Design Statement
The official theme track made us imagine a world that remembers how to sing, even after falling silent. We were drawn to the way a melody can begin as something intimate, then gradually grow into a shared, layered experience. We translated that feeling into a garden where sound is not just decoration, but the way the player understands and changes the world.

In Echo Garden, closing your eyes reveals a hidden sensory space. By listening, guiding a small light, and collecting lost notes, players turn invisible musical fragments into tangible changes: wind begins to move, waterways open, plants grow, and ancient mechanisms respond. Each of the four gardens explores a different relationship between sound and nature.

Rather than demanding perfect rhythm, we wanted the interactions to feel gentle and curious. The journey builds toward a final ensemble, where once-separated sounds come together and the garden finds its voice again.

Game Instructions (launch steps, controls, and gameplay overview)
**Platform:** Windows (Keyboard & Mouse)

**How to Launch:**
1. Download ECHO GARDEN V1.0.zip.
2. Extract all files to a folder.
3. Run Echo Garden.exe to start the game.

**Controls:**
- A / D or Left / Right Arrow: Move
- Space: Jump / Respond to rhythm cues
- V: Close or open your eyes
- Hold Left Mouse Button: Guide the glowing light and collect sounds
- E: Interact with instruments
- Esc: Pause / Settings

**Gameplay Overview:**

Explore four magical gardens guided by Lilier, a dragon spirit.

Close your eyes to enter a hidden world of sound. Guide the glowing light to find and collect scattered musical notes. Use music and rhythm interactions to awaken the environment, solve gentle puzzles, and open new paths.

Progress through the four gardens to bring their forgotten sounds together in a final ensemble.

Gameplay walkthrough video
https://youtu.be/Jml_nTscunY

Did your project use any AI tools or assets? If yes, please specify.
Yes. Generative AI tools were used during development.

OpenAI Codex was used to assist with programming and code implementation. AI image-generation tools were used to create selected visual assets.

Game design, level design, music arrangement, sound design, and final creative decisions were handled by the development team.