The Roottrees are Dead
Genres: Puzzle, Mystery, Point & Click, Story Rich, Atmospheric, Adventure
Play modes: singleplayer
Release Date: 15-1-2025
Developer: Evil Trout Inc.
Our verdict
9/10
- Difficulty: Hard
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 10–20 h
The Roottrees Are Dead is a deduction game set on a simulated 1998 desktop. After a plane crash kills the heirs of the Roottree Corporation, you search an early-internet browser, books and old photos to rebuild the family tree and decide who is really a blood relative. It began as a game jam browser game and suits solo players who love Return of the Obra Dinn, The Case of the Golden Idol or a good internet rabbit hole.
Around 97% of more than 5,000 Steam reviews are positive. Players describe the joy of confirming a hunch, praise puzzles that never require reading the developers' minds, and like that a tree slot locks in once you have enough correct names. A follow-up section after the main mystery gets special praise. Most need 10 to 20 hours, and close reading is essential.
Critics found the middle repetitive and the story thinner than the puzzle, and a few hit logic leaps or wished the hints focused better. One reviewer objected to artwork they believed was AI-generated. Several suggest taking notes and playing in long sessions so details stay fresh. For deduction fans it is an easy buy at full price.
Pros
- Late-90s desktop and web browser make research feel real
- Family-tree slots lock in when correct, so progress is clear
- Bonus mystery after the credits adds a strong second act
Cons
- Middle stretch can feel like repetitive name-matching
- Story is thinner than the puzzle itself
- Details are easy to lose if you play in short bursts
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 the power of your mighty dial-up modem, you'll scour for photos, books, articles and other evidence. Then, you'll make connections and deductions based on the family relationships you uncover. With every spot on the tree you fill in correctly, the names and photos left in your possession will have fewer and fewer places to go — but the evidence will also be harder and more obscure to find.
Can you put together the final pieces of the puzzle?
The Acclaimed Armchair Detective Game, Re-imagined on Steam
The Roottrees are Dead was originally created for the Global Game Jam 2023 and released as a free browser game. It was beloved by many for its clever puzzles, retro computing interface and novel world-building. The Steam version is the same great game, but enhanced in many ways:
Hand-drawn illustrations from acclaimed board game artist Henning Ludvigsen.
A 3D living-room perspective that ties together all the unique puzzle systems
An enhanced user interface with many quality of life improvements to make your mystery solving easier to use and more intuitive
Remastered music and sound effects, with fully voiced cinematics.
A handful of Easter eggs and little touches for those who can't get enough of the late ‘90s charm
Includes "Roottreemania", a brand new mystery
Find out what happens to the Roottree family following the events of the base game.
A whole new family tree to complete!
Discover the scandals, lies, and infidelities that took place behind the scenes of America's largest maple candy empire.
