Cloud Garden is a diorama-crafting game that emphasizes the artistic elements of gardening. You construct miniature urban wasteland dioramas from repurposed objects that you can plant seeds on.

These objects come in all sizes and shapes, from tiny beer-bottles to road signs to entire cars or rooms. The idea is to grow plants that thrive on these discarded bits of waste.

Aesthetics

Cloud Gardens is an arty game where players are presented with dioramas of post-apocalyptic landscapes. Their mission: to reclaim the world by placing various plants and objects to encourage vibrant growth.

The environment of the game is depicted with low-poly models and charming pixel art in vibrant colours with atmospheric lighting. Its pixelated visual style is further enhanced by delicate chimes and other soothing sound effects to create a peaceful atmosphere.

When we ask what motivated them to create a game about plants reclaiming an urban wasteland, the answer is surprising: ‘the aesthetics of abandoned spaces.’

To this end, the game takes place in a post-apocalyptic landscape filled with debris and remnants of human life. You begin each level by creating an empty cube of space before placing seeds that will grow into their surrounding landscape as they are stimulated by objects you place.

The result is an exquisite combination of plant life and debris. It provides a stunning scene, offering a welcome break from the usual feel-good, meditative experiences which may become somewhat mundane.

Gameplay

Cloud Gardens puts you in the role of a gardener, tasked with cultivating plants amidst scenes of urban decay in miniature dioramas. These are remnants of a post-apocalyptic world.

From a selection of seeds, you can pick which plants you would like to grow. Plant options range from ferns and blossoms, creeping ivy and trees that reach far into the distance.

As your plants begin to flourish, they will produce flowers or fruits which you can collect for further propagation. Alternatively, place objects – usually rubbish and junk – around the seeds to influence them in various ways.

The post-apocalyptic wasteland is beautifully rendered with atmospheric lighting and shifting colour tones. The soundtrack also maintains a chill atmosphere throughout, featuring delicate chimes and other soothing sound effects.

Replayability

Replayability is a design element that makes a game appealing to replay multiple times. Replayability refers to factors like story-based mechanics or variable player powers that encourage players to come back and replay an already played game.

Replayable games allow gamers to revisit the same content repeatedly without getting bored or feeling like they’ve wasted their time. For instance, an RPG with a party-based system may offer different experiences each time it is played.

Cloud Gardens is a diorama game where you plant seeds and place objects to grow plants in post-apocalyptic settings. As you pile rubbish around the seeds they begin to sprout, producing flowers/fruits which can then be harvested for further plant development.

Discover over one hundred levels and countless seeds, each with its own special properties. Some grow faster than others, some can spread across surfaces or walls, and others will climb towards the sky.

Sustainability

Sustainability is the process of preserving natural resources and ecosystem services for future generations, while also striking a balance between economic, environmental, and social concerns.

Businesses often employ sustainability strategies to lessen their negative effect on the environment and promote a more responsible way of conducting business. Not only does this save them money in the long run, but it also enhances their public image and reputation.

However, many critics contend that sustainable practices are often employed to deceive the public. Therefore, it’s essential to understand what sustainability truly entails.

Sustainability is typically understood to mean the ability for a process or system to persist over time. This can be accomplished by reducing waste, using recycled materials, reusing paper and avoiding pollution.