The Roottrees are Dead

 PC
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. Game Rant
    Feb 7, 2025
    70
    The game does a great job of letting players logically put together clues. It hides them well at the center of the Roottree's web, but the farther out it goes, it may grate over time. The writing is worth absorbing as players go along and this feels like a real family that could have existed. While this story is certainly told in a way that makes it one of the more unique mystery games out there, it's the method in which players are asked to discover it that holds it back.
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  1. Polygon
    Feb 10, 2025
    The Roottrees Are Dead is for those of us who are too nosy to stop ourselves from opening up Google and snooping around. It may look retro, but it feels no different than using a modern computer or app, which is precisely what makes it hard to put down until you have the whole messy picture. [Impressions]
  2. The A.V. Club
    Feb 10, 2025
    Maybe most importantly (if also most difficult to pin down), the new version of Roottrees simply has a better feel to it than what I got while clicking around in an itch.io window a few years back. Looking back at the old version, it’s perfectly functional, but also bears many of the barebones hallmarks of a game more interested in its ideas than its presentation: The fake websites look a little more sketchy, the typing feels a little off, etc. The new interface tweaks—including blessed quality-of-life features like an in-game notebook you can send notes to by highlighting text, and a search history for your online queries—do exactly what any truly great remaster should: Make it easier to experience the genius of what was already there, letting the game get out of its own way.
  3. Vice
    Feb 10, 2025
    A relatively short game, The Roottrees are Dead is compelling enough to keep your attention throughout its 6-ish hour playtime (or roughly 12 hours, including the Roottreemania mode). Its puzzles are challenging enough to keep you scratching your head but not enough to pull your hair out. And when you’re stuck, a convenient hint button is always available to nudge you in the right direction. For the stay-at-home types, it’s the perfect experience for an amateur gumshoe to get their hands dirty.