The basic gameplay in The Undergarden is rather simple actually. You control an odd creature that seems to narrowly balance along the line between adorable and ugly in way that is both compelling and makes me thankful that the game's camera is zoomed quite far out most of the time. In any case, this creature lives in an underwater garden labyrinth, and it's your job to navigate through safely. Since the game is underwater, you can move the creature in any direction with controls that feel floaty but still manage to be quite precise. By bumping into pollen sacs spread throughout the levels, the creature can collect the pollen and automatically spread it to flowers as it passes by, causing them to bloom.

If you want, you can probably make your way through The Undergarden rather quickly. This is because very little is actually required of the player. In fact, you don't even really need to help a single flower bloom to complete a level. You're only real goal is to make it to the level's exit by completing a series of physics puzzles using a variety of berries bloomed from the environment. Early on the berry types are pretty basic, mostly heavy and floating berries to weigh switches on the floor and ceiling. But as you progress there are new types, like bomb berries or electrical berries that can activate machinery. For the most part the puzzles are well designed without breaking the game's pacing. Though as is often the case with physics puzzles, I did manage to accidentally get myself stuck under a switch once or twice. It was a rare occurrence though, and usually of my own fault for trying to explore where I wasn't supposed to, so I mention it more as something to be careful of rather than a detriment against the game.

But if you rush through The Undergarden just for the puzzles, you'll be missing out on a lot. Exploring each level's hidden corners reveals secret flowers to bloom, crystals to collect, and musicians to carry with you. The musicians are the most abstract, and for me enjoyable, of these side diversions, as their instruments flow naturally with the ambient soundtrack and cause flowers to bloom a second time in bright new colors. Finding these hidden treasures unlocks new colors and costumes for your creature, making them a nice bonus but not a requirement. The players who get the most out of The Undergarden are those who see the experience of exploration as its own reward. And if you have a gaming partner by your side, the feeling of reward is even greater as both players work together to solve puzzles and find hidden secrets. Not to mention that navigation is much easier with two players to carry berries and musicians rather than just one.

The undersea world of The Undergarden is haunting and beautiful, as the flowers bloom in all shades of orange, purple, green, yellow, blue, and red. There are no time limits, and the most dangerous hazards only take away your pollen forcing a short swim back to the last pollen sac. Not every gamer will enjoy the deliberate, some would say slow, pacing of The Undergarden, but I found it to be quite relaxing to play a level or two at the end of a stressful day. It's more game-y than Flower, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The Undergarden takes the ambient puzzle gameplay and adds traditional game elements, like collectibles, without taking away from the core experience. It's the perfect game to help you unwind, and an experience made even richer when accompanied by a friend, or a partner huddling under a blanket in the cold winter months.