Rating
The First Tree
A beautiful, 3rd-person exploration game centered around two parallel stories: a fox trying to find her missing family, and a young couple dealing with a tragedy in their own. Uncover artifacts from the young couple's life as they too become intertwined in the fox's journey towards The First Tree.
Details
- Released
- September 13, 2017
- Developer
- David Wehle
- Publisher
- David Wehle
Similar Games
The First Tree Reviews
Professional reviews from gaming critics
An incredible passion project eschewing video game norms and wearing its heart proudly on its sleeve, The First Tree is a masterfully executed work of art and storytelling showcasing the harsh realities of life even in the face of beautiful surroundings.
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.
The First Tree is a one-man indie project, so, perhaps some lack of polish is to be expected. However, looking at it as a full package, it does have enough areas that could well benefit from improvement. The fox’s movement and tendency to get stuck on certain surfaces, the areas feeling a little too empty, the occasional loss of sense of direction; I found myself bumping into these things a little too often. The visuals are of variable quality throughout, while outside of the moments when the soundtrack actually plays, the atmosphere isn’t particularly engulfing either. As far as the story tol...
The First Tree only lasts about 2 hours and is essentially a walking sim through a handful of gorgeous settings with bits of narrative threaded throughout. That being said, the ending truly is something special, and if you choose to get this game in the future, I’d recommend enduring through the rough narration and reaching the finale. The finale is worth it.
If you’re a fan of meditative adventures such as the likes of Firewatch et al, then there’s some enjoyment to be had in The First Tree. You’re unlikely to get emotionally invested, but its vulpine protagonist and charming visuals may be enough to keep you interested through its short running time.
And sure, yes, no matter how blandly ordinary our childhoods might have been (and goodness knows mine was) we all come away from the loss of a parent with regrets, of unspoken words, of unresolved histories. I'd love to have played a game that tried to explore that rocky landscape, with some nuance, some introspection, and most of all, with some humility. This is not that game.