consideration for each of the flora and fauna you will encounter in your garden. They have preferences and temperaments of their own, though you are not really penalized if you do not recognize or appease them. Documenting the foliage in the garden helps to understand the world around you, and the action comes with a satisfying audio cue.
The Garden Path is designed with short play sessions in mind. Stop by any time to wander your garden whenever the mood takes you and find new travelers, events, activities, and distractions waiting for you each day. You can even enjoy the garden with another player in local co-op mode. However and whenever you want to play, the garden will be there to welcome you with bird song and warm tea.
The Garden Path is currently available on Steam, itch.io, and Nintendo Switch.
Skittzi is a variety streamer, cosplayer, and video game enthusiast. She loves indie games, RPGs, and many things in between. You can catch her live streaming more games like The Garden Path on Twitch at twitch.tv/skittzipoo.
For updates on indie games like this and more, subscribe to my newsletter.
Special thanks to PlayerTwo PR for providing a review code.
