Review #018 – The Roottrees Are Dead

If you’ve enjoyed other modern detective games like Return of the Obra Dinn or Her Story then I think you’ll get a kick out of The Roottrees Are Dead. Not only does it share a lot of the same DNA but it’s also extremely well made and easy to get sucked into.

The game tasks you with piecing together the family tree of the Roottrees, a wealthy lineage of candy-mongers that goes back many generations. In order to find names, occupations, etc., you’re given a retro, 90s-era computer where you can comb the internet for keywords. There’s also a digital library and periodicals making it really easy to find yourself gong down rabbit holes on certain topics.

Presentation is minimal — the game is literally a single room with a desk, a cork board, and a computer. The act of researching and uncovering new leads is satisfying, though — especially those "Eureka!" moments. The in-game hints do a good job of nudging you in the right direction too, so I never found myself getting frustrated.