A parent's nightmare comes to life in BanBan's Kindergarten
The BanBan
Coming from the minds of two brothers, Garten of BanBan was released at the beginning of this year on Steam. The Euphoric Brothers were both the developers and publishers of their newest game, Garten of BanBan. Their most popular game surrounds a parent in search of their missing child. The character is located in BanBan’s Kindergarten, as we see the player beginning at an eerily empty front desk with white walls painted with the school’s mascots.
This game follows the path of an ‘unexpected evil’, a common trope utilized in numerous horror games. With the pressure and risk of not being original, these brothers had their work cut out for them. Stripped from their Youtube Channel discussing the creation of Garten of BanBan;
“The idea was to have a setting that most people will be able to relate to, and then put our own twist on it.”
That’s exactly what they did. This free game allowed the duo to gain extraordinary exposure in the last couple of months. Numerous gameplays were uploaded by popular YouTubers and Streamers, which led the game to create a name for itself. This Garten of BanBan Review aims to explore the good and the bad aspects of the game.
The Good & The Bad
Garten of BanBan has garnered a lot of mixed reviews, with neither side taking precedence. Reviewing numerous comments on multiple platforms, it’s concluded that most individuals found certain aspects of the game to be mundane.
Though needed to continue the story, the drone as well as the work needed to find the door keys were commonly brought up. Others thought the complete opposite and appreciated these inserts.
Many players thought the story lacked development, but with patience and easter eggs that idea can easily be refuted. The atmosphere was a popular piece of advice too. The location didn’t feel like a Kindergarten. The white walls and emptiness took away from the childlike wonder this place represented. It would be interesting to see this horror in an area that looks and feels like it brings comfort. Certain additions like rugs, small libraries, toys, etc. would not only add to the trope but would increase eeriness and fear in players.
Advice and feedback are an important part of any form of development. The Euphoric Brothers have received several comments from players. Some were uncomfortably negative, but the ones that aimed to help eventually aided the brothers in their future releases. The first release of Garten of BanBan wasn’t perceived well by the vast majority of the audience. With games 2 and 3 being released, we can see the brothers listening to the advice and creating gameplay that furthers their vision and is liked by their audience.
Let us know what you think and check below for more games! If you're looking for more L8TENCY content, check out our socials above! It’s intriguing to see how impactful an audience can be, especially to indie developers. Hope everyone enjoyed the read and catch you next time!
If you like Garten of BanBan...
Poppy PlayTime (2021)
Ikai (2021)
Escape The Backrooms (2022)
If you prefer something else, but similar...
Deppart (2023)
If you want something TOTALLY different
Children of SilentTown (2023)
LumbearJack (2022)
