Gardens Inc. 4: Blooming Stars is the fourth installment of a casual time management game series released on PC. The game is the result of cooperation between the creators of the series, Nitreal Games, and The House of Fables team, known from the HOPA title Eventide: Slavic Fable, set in Slavic climates.
Story
In Gardens Inc. 4 we follow the fate of Jill and Mike, characters known from the previous parts of the series, who are specialists in garden design. After a wonderful wedding, the couple are expecting a child, which, as we know, involves some big changes in their lives, as well as the need to incur considerable financial costs. Just in time, however, a lucrative proposal made by a TV station appears, planning a gardening reality show with our protagonists in the lead roles. However, it soon turns out that the career of a TV star is not as pleasant as it might seem and is connected with tedious work, frequent travels and even dangers.
Mechanics
In of mechanics, the fourth installment of the Gardens Inc. series basically does not differ from the solutions known from the previous parts of the cycle. We are dealing with a typical time management game, in which at each stage of the game we have to carry out a number of strictly defined tasks, and to do so in the shortest possible time. When visiting other gardens, our first task is usually to clean them from piles of wood and stones lying in various places. In this way, we acquire the first raw materials necessary for further tasks, such as planting flowers or renovating garden buildings, which provide access to other elements, such as tools or fertilizer. The key to success in the game is, traditionally, the ability to plan individual activities in such a way that they are carried out as quickly and efficiently as possible. Our efforts are rewarded with medals and nothing stands in the way of repeating selected stages in order to improve the result. It is worth doing this, because the bonuses obtained in this way enable us to furnish and decorate the room for the expected child in a special mini-game.
Technical aspects
Gardens Inc. 4: Blooming Stars features a colourful and eye-catching cartoonish visuals that do not differ significantly from the standards of the series and the entire genre.
