- January 15, 2025
- Robin Ward
- 12h median play time
The Roottrees are Dead
A great detective game gets a lavish remake and an improved expansion in one essential package.
Platforms
About
The year is 1998. A private jet belonging to the Roottree Corporation has crashed. On it were the Roottree Sisters and their parents. Combined, they were worth over a billion dollars. Now, due to the eccentricities of their great-great-grandfather Elias, their money must be redistributed to the rest of the family. But who's actually a BLOOD RELATIVE? That's where you come in. Armed only with t…




- Engaging and satisfying gameplay that combines genealogy research with mystery-solving.
- Well-crafted hint system that provides gradual nudges without giving away answers outright.
- Rich storytelling with intriguing characters and plot twists that keep players invested.
- Some clues can feel obscure or require arbitrary leaps in logic, especially in the second part, Roottreemania.
- The game can become tedious with excessive reading and information overload towards the end.
- Occasional technical issues and UI quirks that may hinder the overall experience.
- story854 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
The story of "The Roottrees Are Dead" is a complex and engaging narrative that intertwines family dynamics with detective work, drawing comparisons to games like "Return of the Obra Dinn" and "Her Story." Players appreciate the depth of the plot, which unfolds through a nostalgic late-90s web interface, allowing for immersive exploration and deduction. While some find the story less compelling than its inspirations, many enjoy the intricate puzzles and the satisfaction of piecing together the narrative, especially with the added content in the companion story "Rootreemania."
“The main game is excellent, a tight story with a bunch of interwoven details.”
“The roottrees are dead takes family research and turns it into a compelling detective story that kept me ensorcelled far longer than it had any right.”
“The story is great; there were a ton of moments where I'd connect two seemingly unrelated clues that uncover another plot point.”
“The entire crux of the game is built on something that makes no sense, and the story (as it is) requires a lot of leaps in logic for you to piece things together.”
“In fact, there is no story.”
“The characters are flat, most do nothing to progress the story, and all of them are cliche.”
The Roottrees are Dead review
A great detective game gets a lavish remake and an improved expansion in one essential package.
87%The Roottrees Are Dead Is a Clever and Intuitive Mystery
A genealogical mystery straight out of 1998. Scour the early Internet for clues, uncover hidden connections, and piece together the family tree behind the secretive Roottree Corporation.The Roottrees Are Dead was a uniquely fascinating and frustrating experience, and it's definitely something I recommend to fellow genealogy or research nerds. The story, too, was an interesting one and I, for one, wouldn't oppose to a sequel focusing on Elias's or Gwyneth's siblings' family trees.
90%The Roottrees are Dead Review (PC)
The Roottrees are Dead is a great video game for any players who like experiences like Obra Din or the two Golden Idol titles. It feels good to investigate, starting with a list of names, and reveal the rich history of an entire family. The feeling that there’s something more to learn, to understand, is always present and the game has a decent hint system to help players who get stuck. As cool as the feeling of discovery is, the game is limited in terms of mechanics. Players search for text strings, read results, and make connections. The cool soundtrack helps with immersion, but the loop can become repetitive after one or two hours. The Roottrees are Dead is unlikely to draw new players to the deduction genre but has all the ingredients needed to keep fans engaged in the long run. Review key provided by the publisher.
85%