A Hero and a Garden

Although very rudimentary in its gameplay, as well as too simplistic in its aesthetics, even from the point of view of its simple proposal, A Hero and a Garden is consistent in its main design choices and, above all, has premises well thought out and executed in an elegant, sensitive and delicate way. It's just a shame that even in the narrative, where it's a strong point, it also lacks a greater elaboration of the dialogues, the development of the characters and its world.

When we were young, we were told in many fairy tales that the hero saves the day from evil. Fighting monsters and saving the captured princess in a tower has been ingrained in our heads from day one. What if I told you that those stories got it wrong and that the hero was actually the monster? That’s what A Hero and a Garden seeks to show us.

The curious experiment of A HERO AND A GARDEN unfortunately fails and is boring. A part of me wishes it had become a visual novel with different dialogue options instead of just sitting on a screen for minutes picking fruit. Aesthetically it's very nice, though.

Hero and a Garden is a short and simple game that combines visual novel with clicker elements. The world is captivating and with few characters, offering a surprisingly engaging and quickly developed narrative. If on the one hand the gameplay is tedious, on the other hand it is a work that I was very happy to have the opportunity to check out and that I think is worth playing for those looking for just a small casual narrative experience.

Overall, A Hero and a Garden is simple, sweet, and a great pick-me-up on a melancholy day. The use of dialogue and other story elements makes for a very effective character-based story with rhythmic controls, a charming cast of characters, and a satisfying ending.

A Hero and a Garden is a simple visual novel with minimal gameplay and a deep story. It's a short, fun game, and it's worth anyone's time.

OK, so these days not all games are meant to be action-filled and there are even subgenres like visual novels where "play" is replaced by sometimes limited interaction to drive the story...