The Gardens Between

A matter of time. $19.99 | PC, MAC, PS4 WWW.THEVOXELAGENTS.COM

A beautiful but all-toobrief brain-teaser from an Australian studio, The Gardens Between features vivid visuals and a delicious ambient soundtrack, but it’s easily finished inside three hours. Playing The Gardens Between requires just three controls – a pleasantly low barrier for entry. You move time forwards and backwards within each meticulously detailed stage with the left stick, while the Switch’s A button sees either of the game’s protagonists, neighbouring kids Frendt and Arina, interact with a small array of in-game elements in front of them.

These vary wildly, despite being in limited supply per level. Whatever the dreamlike stage, Arina must deliver an illuminated lantern to an exit point to complete it. It’s never already shining, so a light source must be found somewhere between A and B. Excellent for its duration, The Gardens Between isn’t one to rush back to once completed, revealing its entire hand at the first time of asking. But while it undoubtedly ends too quickly, as a calling card of terrific imagination, this game is quite the statement of intent from its makers.