Game: The Roottrees are Dead
Genre: Adventure, Detective
System: Steam (Windows, macOS, SteamOS+Linux)
Developers | Publishers: Robin Ward | Evil Trout
Controller Support: No
Price: US $19.99 | UK £16.75 | EU € 19,50
Release Date: January 15th, 2025
A review code was used, and many thanks to Roottrees.
The Roottrees are Dead is a classic point-and-click detective adventure game developed by Robin Ward and released by Evil Trout in 2025.
The Premise of The Roottrees are Dead
The year is 1998. A private jet, belonging to the Roottree Corporation has crashed, and there are no survivors.
Our job is to find and identify all of the blood relatives of the victims who suddenly stand to inherit millions of dollars. On our quest, we are armed with a classic dial-up modem, which allows us to scour for photos, articles, books, and other data. Then, based on the collected information, we make connections and deductions and create a comprehensive family tree for the Roottrees.
Some Background
While I heard about The Roottrees are Dead only about a month ago, it seems that the game is a new release of an older title, created for Global Game Jam 2023 and released as a free browser game. The Steam version is mostly the same game but enhanced in terms of performance and gameplay. The game also includes hand-drawn illustrations from acclaimed board game artist Henning Ludvigsen, who has worked on everything from Monopoly and Clue to the Lord of the Rings card game. The Steam game also includes a brand new mystery – Roottreemania, which serves as a sequel to the main part of the game.
Gameplay
The Roottrees are Dead puts us in the position of a classic armchair detective—basically, we have the blank family tree that we need to fill in using the Internet. Highlighting phrases and putting them in Notes is useful and helpful for opening up new inquiry venues. On the desk, we can sort through the collected evidence and take a closer look using a magnifying glass. We can look through our Notes at any point, including when filling in the family tree.
While the game is point-and-click, we need a keyboard besides the mouse since we need to type in words to search the web and our Notes. The controls are intuitive, and the working area and the way our tools are arranged are logical and tidy. It’s easy to move between the Internet, the family tree, and our Notes—it’s seamless.
The gameplay process is straightforward. However, the game is by no means easy. You will do a lot of reading, and you’ll need to pay a lot of attention and do backtracking. Thankfully, the game also has a hint system if you really get stuck. So, we have hints, but even for them, you’ll need thinking, brainstorming, and deduction.
Since the story in The Roottrees are Dead is set in 1998, we’ll see a lot of references and easter eggs. Honestly, I was really happy to hear the classic dial-up modem sound when connecting to the Internet. Also, since it’s dial-up, you also have the option to disconnect from the Internet. Also, at the bottom of the screen, you can see the playlist and change tracks. The icon looks like a cassette record.
Some Other Things
The Roottrees are Dead has basic audio and video settings, as well as a manual saving system with several saved game slots. The game has Steam achievements but no trading cards yet. Also worth noting is that developers have continued to release updates and performance patches for the game. That being said, during my playthrough, I didn’t see any freezes or bugs.
Conclusion
The Roottrees are Dead is a great puzzle game and a great detective point-and-click game. There is a lot of reading to do, a lot of lore, and deductions to be made. The visuals and world-building are great. The soundtrack is excellent. The only thing left to say is that I hope there’s a sequel soon, or at the very least, another game from the developer in the same style.
If you love detective games, you should definitely check out The Roottrees are Dead.
Final Verdict: Two Thumbs Up
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