i'm very conflicted on how to rate this game. it's by no means bad, and i'm inclined to say i enjoyed a lot of it, but it has so many obtrusive quirks that prevented me from REALLY loving it. everything being tied to a stamina bar makes gameplay really sluggish, and the combat and progression are fairly repetitive... there's just a lot of little things that add up and make an otherwise cute-looking game really clunky.

A painful slog with poor design and in-game instruction. The tasks are overly simple and repetitive with a lot of trekking and very little exploration or discovery to hold your interest. The story progresses with unskippable boss fights rather than cozy quests. It's the worst of both genres.

**Garden Story** is an adorable adventure where you explore four charming towns inspired by the seasons. As a sentient grape, your mission is to uncover the source of the troubling occurrences plaguing the land.

The combat begins slowly, almost too slowly. Surprisingly, the most hazardous foes in the game are the tiny droplets generated by the second level of slimes. As you gather various items, mainly farm tools, you unlock different tactics to face enemies. However, I found the combat somewhat disappointing; the pickaxe and hammer lose their appeal once you acquire the umbrella. Strangely, the Scythe starts off weaker than the umbrella. Yet, by choosing the Scythe's memories, it can become the most powerful weapon in the game, which is unfortunate since the final weapon feels weaker in comparison. By the time of the last battle, you find yourself relying more on the dowsing rod.

The dungeons are straightforward and reminiscent of classic Zelda dungeons—progressing from one room to the next, sometimes defeating all enemies before moving on. Each town's dungeon features its own twist: Spring Town has a light-based gimmick, Summer Town revolves around fishing, and then there's the frustrating Fall Town dungeon. This one takes the longest to complete due to push puzzles that you must solve every time you enter. This is especially annoying since one of the town quests involves collecting screws from that dungeon. Once you reach Winter Town, the dungeon begins emptily, requiring you to find little gyphs that provide directions only after exiting and re-entering. After obtaining the final weapon, you revisit the other three dungeons, return to the Winter dungeon, and face the final boss. This whole sequence felt more frustrating than enjoyable, primarily due to the collection aspect.

Each area is filled with resources and introduces new collecting mechanics. This is generally fine until the fishing rod disrupts the pacing. The Scythe is essential for cutting haystacks (which yield no rewards) and to collect stone. The ice skates are quickly acquired, yet they feel like a forced addition for the final area.

Overall, **Garden Story** is undeniably cute, and I genuinely hope the creators reflect on their work and carry forward the positives into their future projects. While it’s a charming little adventure, some pacing issues impacted my enjoyment. Nevertheless, I wouldn't completely dismiss it. If you’re looking for a light-hearted Zelda-like experience, this game is for you. If you prefer a relaxing game, you’ll likely enjoy it as well. However, if you're after a challenging experience akin to Dark Souls, this isn’t the game for you. It's a delightful world to dive into for some fun.