The First Tree

I got this game for free a while ago on Epic. I gave it a go because the screenshots looked nice and I thought I'd get a nice little indie experience, but the reality was not quite what I expected. This game is as close to what is best described as a "walking simulator" as it gets. There's so much walking from A to B that this is actually also the first (and only!) game that made me create a macro that kept W pressed W for me, so I didn't have to... The core gameplay mechanic is that you walk around the map looking for "memories" to uncover for the story to be told. In reality, it's as simple as scanning the horizon, finding areas with a huge light column extending toward the sky and walking towards it. You approach the spot, you find a little pile of dirt and you press E to play a story segment. Not all segments are marked, but that's basically all there is to it "gameplay" wise. The graphics are nice and simple, but a lot of items have mis-matched art styles and terrible shaders with overdone bump maps (because the author/dev used a bunch of free Unity assets to build the game, as per his commentary). The grass draw distance leaves something to be desired. The trees repeat...a LOT. At least they could have been rotated a bit... The levels are somewhat large for what it is but, otherwise, empty - you end up walking for a long time just because, with nothing to really do while you're walking. Story? It's a conversation between a guy and his wife, where the guy is talking about his daddy issues. You are essentially listening to a home therapy session, which, I guess, some people might enjoy, but to me and my missis it felt quite bland. There are stars to collect in each level for a total of 150 and they're extremely easy to find if you're an experienced player. They are then used for something at the end of the game. Overall, it's a walking sim with a therapy session built by one guy - nothing more. Maybe worth it for a buck, but not the full asking price.

Let’s get the negative stuff out of the way. There is no proper save game function – every time you exit the game for whatever reason, it wipes your progress on the current level you were on and sets you back at the start of the level. This really sucked for me when I unwittingly realized it, and it almost made me drop the game and watch a YouTube let’s play instead. There is barely any real gameplay (very basic platforming and picking up collectibles to trigger voice-over clips) and everything is slow-paced and dreamlike in order to suit the storytelling style. This is a fine artistic option, but can turn into a real slog when having to replay entire levels because you had to exit the game for whatever reason. That said, there is a lot to appreciate about the game. The visuals are vibrant and dreamy, the music is beautiful (although it can get repetitive if you spend too long on the same level) and the story really struck a nerve. The game was a one-man indie project, and despite some occasional jankiness, you can really tell a lot of heart and passion went into making it. The storytelling is the core of the game; it is subtle, heartfelt, it uses some very striking symbolism, and I found myself really touched and gripped by it. If you enjoy games with little to no gameplay that focus on delivering a personal, thoughtful and emotionally-driven experience, definitely give this a try, especially if you find it on sale! And if you’re interested in indie game development, go ahead and check out the game author's YouTube channel, “Game Dev Unlocked” – very insightful. :)

This visually stunning exploration game intertwines the story of a mother fox seeking to find her cubs and a narrator reflecting on his past and the future that lies ahead. This is not a fast-paced game, and not puzzle-based (with a minor exception); It lives up to its premise as a walking simulator where you uncover narrrative secret as you walk from one beautiful scenery to the next, each presenting with elements that put the story into a broader context. The visuals are amazing, environmental storytelling really engaging, and the music an emotional trip down memory lane as if it were your own. It all corroborates the story so well and makes the game emotionally appealing. With its 2.5 hours playtime, such a game could be expanded to include some more biomes and more challenges, but I would still highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys similar games such as Journey, Spirit of the North, and Lost Ember.

3/5 6/10 One of the best fox games out there, and it definitly beats Spirit of the North. The story is good, and without spoiling too much, makes u wish u had done a lot of things different in ur life while u had the chance. Visuals are good, the music is good, and the voice acting is decent. Excellent job for a 1 man team! I have 2 things to mention that I didnt like: One was the vast spaces to run around in. Why do all fox 'sim' games have this lol. If u dont go for collectables or care to explore but just follow the trails and lights its not that bad, but otherwise man there is a lot of running at the speed u go at. Slight increase in speed would be nice. Its not that bad most of the time tho but in some places, like in one of the last chapters, where u run down the rocks and long road to the next area, it just went on and on for way too long a stretch with nothing but running. The second was the stars u collect. My occ collector brain was going for as many as I could find, and then on entering the last zone I didnt find a way to correctly get across that valley dip to collect the one there and I fell down. There was no way to get bk up to get it, so that was a lot of effort lost because it was not easy to see where to go to it and it was very dark too. Would be nice to have moved that one elsewhere and what else was over on that side there . And after finishing the game there is no option to continue or choose chapter, only new game, so I didnt want to do all that again. Would maybe also have liked a better save system, because each chapter can take a bit if u go explore and collect everything, but it was doable in one sitting. (with a lot of tea breaks tho) I loved the ending! It was sad, yes, but not in a way like thats just done in a cruel way to the user, like SotN did with that injury. It drags out a bit with the running in ending but then u realise why when the music really starts and u understand why and get emotional. -Arch Linux EndeavourOS

Walking sim / platformer hybrid with some nice music. Takes about two hours to complete (longer if you try to find all the secrets and orbs). The levels are much bigger than they need to be; a lot of time is spent running across terrain that is otherwise devoid of gameplay. Graphics are nice (Unity). Story is sad, but good, though it takes a while to tell b/c of the size of the levels. One annoyance: the male narrator is mic'd too close, resulting in some lip-smacking / clicky enunciation. Otherwise, a short, relaxing time. 6/10