Gardenscapes: New Acres

Game overview

Gardenscapes isn't your average puzzle game. Unlike most matching games where the puzzles are the main attraction, Gardenscapes gives its puzzles a further purpose. The game begins with the player inheriting a huge mansion, which includes massive gardens that have been neglected. The butler and your host, Austin, takes you through the mechanics of the game, ever cheery and smiling.

The game is divided into days, with one garden being finished in each "day". Each garden has a series of mini-tasks that need to be completed in order for the garden to be fixed. Let's say before we can plant new shrubs, we need to sweep. This is a task that takes one star to complete. So you play one puzzle/match game, earn the star, and use it to complete the task. Then the next task of getting the furniture takes a star. You play a puzzle game, get the star, and use it to pick the furniture. Then it's wash, rinse, and repeat. Within the first few tasks you'll be cleaning out a garden space, planting new greenery, and picking a fountain, all while switching between the matching game and the landscaping tasks. And it doesn't stop there. With a huge mansion and even larger, sprawling grounds, the garden possibilities are practically endless.

➔ Main points:

• Puzzle game with engaging storyline
• Varied gameplay makes it like two games in one
• Lots of different characters and in-depth storytelling
• Solid graphics with both 2D and 3D animation

Full review

Almost Two Games in One

The good news is that this game is quick and easy to master. It works on the same touch and swipe simplicity that makes others like it fast to enjoy. Outside of the puzzles, the game is fairly point and shoot, clicking from one button to the next to complete tasks. While this makes it easy to run, some players may feel cheated at the limited amount of open gameplay, since the game is doing the driving rather than the player.

This is the basic essence of the game in a nutshell

The game is anchored by the story and the growing of the gardens, while the puzzle part is secondary. Players who want just a puzzle game may find the back and forth switching very jarring and almost annoying. On the other hand, those who want something more than just a mix and match puzzle game will find this worthwhile. It's part "Sim City" and part matching game, and it all depends on what the player is looking for in this style of game that will determine its success. The cash shop also has very little impact, and is really only for those who want to buy more lives to get through the game faster.

While this makes it easy to run, some players may feel cheated at the limited amount of open gameplay, since the game is doing the driving rather than the player.

Something Worth Looking At

The graphics are more than decent, and definitely hold up to the high visual standard that players have come to expect from Playrix Games (Township, Fishdom, Atlantis Quest). While the animated 3D graphics can be hard to appreciate on a smaller mobile device screen. the 2D graphics more than make up for it. The depth of colour in not only the matching games but in the characters is absolutely excellent. In some ways, the 2D visuals are so good that it almost makes the 3D animation look bad. Still, the animation is seamless and very impressive for a mobile game.

Good for Most, Not for All

The big difference between this matching game and others is the varied gameplay between the garden-building and the puzzle-matching. Some may enjoy the back and forth switching, while others may find it annoying. Maybe having the option of playing a group of puzzles to get a few stars, and then using them to complete a series of tasks , would stop that constant switching. Outside of that, if you're looking for something outside of just a puzzle game with a solid story and good graphics, this would be a worthwhile one to try.