The First Tree: Console Edition

 PlayStation 4
User Score
5.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 19 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 19
  3. Negative: 4 out of 19
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  1. towibabe
    Jun 16, 2019
    1
    This was the biggest waste of $10 in my life. Save your money, don't try this out of curiosity, just trust me.
  2. tonymagz
    Oct 19, 2021
    4
    I heard the beautiful soundtrack for this game and the nice cover and decided to go in blind. Big regret from me. The game feels like the developer just learned an engine. Very amateur animation, and really nothing to the game other than just walking through a field, collecting some coins and listening to some cheesy narration.
    Beautiful soundtrack, poor everything else.
  3. MetaBones
    Apr 3, 2023
    2
    A review for this game is tricky since it's a labor of love from the author. It's an indie game with a minimal budget and a heartfelt center. I admire the passion, the exploration, and the artistry the creator put into this. It really is a beautiful experience by design.

    Unfortunately, the game was a drag and difficult to get through from start to finish. The concept sounded interesting    A review for this game is tricky since it's a labor of love from the author. It's an indie game with a minimal budget and a heartfelt center. I admire the passion, the exploration, and the artistry the creator put into this. It really is a beautiful experience by design.

    Unfortunately, the game was a drag and difficult to get through from start to finish. The concept sounded interesting and I enjoy myself a methodical slow-burn. However, the maps you explore are barren and uninteresting, the objectives are extremely tedious, and the mechanics are amongst the clunkiest and most awkward I've ever experienced. Getting yourself from point A to point B was an extreme chore and not very pleasant.

    For a "story-telling experience" in a game, I also didn't appreciate how unfocused it was. The "open-world" approach where you can go anywhere and do anything at your own order and pace I don't think contributed to the experience. Having a focused objective system with less places to visit that serve no function would've helped the game and the narrative.

    The narrative itself isn't voice-acted particularly well with every line being the same somber one note we hear again and again. The emotional thread felt over-the-top and too sentimental as I didn't feel like there was no development of its themes but rather and "introduce and payoff" structure. Unfortunately when there's no development, the payoff means very little.

    Again, I don't like to harp on passion projects with limited budgets and resources. You can tell there is real passion and I would be interested in this creator's future projects. I simply have to categorically assess the experience on its own and I just didn't really like it, nor would I recommend it to anyone.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 4 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. PlaySense
    Dec 17, 2018
    65
    The First Tree hits and misses; hits in terms of story and soundtrack, misses as far as the clumsy controls, useless puzzles and messy technical aspects are concerned.
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  2. PlayStation Universe
    Dec 9, 2018
    95
    The First Tree is an exceptional story of loss and regret. The achievement by the game's one developer, David Whele, cannot be understated. The combination of all the elements of this experience creates one of the most memorable games this year. If you enjoy narrative adventure games then The First Tree is more than worth the two-to-three hours it takes to beat it.
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  3. Push Square
    Dec 8, 2018
    80
    Everything aside from the story is simplistic, but it doesn’t matter if the puzzles are non-existent or that the graphics are basic, because The First Tree packs an emotional narrative and is a game that every indie fan should play as a result.
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