The Treehouse Man
- February 13, 2019
- Hunchback Studio
- 5h median play time
Get on SteamIn "The Treehouse Man" , players navigate a corrupted forest to unveil the truth behind the silence of the Treehouse Man, a former protector of the peaceful forest now blamed for its downfall. The game features unique gameplay, combining real-time and turn-based combat, as well as customizable boats and a strange world full of quirky inhabitants. The story revolves around the children's faith in the Treehouse Man and their struggle to survive in this newly hostile environment.
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Reviews
- The game features a unique combination of turn-based and real-time mechanics, creating an engaging gameplay experience.
- The atmosphere, art style, and music are beautifully crafted, enhancing the overall immersion in the game world.
- The narrative is intriguing, with themes of religion and personal struggle that resonate with players.
- The pacing is excessively slow, leading to long periods of downtime between encounters that can feel tedious.
- Combat can become repetitive due to limited enemy variety and predictable attack patterns, diminishing the challenge over time.
- The upgrade system lacks depth, with many weapons and companions feeling underwhelming or ineffective compared to the starting options.
- gameplay101 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "The Treehouse Man" is characterized by a unique blend of turn-based mechanics, bullet hell elements, and platforming, creating an engaging and atmospheric experience. While the game features creative enemy attacks and a satisfying progression system, some players noted that encounters can become repetitive and the pacing may feel slow at times. Overall, the mechanics are praised for their depth and charm, making it a recommended choice for those who appreciate innovative indie games.
“Wishing this developer had continued making video games.. this one and Gloom had great gameplay, narrative, and interesting worldbuilding that lacks in many other indie games.”
“The gameplay is satisfying but slow; this can add to the dreamy feel of your journey, but can also turn you off if you're not in the mood, and it did take some time for it to really click with me.”
“I enjoyed it a lot, the core mechanics are very engaging, and the atmosphere and visuals worked really great for me.”
“Gameplay leaves a lot to be desired though... especially if you're an achievement hunter.”
“The story was quite interesting, delving into themes of religious hypocrisy and the behavior of people in the face of existential threats, but unfortunately the gameplay was rather dull.”
“Similar problems face the rest of the active gameplay, as between battles you are mostly just waiting for the next encounter, uninspired copy/pasted optional platforming section, or small drops of loot.”
- story64 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, featuring a compelling narrative about a forest-fae-cult's struggle against corruption, with themes of determination and religious hypocrisy. While the plot is described as short and simple, it is enriched by deep allegories and immersive world-building, though some players found the gameplay repetitive and the story's execution somewhat vague. Overall, the narrative adds a meaningful layer to the experience, making it engaging despite its brevity.
“A great story about a dwindling, boatfaring forest-fae-cult and their endeavor to stop the corruption that has taken over their land, playing with somewhat deep allegories about determination, desperation, and blind zeal.”
“The story is fascinating and the world/environments are strange and immersive.”
“Well, the story is simple: the forest is being corrupted, so you, a newly born child of the forest, are sent as a last ditch effort to reach the fabled treehouse man to sort things out.”
“The core of the game is story-free and repetitive, consisting of taking your boat down various rivers and defeating the challenges therein.”
“It is a turn-based RPG with an active dodging system, which sounds like something I should really enjoy, but the bare-bones story and repetitive combat make this game a drag.”
“The plot is... existent.”
- graphics57 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their unique and appealing art styles, including pixelated visuals and minimalist designs that effectively create an atmospheric experience. While some players find the art direction stunning and fitting for the game's themes, others critique certain styles as feeling unfinished or unoriginal. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the gameplay, enhancing the eerie and engaging atmosphere.
“The art direction and aesthetics are wonderful.”
“I think the visuals, and especially some of the later enemy designs, are quite stunning and the music is pretty average.”
“The game works to its strengths, with a great, ethereal soundtrack, gloomy (and sometimes beautiful) graphics, and genuinely interesting world building, which leaves you wanting more but does the clever dance of not quite telling you what's going on.”
“I really do not know what they were going for with this art style, but it just looks unfinished.”
“I'm not a fan of the silhouette art style, but at least it doesn't get in the way.”
“They also tried to go for some kind of creepy-cute art style where some things look like eldritch beasts while others look like barrels with a face plastered on them.”
- music54 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric qualities and ability to enhance the overall experience. While some players found the soundtrack to be calming and fitting, others noted that it can become repetitive or average over time. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's aesthetic, though some players preferred to listen to their own music during gameplay.
“The music is really good with amazing atmosphere.”
“An adorable game, calm, soothing with an excellent soundtrack.”
“Not only is the concept of this game very unique and refreshing, but it also has an enjoyable narrative, amazing atmosphere, and a fantastic soundtrack.”
“The music gets repetitive a little too often.”
“If you find yourself bored at the beginning, mute the soundtrack and put on some music of your own.”
“Coupled with a soundtrack that I either don't notice or wish I had turned off, there really is nothing this game has to offer.”
- atmosphere49 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its engaging visuals and sound design, creating a surreal and immersive experience that enhances the gameplay. However, some players note that the slow pacing can lead to moments of repetition, detracting from the overall tension and excitement. Despite this, the combination of art direction, music, and world-building contributes to a captivating atmosphere that many find compelling and worth experiencing.
“Highly recommended, very fun gameplay and amazing atmosphere.”
“It has a very surreal and engaging atmosphere.”
“Not only is the concept of this game very unique and refreshing, but it also has an enjoyable narrative, amazing atmosphere, and a fantastic soundtrack.”
“Art direction and atmosphere is uninspired but continuous and well implemented.”
“I know it was rough around the edges, but I thought the world-building and atmosphere (and music) were top-notch.”
“I would highly recommend this game, even if you don't think turn-based bullet hells are your thing, if only for the atmosphere alone.”
- grinding16 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and slow, particularly in the later biomes, which can disrupt the overall momentum and enjoyment. While some appreciate the game's relaxing atmosphere, many feel that the repetitive nature of grinding for achievements and resources can lead to boredom and frustration. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a double-edged sword, offering a unique experience but often crossing into tedium.
“The first biome is a great introduction to the mechanics of the game, but the second and third, which made up the bulk of my playthrough, completely drag any sort of momentum to a grinding halt.”
“I assume the game was meant to be relaxing, and it is to some extent, but it treads dangerously on the line of being tedious, quickly becoming repetitive and rather boring.”
“After coming from playing Gloom, this game felt tedious and slow.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is intended to be lighthearted and whimsical, focusing on revitalizing the forest's comedic spirit. However, the delivery often falls flat, with characters sounding more like "depressed amnesiacs" than funny or engaging, leading to a disconnect between the concept and execution.
“His whole deal is bringing back humor to the forest, yet every time he speaks he sounds like a depressed amnesiac.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a strong appreciation for the character design of the enemies, indicating that the visual representation and creativity in their development are noteworthy aspects of the game. However, there is no mention of the main characters or their development, suggesting a potential gap in character depth beyond the enemy designs.
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players report significant stability issues, particularly experiencing game freezes after defeating a specific boss, the candlestick man. This recurring problem forces users to restart the game multiple times and replay entire levels, leading to frustration.
“The game completely freezes after beating the Candlestick Man. I've rebooted the game twice now, only to have to do the entire level again, and it freezes again.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable. I've lost progress multiple times due to these stability issues.”
“I encountered constant lag and random crashes during gameplay, which ruined the experience for me.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers a unique experience, but many users feel it lacks significant replay value compared to similar titles.
“Unlike Gloom, this game probably does not have as much replay value, but I think it's a very unique experience.”
