Kodansha Creators’ Lab and Wellness Mechanism’s Children’s Garden is a seriously strange and intriguing puzzle game. The futuristic but clearly early web-inspired design of Children’s Garden really reminds me of games from the late 90s and early 2000s, such as Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere and maybe even DeSPIRIA. Conversely, Children’s Garden feels unlike any other game I’ve ever played. I had the chance to try out a preview build of Children’s Garden during Summer Game Fest 2026, and I’m impressed and engaged in what I’ve experienced so far.
Children’s Garden is a puzzle game at its core, but it’s also a visual and audio spectacle with a narrative that gets the brain churning. The premise revolves around a child from a different universe who pleads to the player to help them on a “Reincarnation Ethics Program.” The player learns that the child is in a state of limbo after dying, unable to pass on to the next life. While in this state, the child has lost all of his memories about his past life, but there’s a way to get them back and learn about the world he’s from in the process.
Children’s Garden is a Futuristic Fever Dream Inspired by Japanese and Internet Cultures
In Children’s Garden, players progress by engaging with a strange device in the center of the player’s vision. The interface itself has designs and functionally reminiscent of old programs from Windows and the web back in the day, but with a metallic and futuristic twist. The child is aware that you’re using the device, but he can’t actually use it well enough like the player can. In fact, the child probably shouldn’t play it himself, as his average lifespan is on the line.
As the player, you navigate the interface to read up on reports from the child’s world, and with the knowledge you gain, you’ll unlock missions where you stack “Gifts” onto each other to meet certain conditions for each timed puzzle. This sounds a little convoluted, but it’s actually really simple once you start playing. In addition, the child will regularly have dialogue with the player about what he’s learning and remembering as you read the reports, so you have some guidance to consider.
The stacking mini-game is based on the Japanese folktale of “Sai no Kawara,” which involves a hell where children who died too young reside. It’s seriously bizarre with visuals that look like they’re from a bad high or a weird dream, but that really only adds to the experience of how outlandish the game can be at times. After all, the premise is about helping a dead child live longer in the afterlife to eventually move on to the next life.
Successfully completing a mission gives you additional lifespan and a short message from Jizō Bosatsu, a revered deity of Japanese Buddhism. I can’t tell what Jizō Bosatsu’s real aim is yet, or if there’s a twist in store, but I can certainly say that the game continues to be bizarre and engaging. At times, you feel like there’s going to be something horrifying around the corner, but it doesn’t happen yet. Those light psychological horror elements and imagery make Children’s Garden feel unsettling at times, without a doubt.
As you read reports, you’ll gain access to more types of Gifts that you can equip and stack to solve more complex puzzles. However, you’ll also need to keep track of the lifespan gauge, since disclosing the redacted portions of text in the reports you read will cost some of that lifespan. It’s all about balancing how much lifespan you lose and gain, and in general, this is aspect of the game does seem easy to manage.
With enough progress, you’ll see the child’s memories play out in animated scenes, and the world-building of Children’s Garden begins to flourish more. In a twisted way, the player’s interest in learning more about the child’s world means putting the child’s afterlife in harm’s way.
An Indie Gem in the Making
I’m enamored with Children’s Garden. The premise of the game is so strange and new, but it’s clear that this game has a vision that will be fulfilled later on, or at least that’s what I think so far. The puzzles can be simplistic, but there’s definitely room for error if you aren’t stacking properly. As you progress further, the harder the puzzles become, but the more rewarding those lore drops and discoveries will be.
The aesthetic of Children’s Garden feels otherworldly but familiar, thanks to the influences that it leans on. The soundtrack isn’t remarkable, but the game makes up for it with stellar sound design and ambience. You’ll notice how good the sound design is from the moment you start the game. The sound and UI design do a great job conveying to the player that they’re interacting with a device that is out of this world.
Children’s Garden is shaping up to be a true indie gem when it launches later this year for PC via Steam, and it’s another example of games that are made possible by the wealth of talent in the Japanese indie scene. If you want to try Children’s Garden for yourself, a demo is available during the June Edition of Steam Next Fest.
Disclaimer: Kodansha Creators’ Lab provided a Steam key of the Children’s Garden demo for coverage.
