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Xbox X|SWe've documented 18 accessibility features for Garlic, including Play Without Hearing, Colour Blind Friendly, Audio Cues, Speaker Indicator and Fully Subtitled (Or No Speech). Its accessibility is strongest in Controls and Reading but it also has features in Visual, Navigation, Audio and Getting Started to reduce unintended barriers.
This report is created with input from accessibility experts and the player community to help people find games that have the accessibility features they require. Once you have found potential games on the database, there are excellent specialist accessibility sites that offer in-depth reviews to guide your purchasing decisions.
Our accessibility examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Garlic accessibility a year ago.
Accessibility Notes
You need to be very precise with your inputs and holds, rapid presses, and simultaneous button presses are all needed, in addition to quick reactions to on-screen action. Some stages are auto-scrolling, meaning the screen automatically moves and it's up to you to keep up, which can create high-pressure play. There are no difficulty settings.
While there are fairly frequent checkpoints, sometimes these are more spread out and mean you can lose quite a lot of progress if you die.
Text is all high in contrast, although is less than 1/20th of the screen height, and non-adjustable. While there are no captions to inform you who's speaking, in general, it is fairly clear, with text boxes appearing near the speaking character. Although contrast is generally very high due to the retro style, sometimes enemies, your character, and platforms are all shaded in the same colour, which can make it hard to distinguish what's what.
As the game is 2D and linear, navigation is never particularly difficult, nor is understanding your objective (get to the end of the stage), even if it isn't always explicitly stated.
There is minor screen shake, and some important actions, such as dashing, can result in a bright trail of light akin to a flash, although it doesn't fill the entire screen. Backgrounds during regular play are generally static, although in some minigames this is not the case, although they generally remain non-distracting.
Game Details
Release Date: 16/06/2021, updated in 2023
Out Now: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One and Xbox X|S
Skill Rating: 11+ year-olds
Players: 1
Genres: Action, Platform and Traversal
Accessibility: 18 features
Components: 2D Side-On and Pixels
Developer: Sylph Arcade (@SylphArcade)
Costs: Purchase cost
Controls
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Controls in Garlic which deal with how you control the game, different options for alternative inputs and whether you can remap these settings to suit your needs.
Gamepad
Can play with the following:
Multiple Buttons & Single Stick: Can play with multiple buttons and a stick.
Mouse And Keyboard
Can play with the following:
Keyboard Alone: Can play with just the keyboard.
Remap Controls
Can customise the controls for the game as follows:
Select Preset Controller Mappings: You can select preset button layouts from options provided by the developer.
Remap Mouse and Keyboard: Can remap mouse and keyboard key bindings, on systems that support these controls.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls
If you want to play Garlic, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:
- Celeste (10 Controls Features)
- ScourgeBringer (9 Controls Features)
- Ori and the Will of the Wisps (9 Controls Features)
- Zool Redimensioned (8 Controls Features)
Difficulty
We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Difficulty in Garlic which deal with how you can adjust the challenge of play, and whether this is locked once chosen or can be adjusted as you play. The following games are similar to Garlic, and offer accessibility features for Difficulty:
- Zool Redimensioned (3 Difficulty Features)
- Tiny Thor (2 Difficulty Features)
- Mr Sun's Hatbox (2 Difficulty Features)
- Marsupilami: Hoobadventure (2 Difficulty Features)
Getting Started
We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Getting Started in Garlic which deals with what support is offered to get started with the game. This includes customising the experience when you first open the game via any onboarding processes it provides as well as tutorials and other assistance when you first start playing.
Assistance Getting Starting
These features aid your play of the game in terms of cognitive load on learning controls, dealing with pressure and coping with the environment and challenges.
Tutorials: There are helpful tutorials and instructions on how to play. Information is provided in a timely manner, with appropriate level of detail.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started
If you want to play Garlic, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:
- ScourgeBringer (8 Getting Started Features)
- Celeste (7 Getting Started Features)
- Mr Sun's Hatbox (6 Getting Started Features)
- N Plus Plus (4 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Reading in Garlic which deal with how much reading or listening comprehension is required, how well the game provides visual and audible access to the text and whether subtitles and captions are a good fit for purpose.
Reading Level
How much reading is required to play the game's main path or story and how complex the language is. The presence of voiced characters doesn't reduce this requirement, as it's recorded as a separate datapoint.
Simple Minimal Reading: Minimal reading is required. The quantity and complexity of reading are at a level that a primary/elementary student (9-year-old) could understand.
