Publisher: Atari
Developer: Vitamin G Studios
System requirements: Windows XP SP2/Vista/Win 7, Intel Core2Duo E4300 or AMD Athlon X2 3800+ or faster CPU, 1 GB RAM, ATI Radeon X1650/NVIDIA GeForce 7600 or better graphics card, DirectX 9.0c, 1 GB hard-drive space, DirectX 9.0c-compatible sound card
Genre: Casual
ESRB rating: Everyone
Release date: Available now

My life is dominated by stressors. My line of work is stressful. Money problems are stressful. However, developer Vitamin G Studios’ The Undergarden is not stressful. In fact, it has the exact opposite affect on my chi. At first, when I heard about the “casual Zen” genre, I had mental images of bamboo stalks waving in gentle breezes while cherub-esque figures giggled and played games of chase. Then, before playing The Undergarden, I watched a few videos of the gameplay and realized that Vitamin G might be onto something unique and refreshing.

The Undergarden’s foundation is equal parts exploration, puzzle-solving and experimentation. The first animation features a blue, androgynous underground creature, floating downward. There is no backstory, no instructions, just the natural gamer instinct to click the mouse buttons, experiment with the WASD keys and press the spacebar or enter key. This experience sets the pace and expectations for the levels and gameplay that follow. Your character’s main goal is to pounce on pollen pods, collect pollen, pollinate dormant flora and fauna, and collect other objects that interest completionist gamers. As you float around the cavernous landscapes, you encounter large rock formations and obstacles that require manipulation in order to progress. None of this sounds relaxing until you experience the game. The ambient lighting, soundtrack and sound effects, and lack of any compulsion to progress, all blend together perfectly to create an atmosphere of relaxation and enjoyment. The game has definite goals, but the developers want you to take your time and have the freedom to complete as few or as many of them as you want.

Vitamin G has described the creation process as “organic,” which can be a way of excusing a lack of cohesion in gameplay elements, but The Undergarden has cohesion and an organic, natural feel to the environments, sound and movement mechanics. Another core design element is accessibility. The game is basic enough to keep casual gamers interested, but has enough optional challenges to keep hardcore players engaged. In keeping with these core gameplay and game mechanic elements, the primary method of movement is point-and-click (you can use WASD, but I prefer the mouse). The levels are linear, but as you float around (causing flowers and plants to sprout out of outcroppings and crevices), there is a freedom of movement regarding where you go, how fast, and whether or not you choose to backtrack to find special items and obstructed pathways. There is an option to perform boost movements, but by default your speed is relatively slow, and as your character flies through the air, your pace, movement and trajectory quickly decay. Again, this all plays into the Zen theme of the game. You are in no hurry, nothing is going to attack you, and there are no time limits.

The Undergarden caught me off guard. It looks childish, overly simple and, quite frankly, boring. Graphically, it’s well done and reminds me of games such as Trine. But after playing through a few levels, I realized that the simplicity is actually extremely refreshing and relaxing. I’m not one of those gamers who feel the need to find every hidden item and collect every achievement, but The Undergarden’s optional puzzles and tasks are designed in a way that makes pursuing them enjoyable and challenging while not detracting from the overall chilled-out ambiance. It seems difficult to find games that appeal to a variety of gamer types and ages. I specifically remember a time when I bought every Ratchet and Clank game because I was simply tired of “mature” titles that involved explosions, gunfights, quick reactions and beating a clock. The Undergarden reminds me of the fascination I experienced when I realized gameplay is not intrinsically linked to shock value (i.e. FPS games). I found myself content to just click around the screen, floating hither and yon, experimenting with picking up weirdly shaped objects and dropping them, just to see what would happen. I enjoyed the absence of endless pending quest reminders and all the other typical stimuli that games employ to keep you on the move.

Oddly enough, the game’s strengths are also its greatest weaknesses. The gameplay and graphics aren’t for everyone. If you’re the type of gamer who becomes easily bored in the absence of impending doom, death and destruction, The Undergarden is not for you. If you only seek out challenging games and derive satisfaction from spending hours solving riddles and puzzles, this game is not for you. However, even if you like the types of games I just mentioned, but still own titles that you enjoy based on their simplicity and relaxing gameplay, The Undergarden is definitely for you. I would recommend watching some online gameplay videos before you buy, but it’s definitely worth the asking price.

The Undergarden reminds me of games I used to enjoy, such as Pikmin, World of Goo and Lemmings. Games that recognize that superior gameplay isn’t directly linked to shocking or scaring players, or pushing them to the edge of problem-solving and hand-eye coordination. Games like that do have their place, and I enjoy them, but The Undergarden reminds me that AAA titles don’t have the edge on engaging gaming. I hope it gets some of the recognition that I think it deserves.

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