Garden Life
stillalive studios
Developer
Nacon
Publisher
Genre
simulation
Platform
PC, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Nintento Switch
Status
live
Role
Lead Designer
Garden Life is a cozy, sandbox-style gardening simulation focused on free-form spatial design and real-time, procedural plant growth. Players restore a neglected garden by planting, watering, pruning, fertilizing, weeding, and arranging with no grid constraints or fail states. The absence of strict systems encourages creative composition and visual experimentation.
The game features two modes: a task-based story mode with light narrative structure and unlockable content, where the player expands their garden and sells flowers and bouquets at the village market to fund further growth, and a creative mode that provides unrestricted access to tools and assets. Plant growth is procedurally simulated, giving each flower or shrub a unique appearance and development cycle.
Designed with a minimalist UI and slow-paced interactions, Garden Life prioritizes immersion through realistic plant care and environmental feedback. It offers a relaxed gameplay experience that blends subtle simulation mechanics with aesthetic customization in a painterly, cozy environment designed to be both relaxing and satisfying.
Garden Life began as a personal passion project. When the opportunity arose to pitch new game concepts, I championed this idea, successfully standing out among more conventional simulation pitches focused on jobs and vehicles.
I wrote the initial design document, created the pitch presentation, and oversaw development of the first playable prototype, laying the foundation for the game's vision and direction.
Although I left the company before the project was completed, I was thrilled to see Garden Life released and performing well. I'm especially proud that so much of the original concept remained intact in the final version.