Text Visibility
High Contrast Text: Text colour contrasts to the background or can be adjusted to be. The text in menus, instructions and other information is presented in high contrast with a solid background.
Subtitles
All Speech Subtitled (Or No Speech In Game): All spoken content has subtitles, or there is no speech in the game. This means there is no requirement to hear spoken dialogue or narrative to play the game.
Captions
Speaker Indicator: Textual captions indicate who is speaking (or there is only ever one person speaking). This can also be indicated visually in the game with character icons or placing text in speech bubbles next to the person speaking.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading
If you want to play Garlic, but it doesn't offer the Reading accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Reading accessibility:
- Adventures of Pip (6 Reading Features)
- Metroid Dread (6 Reading Features)
- Super Mario Bros Wonder (5 Reading Features)
- Marsupilami: Hoobadventure (5 Reading Features)
Navigation
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Navigation in Garlic which deal with how the game provides guidance and assistance to navigate its worlds. These are only for games that have traversal and exploration in 2D and 3D spaces.
Clarity
Large Clear Navigation: The in-game navigation and maps are clear to read. They offer large text and offer markers that are large and of high contrast. Where text or information is small, there are settings to zoom-in and increase visibility.
Clear Mission Objectives: The game provides clear, structured missions with directional guidance and advice on which can be attempted next. This also indicates (ideally on maps where they are provided) which missions can't be attempted because you do not have the appropriate items yet.
Menu Navigation
Digital Menu Navigation: Menu choices with Gamepad can be made without using an analogue stick to guide a cursor to a selection. For example, using D-Pad, buttons or the Stick to change menu selection in a single action.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Navigation
If you want to play Garlic, but it doesn't offer the Navigation accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Navigation accessibility:
- Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn (4 Navigation Features)
- Metroid Dread (4 Navigation Features)
- Celeste (4 Navigation Features)
Visual
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Visual in Garlic which deal with how you can adjust the visuals to suit your needs, and offer additional information if you can't hear the game.
Visual Distractions
No Busy Backgrounds: No distracting backgrounds or you can make them static or blank. This includes the absence of other movement elements in the background that might distract or confuse the action. Where foreground contrast is high, this includes games with some movement in the background that doesn't make it overly difficult to distinguish what is happening.
Audio Cues for Visual Events
Audio Cues for Visual Events: Audio is provided to indicate visual events. Game events or progress highlighted by visual icons, effects or animations are also accompanied by audio to signify that progress. This is useful for blind players.
Motion Sickness Friendly
Motion Sickness Friendly: Doesn't have 3D movement elements that may trigger motion sickness, like motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision. Or includes the ability to disable motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision effects.
Colour Options
Colour Blind Friendly: Game doesn’t rely on colour or can switch to colour blind friendly mode with double coding or similar way to avoid colour dependance.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Visual
If you want to play Garlic, but it doesn't offer the Visual accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Visual accessibility:
- N Plus Plus (6 Visual Features)
- ScourgeBringer (6 Visual Features)
- Super Meat Boy (5 Visual Features)
- Mr Sun's Hatbox (5 Visual Features)
Audio
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Audio in Garlic which deal with how you can adjust the audio of the game and whether audio cues compensate for aspects of the game that are hard to see.
Adjustable Audio
Balance Audio Levels: Set music and game sound effects separately. This enables you to select your preference as well as ensure critical game sounds aren't obscured by other audio.
Play Without Hearing
Play Without Hearing: No audio cues are necessary to play the game well.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Audio
If you want to play Garlic, but it doesn't offer the Audio accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Audio accessibility:
- Zool Redimensioned (3 Audio Features)
- Dead Cells (3 Audio Features)
System Accessibility Settings
In addition to the accessibility features provided in the game, you can also use system-wide accessibility settings:
Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch has some built-in features, including a lockable zoom, that can be used on all games.
PC
Windows has extensive accessibility features. Some, like colour correction, work with games. Lots of accessibility software can be used with PC games, from voice recognition to input device emulators.
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 4 has a range of accessibility settings. Some are system only, some work in games (invert colours and button mapping).
PlayStation 5
PlayStation 5 has a range of system-wide accessibility settings.
Xbox One
Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games.
Xbox Series X|S
Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games.
Read more about system accessibility settings.
Accessibility Report supported by VSC Rating Board, PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors Ben Kendall
