With many of the recent popular Xbox 360 releases being violent shooters (Halo: Reach, Call of Duty: Black Ops), long role playing games (Fallout: New Vegas, Fable III), and “get off the coach” calorie burners (Kinect Adventures, Dance Central), The UnderGarden comes as a welcome and relaxing change of pace.  Atari has achieved a gaming experience like no other with The UnderGarden.

For starters this game has no killing, no dying, no time limit, and seemingly no opposition.  What it “lacks” in these elements, it makes up for in spades with amazing visuals, enchanting sounds, collectibles a-plenty, and a play at your own pace tempo.  This game is a beautiful exhibition of what happens when you combine stunning visuals and sounds but take away the frustrations of competitive gaming.

In the beginning of the game you are immersed in an underground environment filled with caves that lead to the various levels.  I will admit that it took me a minute or two to figure out where I was supposed to go and what I was supposed to be doing.  After I found the cave that was unlocked it immediately became apparent that the rest of the caves will unlock as I progress through the game and this initial environment will serve as the hub.  It is also worth mentioning that the menus and controls are very clear and simple to use.

You play the game as a character that resembles a fairy in a cavernous underwater world.  The world is rich with plant life and other organisms that make for a very beautiful landscape.  This landscape is further enhanced by your interactions with it.  In fact that is the entire point of the game.  You collect pollen and spread it throughout as you swim, bringing the dormant plant life to full bloom.  When you pollenate the plants, the entire world transforms to a vibrant glowing world much like the movie Avatar.  Like I said before, there is no time limit, so you can swim freely at your own pace and enjoy the awe inspiring world you just created.  Along the way you encounter little characters called “musicians” that are aptly named.  Each of the musicians plays a different instrument ranging from flute to drums to strings.  As you near them you will hear them play a loop of a song using their instrument.  You can then bring them along with you and gather up other musicians to fill out the rest of the song.  Assembling a group of musicians not only adds to the soundscape but the musicians also change the plants you have helped to bloom by changing their colors and behavior.

This game is great for collectionists.  In addition to finding and collecting musicians there are hidden flowers, special plants, and a unique gem on each level.  As you play through each level there is a meter at the bottom of the screen that shows you how much of the plant life you have helped to grow.  I find myself not willing to end a mission without that meter being full, every musician being in tow, every secret flower found, and the hidden gem secured.  I will be rewarded for playing this way because there are 12 achievements worth 200 gamerscore and most are tied to completing these various collections.  There is one achievement that requires you to finish three levels in under 20 minutes and another that requires you to play co-op.  Other than that, take your time and grab everything you can and your gamerscore will be 200 points richer.

This game is a mix of great and not so good at the same time.  However I think the shortcomings are limited by playing the game in small doses.  I have had a great time playing this game for one or two levels at a time, after that it gets a bit repetitive and I seem to get bored.  The only other shortcomings are minor in my opinion.  Many of the puzzles are a bit too simple and the more involved levels don’t come until about halfway through the game.  I also wasn’t enamored with the very opening of the game where it took me a little longer than most arcade games to figure out where to go and what I was to be doing.  Co-op mode seems to not work nearly as well either, but this is a game that I would generally play alone anyway.

I think this game is beautiful to look at and listen to.  It is a very good game to unwind and relax to for a little bit of time every day.  Trying to get all of the achievements and 100% all 14 levels will keep me playing for quite some time.  I can recommend this game to those looking for a game that may give them a change of pace from the competitive or more involved games they normally play.  This game would probably also be a good fit for casual gamers and some older children as it is very easy to control and features very little opposition.

The UnderGarden by Atari is available right now to buy on PC Download for $9.99 and on Xbox Live for 800 ms points.  There are free demos available on both platforms as well.  It will be available on PSN early next year.  On  a personal note, I really think this game would be great on mobile phones (maybe Windows Phone 7 with Xbox Live integration) where you can play a level between classes or during a commute.