Garden Trills

A common complaint I've heard from some old-school gamers is that games have become "too complicated." I only partially agree with that sentiment, personally – especially now that relaxing, easygoing games like Garden Trills exist. Explicitly designed to help you unwind after a long day, this is one of those rare adventure games where the only thing that matters is just to have fun.

Like Tiny Glade, Garden Trills uses its charming art style and adorable characters to introduce players to its adorable world of adventure. Unlike Tiny Glade, though, there's a genuine sense of adventure and discovery in this game, as you guide Tomi through some gorgeous floating gardens.

Up and Away

Exploration is the name of the game in Garden Trills. As Tomi, a diminutive sparrow, every level in Garden Trills feels massive and full of wonders – mostly because they are. Your task will be to grow crops and keep gardens well-tended, all while fulfilling requests from other garden denizens.

Levels are never too complex. They're mostly there to immerse you into the game's world, not to pose a challenge. I felt a genuine rush of nostalgia the first time I played Garden Trills. In many ways, it reminded me of classics like Spyro the Dragon with its open-ended approach to progression and unmatched sense of adventuring.

The fact that Tomi can just glide through the levels adds another layer of enjoyment, as you can easily traverse each level and just soak in the scenery.

Stylish Sparrow

Tomi is one of the most charming protagonists I've seen in a game in a long time. I know she's not much for words, but she remains as adorable as the rest of the world surrounding her. Completing quests and fulfilling requests will also help her get even more adorable, as you can unlock new clothing options and hats for the tiny sparrow.

Customization plays an integral role in Garden Trills. Not only can you customize the way Tomi looks – every place in the floating gardens is an outlet for your creative desires. From choosing the type of veggies you want to plant, to coming up with intricate floral patterns, the choice is yours to make the floating gardens as cute as possible. Or, you know, as close to "cute" as possible, as I did. I'm terrible at plot management.

A World of Color

The visuals in this game are simply stunning. It's not like the game is powered by some super powerful graphics engine or that it features advanced ray tracing or something – it's the artistic intention that counts in the colorful world of Garden Trills. Deceptively simple yet unmistakably beautiful, this is the sort of game that anyone with a mid-range PC should try, especially if you want to flex that new OLED monitor you just got.

Every aspect of Garden Trills has been meticulously designed to be as visually appealing as possible. From the colorful landscapes to the quirky character designs, this is the kind of game world where you'd just love to live. If you're a magical sparrow, that is.

Pros

• Beautiful, bright-colored worlds to explore
• Charming characters worth talking to
• Lots of customization options for your little sparrow

Cons

• A bit of tricky platforming in some areas