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) | – | 82 | 31 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 95% | 90 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 80 | 15 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 93% | 87 | 25 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 88.6, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 8,611 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) · 69 reviews sampled · 70 total reviews in window · weighted 36.2 up / 2.8 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (53)
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.
- 70
“Overall, Manifold Garden is a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, it has mesmerizing visuals, good puzzles, and a calming atmosphere. But there are a few negatives, like headaches, and music which lulls you to sleep. Priced at $19.99, I would recommend picking it up only if it's interesting to you and on sale.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“From world to world you go deeper and deeper, trembling with fear of a new complex task that seems impassable. Perhaps this is the most important thing you need to know about Manifold Garden, apart from the addictive desire to continue fighting puzzles and a slight dizziness. ”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Manifold Garden is a lovely game, but sometimes the "game" bit gets a little in the way.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“William Chyr’s passion project is among my favorite first-person puzzlers for its ambitious scope, entrancing visuals, and brain-breaking conundrums.”
read full review ↗ - 76
“Part of my love for indies is that the best of them dare to be different and then unapologetically deliver something new that challenges and defies your normal expectations...”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Whether it's the influence of all the shapes and all the colours, or the enjoyable "clack" sound of cubes tapping along staircases, Manifold Garden is totally hypnotic. It's easy to get lost in a flow state while traversing between cubes to switches and other cubes, imbibing in the phenomenal, ever building soundtrack. It has none of the script or context of a title like Portal, but one would easily suspect that that would conflict with the undiluted audio-visual treat that this experience proffers. Manifold Garden builds a compelling, meditative world, and easily stands on its own merit as a highly recommended first person puzzle. It is short but sweet, as they say, and paced excellently. Jumping off into the abyss, and thinking about how to solve the next puzzle will never fail to reward - it makes one feel clever and always fits within the framework of rules which were previously set.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The star of the Manifold Garden show is far and away its presentation, and witnessing it in motion is worth the asking price alone. It's just a shame the puzzles themselves can't quite hit those same levels of spectacularity.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“And it takes an artist's touch to so masterfully combine gameplay, art direction, architecture, logic puzzles, spacial subversion and audio-visual elements into such a coherent package. I've a feeling Chyr's next project might manifest as an art installation rather than a game. If so, I'll be holding my breath for a fall as I step tentatively through the doorway.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Excellent use of the DualSense haptics, improved visuals and 4K resolution @ 60 frames per second mean that the PS5 version of Manifold Garden is the definitive version of a truly excellent game. Transforming the tenets of M.C. Escher’s artwork into a fascinating and enigmatic puzzle game, this title is still one of the best in the genre to release in recent times. If you’ve yet to play it, this is the best way to do so. If you’ve already got it on PS4, you’ll get this upgrade for free and it’s worth another look.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Mesmerising and thrilling, this is a puzzle game for the ages.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“As I stood in the impossible world of the Manifold Garden, I felt tested and worthy. Its puzzles are incredibly satisfying and offer a very clever blend of step-by-step knowledge-building with increasingly challenging solutions. The environments are awe-inspiring in their endless repetition, but repetition isn't a trait reflected in the game's challenges. There is always something new, or a new way to look at something old, as you traverse through the infinite horizon. Manifold Garden is a feast for the eyes and the mind, so long as you can wrap both around what it has to offer.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“I have never encountered a more beautiful, entrancing and sublime gaming experience.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
GameMAG
Nintendo Life
VGChartz
Nindie Spotlight
Cubed3
Push Square
NintendoWorldReport
FingerGuns
Eurogamer
GameSpot
GameGrin…and 41 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Version 1.1.0.17370 Patch NotesAug 31, 2022
- Version 1.1.0.17357 Patch NotesAug 29, 2022
- Version 1.1.0.15769 Patch NotesJul 19, 2021
- Version 1.1.0.15569 Patch NotesMay 10, 2021
- Version 1.1.0.15521 Patch NotesApr 23, 2021
- Version 1.1.0.15463 Patch NotesApr 20, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Version 1.1.0.14963 Patch NotesJan 29, 2021
- Version 1.1.0.14704 Patch NotesNov 11, 2020
- Manifold Garden launches October 20th, 2020Oct 6, 2020
- Development Update Video #11May 3, 2018
- Development Update Video #10Apr 16, 2018
- Development Update Video #9Dec 13, 2017
- Development Update Video #9Dec 13, 2017
- Development Update Video 8Oct 30, 2017
- Development Update Video 8Oct 30, 2017
- Development Update Video #7Jul 3, 2017
- Development Update Video #7Jul 3, 2017
- Development Update VideoMay 22, 2017
- Development Update VideoMay 22, 2017