Roots of Yggdrasil
- September 6, 2024
- Sprawl
- 18h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Roots of Yggdrasil" is a roguelike city-building game set in the nine realms of Norse Mythology. Players must explore a fractured World Tree, build settlements, and collect artifacts to reach the top of Yggdrasil while battling a time loop caused by Ragnarok. Your permanent home, the Holt, can be customized and upgraded between loops, and a diverse cast of Scions with unique abilities can be befriended to aid in your journey.
Reviews
- The game offers a unique blend of genres, combining deck building, roguelite mechanics, and city building, which creates a refreshing gameplay experience.
- The art style and music are charming, contributing to a cozy atmosphere that enhances the overall enjoyment of the game.
- Replayability is high due to the variety of choices in house types, characters' aids, and random relics, making each run feel distinct and engaging.
- The lack of manual save options can be frustrating, as players may not always have the time to complete a run, leading to lost progress.
- Some players find the game repetitive after a few hours, with limited variation in gameplay mechanics and character interactions.
- Building placement can be finicky, requiring precise positioning that may detract from the overall enjoyment and flow of the game.
- gameplay63 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Roots of Yggdrasil" is a blend of various mechanics, including deck-building, city management, and roguelite elements, which create a unique and engaging experience. While the game can be challenging and somewhat repetitive over time, players appreciate the strategic depth and variety introduced through its mechanics, making it highly replayable. Overall, the game offers a satisfying loop that balances complexity with accessibility, though some players note that certain aspects could benefit from refinement.
“The mechanics are challenging at first but can be quick to learn, and it might take an eternity to master it; it takes a short time to get great at this game.”
“The gameplay loop of Roots of Yggdrasil is quite satisfying, even being quite early in early access, so I have no trouble recommending checking it out.”
“The game blends well the roguelike genre with the city builder and card game mechanics!”
“It got boring after 6-8 hours of gameplay.”
“After some time it feels that mechanically runs don't feel too different, some structures have odd visual collision boxes preventing those from pixel-perfect placement, some resources farm feel a bit grindy and general meta progression doesn't feel to be very impactful and it is rng based, so could probably use some improvements.”
“On the gameplay level, we've got a few different issues, while the idea of a deckbuilding town maker is fun, in practice it's a fair amount of boredom.”
- story30 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as intriguing and well-integrated with gameplay, featuring mini-quests and character development that enhance the experience. While some players find the narrative engaging and promising, others feel it lacks depth and can be repetitive, with a slow progression that may not appeal to all. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a solid aspect, though opinions vary on its execution and appeal to different audiences.
“The writing is good too, I'm excited to see how the larger story unfolds.”
“The story doles out in little increments both mid-run and when you return to the holt (your town/island).”
“Every island you interact with is an opportunity to build little towns and collect various clues that progress the storylines of multiple different non-player characters.”
“Solid and inspired story, but it’s a slow boil and a bit dry.”
“I found the gameplay repetitive and I didn't find the story engaging at all.”
“Like some other reviewers, I don't think much of the story aspects - the target audience of the writing seems to be young teens, but I imagine the majority of people who buy this game will be adults.”
- graphics23 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their gorgeous art style and charming aesthetics, blending elements of steampunk and Norse themes. Players appreciate the cozy atmosphere and the visual appeal, although some note a lack of graphical options for lower-end systems. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's relaxing and engaging experience.
“The art style is gorgeous and I really enjoy having to come up with a new strategy every island.”
“A very wholesome town-builder roguelike with charming art style and excellent replayability.”
“Gorgeous graphics and a simple game loop.”
“Downsides: not a lot of graphical options for potato computers.”
“Aesthetically, you have your standard steampunk viking aesthetic (!) where you lay telephone wire between magic trees and try to power up your flying longship.”
“Aesthetically, you have your standard steampunk viking aesthetic (!) where you lay telephone wire between magic trees and try to power up your flying longship.”
- music10 mentions
- 70 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its chill and soothing qualities, enhancing the overall relaxed experience while complementing the charming visuals and character development. Reviewers highlight the excellent soundtrack as a key element that sets the mood and contributes to the game's aesthetic, making it both enjoyable and immersive. Overall, the combination of beautiful art and music creates a satisfying and cozy atmosphere for players.
“Chill music, story, character development, and the overall style make it a more relaxed experience to play - though there are certainly challenges as well.”
“The art and music are amazing, and the mechanics are really interesting.”
“From the charming visuals to the soothing soundtrack, everything exudes a sense of coziness.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a solid level of replayability, with many players enjoying its expansive mechanics and rewarding upgrade systems. While some express concerns about potential repetitiveness over time, the unique gameplay loops and charming aesthetics contribute to a fun and engaging experience that keeps players coming back. The game is particularly appealing to fans of roguelikes and solo board games, suggesting a promising long-term replay value.
“If you play this game, it will mainly be for its expansive mechanics and highly replayable loops.”
“Very fun replayability, difficulty is pretty balanced, and the upgrades feel rewarding for how easily they can be gained.”
“A very wholesome town-builder roguelike with charming art style and excellent replayability.”
“In the long run, it may not have the ultra-replayability of some roguelikes, but I'm 18 hours in and still enjoying it.”
“I'm curious about the replay value of this game, as it may become repetitive over multiple games (or 'loops' as the game calls it), but it has a lot of potential!”
“Looking forward to more updates; it definitely has the potential for long replayability!”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and lacking in engagement, with repetitive mechanics and unimpactful meta-progression that relies heavily on RNG. The resource farming and currency systems feel overly grindy, and the decoration minigame adds little enjoyment, often leading to frustration with cluttered inventory and limited options for improvement. Overall, the grinding elements detract from the fun and strategic depth expected in a puzzle game.
“After some time, it feels that mechanically runs don't feel too different. Some structures have odd visual collision boxes preventing pixel-perfect placement, and some resource farming feels a bit grindy. The general meta progression doesn't feel very impactful and is RNG-based, so it could probably use some improvements.”
“It adds nothing to the game and it's tedious to optimize.”
“Feels a bit grindy for the meta-progression (three different currency acorns for upgrades that scale up in cost fast), without a plot to justify what's straightforwardly called the 'loop' of the game.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by decent and cozy graphics, complemented by effective sound design that enhances the overall experience. Recent updates have added an exciting element to the early access phase, while the developers have successfully crafted a warm and inviting environment that makes each gaming session feel like a comforting retreat.
“The graphics are decent and cozy, and the sound design nicely complements the atmosphere.”
“They just dropped a surprise update, so they have an exciting atmosphere for this early access run.”
“The devs have managed to create a warm and inviting atmosphere that makes gaming sessions feel like a comforting retreat.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, while some users praise the game's visual style and report a smooth experience without glitches, others have encountered significant issues, including numerous soft-lock UI glitches that necessitate force-quitting the game.
“Holy Batman, there are so many soft-lock UI glitches, and some even require force-quitting to fix!”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be impactful, experiencing a range of feelings from triumph in comebacks to the disappointment of losses. The charming art style and wholesome nature of the town-builder roguelike contribute to a deeply engaging and replayable experience.
“I've had great comebacks, last-minute escapes, broken combos, and heartbreaking losses.”
“A very wholesome town-builder roguelike with a charming art style and excellent replayability.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the character development in the game, noting that it is enhanced by the chill music and engaging story, which together create a relaxed yet challenging gameplay experience.
“The chill music, engaging story, and character development, along with the overall style, create a relaxed gaming experience, despite the challenges that arise.”
“The depth of character development really draws you into the story, making each decision feel impactful and meaningful.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the game; their growth feels authentic and adds a rich layer to the narrative.”
