Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 75 | 16 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 95% | 89 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 90% | 84 | 2 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 88.3, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 2,313 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 4 reviews sampled · 6 total reviews in window · weighted 2.2 up / 0.3 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (21)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 85
“Cloud Garden is a peaceful puzzle game with plenty of levels on offer and a sandbox mode also in tow. It’s a simple and joyous experience for everyone.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Cloud Gardens is an experimental game, so it's clear that not everyone will enjoy the title; a certain amount of friendliness will be required from the player. If you take this into account, you're in for a relaxing and soothing affair, from which you can take away an unusual experience and maybe even some nice screenshots. What's all the more disappointing, however, is the underdeveloped item and camera controls, which make gameplay unnecessarily difficult in places. The game is still in Early Access for now, though, so one can hope for future improvements.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Cloud Gardens is a gentle-looking, gentle-sounding toy in the “chill” genre. It has a pretty good game hung on top, participation in which is largely optional. Noio’s stated aim “to fill you with satisfaction without the frustration” is a motto that’s been observed. Your mileage will vary based on what you find satisfying and what you find frustrating, but the gameplay, the themes, the music, the sound, and the graphics are all of a piece, admirably on-message, and contribute to a unique, bittersweet atmosphere.”
read full review ↗ - 61
“This is one of those titles where its a bit of a struggle to know how to feel about it...”
read full review ↗ - 75
“All in all, Cloud Gardens is definitely a title that leans more towards experience than game, but its classification matters much less than how it feels to play around with its tools or the positive message it espouses. By focusing on creating and elevating green spaces, we can return our world to one where nature is in harmony and a balance is struck between humanity’s footprint and mother nature’s embrace. Spending a few minutes or even a few hours experimenting with Cloud Gardens feels like a worthwhile endeavor.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Cloud Gardens is the perfect break you need if what you're looking for is an escape from the frenetic paced games or stressful environment of your everyday life. Without any story, enter this relaxing sandbox adventure and challenge yourself to create beautiful gardens in post-apocalyptic settings. In short, this is what the game is all about and it is an absolutely therapeutic journey.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“With a fresh take on the puzzle genre and gorgeous aesthetics, bringing a barren world back to life with plants is more fun than it has any right to be. We hope for a couple of small updates down the road, but there is already more than enough great content here for any player to enjoy for days.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Cloud Gardens is a chill, charming experience to play. The music adds to the relaxing gameplay. Finishing each diorama and moving on to the next brings such a sense of satisfaction. Cloud Gardens isn’t just a game it also encourages its players to be mindful of what is around them. To de-stress, chill out while also being creative and having fun!”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Cloud Gardens is a dystopian sandbox puzzle-slash-sim from Noio where you make the most of the apocalypse by making plants grow. It's an ultra-Zen title that forces you to slow down, think about life, and do a little gardening - which is a totally welcome experience for when you need a breath of fresh air in today's suffocating world.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Cloud Gardens is a very relaxing but low-content product that is recommended for everyone if it is available at a much lower price.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Cloud Gardens walks a tenuous line between being a proper puzzle game and a challenge-less toy box. The result is an almost mindless yet relaxing experience that unfortunately overstays its welcome.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Cloud Gardens is a casual, laid-back, puzzle-solving experience. That being said, it’s not the type of game that you will want to play for hours on end, but it’s entertaining in short spurts. It offers over one hundred levels, which sounds impressive, but bear in mind that many of the assets are constantly reused, making levels feel tedious after a while. This makes it ideal for a system like the Switch, where you can pick it up and play here and there on-the-go.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
Gaming Professors
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
NintendoWorldReport
Squared Potato
Pocket Tactics
LadiesGamers.com
TechRaptor
Pixel Arts
Switch Player
WayTooManyGames…and 9 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Patch 1.2.6Oct 7, 2025
- Post-Competition Update (1.2.0)Jun 7, 2023
- Patch 1.1.1Feb 20, 2023
- Patch 1.1.0: Sandbox Camera ImprovementsFeb 11, 2022
- Patch 1.0.10Jan 18, 2022
- Patch 1.0.9Nov 3, 2021
- Patch 1.0.8Oct 11, 2021
- Hotfix Patch 1.0.6Sep 5, 2021
- Hotfix Patch 1.0.5Sep 3, 2021
- Hotfix Patch 1.0.4Sep 2, 2021
- Cloud Gardens 1.0 is OUT NOW!Sep 1, 2021
- Patch 0.13.8Apr 8, 2021
- Patch 0.13.7Apr 6, 2021
- Patch 0.13.6Apr 2, 2021
- Patch 0.13.5Mar 29, 2021
- Patch 0.13.4Mar 29, 2021
- Hotfix Patch 0.13.3Mar 28, 2021
- Update #4: Industrial Levels & Controller SupportMar 26, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 0.12.5Jan 5, 2021
- Patch 0.12.4Dec 29, 2020
- Patch 0.12.3Dec 28, 2020
- Update #3: Railroads Chapter, Sandbox Tools, and More!Dec 22, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- Update #3: Coming SoonNov 24, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 0.11.7Nov 6, 2020
- Patch 0.11.5Nov 1, 2020
- Patch 0.11.4Oct 30, 2020
- Patch 0.11.3Oct 29, 2020
- The Pumpkin Patch: Halloween ChapterOct 29, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- Greenhouse Update: Coming October 29thOct 21, 2020
- Patch 0.10.1Oct 14, 2020
- The Comfort UpdateOct 12, 2020
- Patch 0.9.7Sep 24, 2020
- Patch 0.9.6Sep 23, 2020
- Patch 0.9.5Sep 14, 2020
- Hotfix PatchSep 10, 2020