Xbox GamePass allows subscribers to access hundreds of PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S games for the equivalent of $10 and $15 per month. Admittedly, some games don’t stick around forever, as Carrion, the “reverse horror game” from Devolver Digital and Phobia Game Studio, leaves the subscription service on July 15.
However, new games are also being added all the time, and the latest one arrived today. The Whimsical Cartoon RPG Garden Story is already available in Xbox GamePass for consoles and PC. The new arrival also supports touch controls and Cloud Gaming so gamers can stream it to their mobile devices.
Originally released for PC and Nintendo Switch in 2021, Garden Story officially launched for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S on July 11. Published by Rose City Games and developed by Picogram, players take on the role of an adventurous young grape named Concord.
As the newly appointed Keeper of the Grove, it’s your duty to protect your island and its inhabitants from the invading Rot. Along the way, Concord will make new friends as she helps change her world for the better.
The developers describe Garden Story as “a satisfying journey of rebuilding and gathering”. Players will travel from town to town, defending teammates, collecting items, and repairing buildings and friendships alike.
Concord’s job is to unite fruit, frogs, and fungi while inspiring them to help fight the Invading Rot. Players will also see how their actions affect the world around them as they restore structures and remove signs of the Rot’s presence.
Garden Story players will also help Concord grow alongside his world, collecting his predecessor’s memories while uncovering the Grove’s secret past.
Garden Story is rated “Very Positive” on Steam, with 95% of players recommending the game. However, the game’s Metacritic scores are decidedly more mixed, with the PC and Nintendo Switch versions scoring 70% and 73%, respectively.