The First Tree

beautiful story <3 playing this late night in my room was such a vibe. The last message made me cry xD

Never have I shed a tear before while gaming. But this ending got me good, the story resonated personally. The game didn't really get me until the end, but it's definitely worth a shot. Would recommend to play it uninterrupted and listen to the stories in the right environment.

This is not a good game. Poor game design is "justified" by artistic ambition, but its not good art either. Its really just the authors egotrip told through his dialogue with his wife full of unnatural questions and bad voiceacting. The result is rather awkward.

Bought this game to play at the end of the day to chill out, but I'm also always looking for a good story along with it, and this game definitely delivered. It's a fairly short game, but it packs a punch. I only have one small complaint, and that's the fact that the game doesn't clearly mark when it's about to move you to the next section of the game and you can't go back to where you were. There were a couple of times I was exploring the landscape and accidentally progressed to the next section before I was finished exploring the section I was in. But that's all I had an issue with. I loved the vibe and the story and could see myself playing through again and again. Great to check out if you're looking for the same kinds of things (short, chill, great story). Definitely recommend.

A good story well-told. Yes, the physics are a bit jank, but it doesn't matter because the platforming is very light and not the point anyway. You've here for the vibes and the vibes are good. A peaceful memento mori.

Yeah at first i played this just , because i like cute fox games . And this game got me into walking simulators as this was first real walking simulator i ever played . And i played this in the past only to get all achievements and i played this like 6 times first few times i didn't really like this game and did it only for achievements . But when i replayed it 4 more times years later i really got immersed in this game and really enjoyed it a lot it has good and beautiful visuals , good enough story , sad and wholesome , hearthwhelming ending too . And it has good soundtrack definetely a good game to relax to after a long and hard day . And it really almoast make me cry at the ending first time played through it . It's a beautiful cute little story . And it has some easter eggs which are also 2 achievements which is interesting . And the message in the end is interesting feature that the ending message in the end is what players wrote which is creative . And this game even has second 100 % completion ending which is also nice and rewarding . So yeah not the best , but also not the worst walking simulator . Walking over big distances is long though in this game . It has some bugs and glitches and you can skip many parts of game which is funny and fun . And as it turns out this game wasn't as hard to perfect game 100 % as i thought years ago . So yeah idk 7 / 10 .

I've played this game 3 times over 6 years, its such a lovely and sad story. I loved playing it each time and I love that players can write each others notes under the guise of the mother fox leaving a message to her dead cubs. I've received others messages 3 times and each time they were heartwarming. It isn't a long game but it you have patience and enjoy a calm narrative driven story, you will enjoy this game.

A short, simple, and sweet story.

This journey is made emotional by the dreamy environments and touching soundtrack. However, the gameplay is - unfortunately - uninspiring, and only because of that, the memory of playing The First Tree was a forgettable one.

not sure, if a "game" is the right medium to talk about your personal childhood problems and grief. maybe try an audiobook or podcast next time instead.

i cried. good game

THE WRITER HAD ME ALMOST CRYING OVER A FOX AND HER CUBS.

I hoped to enjoy this game, but awkward platforming controls, very limited gameplay mechanics, and a generally dull experience ultimately stopped me from doing so.

:)

Pros:

Cons:

I really took a lot of effort to enjoy this game.. but this was ultimately hard. After a while I started to yawn every few minutes because of the boredom. I only completed the game because it was quite short (and I am patient I guess)

• The story maybe would be interesing but the bad voice acting, lack of emotions doesn't help at all. It sounds like you bought quality mic and recorded the dialogues on discord call or something. It just feels so flat. You can't make the story intersting only by playing piano music and saying some sad lines.
  
• Terrible controls and walking mechanics. The dev even admitted in commentary mode he doesn't have the skills to make it right.
  
• The visuals are... just ok. Sure you can screenshot some nice views. But you can also notice: stretched and repetetive textures, copy-paste trees, trees are doing weird flips as you move away from them.
  
[*]The environment can be stunning sometimes but overall... is pretty dull. There's a lot of empty space. Totally not enjoyable for a walking simulator game.

made me cry

I'll start off by saying that I don't hate this game. It sat in my library for years, I don't even remember buying it... I think it was free at one point when it was in development and I added it to my library. I decided to play it when I was feeling lazy on a Saturday night and I have to say that my feelings are mixed.

THE GOOD:
The visuals in this game are done quite well. I especially like the ending (I think its the ending...?) where you are at the house and you can see the mountains all around you with a gorgeous sky-box. I've spent lots of time in the mountains IRL and the game does a great job at capturing the vastness of the terrain and it makes you feel small the way that mountains should. Not many games capture that feeling as good as this one.

THE BAD:
This game is a story/walking simulator with some great visuals and a philosophical take on life and death. However the way the game-play is structured causes the delivery of the story to be confusing and even un-enjoyable at times. You are placed in the middle of an open world playing as a fox and you wander the world searching for objectives. Collecting these objectives rewards you with a snippet of the story(s) described in the games synopsis. However the exploration in this game is super non-linear and it is possible to pick up these objectives out of order and receive pieces of the story without context. Oftentimes I found myself not sure where I should be going or needing to backtrack several minutes across the map to pick up a snippet of the story I missed. At times like this, playing this game felt like a chore. Walking around an open world hoping that you find every snippet of the story in the correct chronological order is not very fun, especially not if you miss one. A story should be told in a linear fashion, and trying to mix something linear with something as non-linear as an open world is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. The BEST and most enjoyable part is when Rachel is telling her story and you are following the deer across the water. It's GOOD because you are heading in a DEFINITE direction and the story is being told in ORDER which is almost the polar opposite of how the rest of the story was delivered leading up to that point.

TLDR: This game is only OKAY and could be much better if the delivery of the story is improved. Buy it when you're bored and it's on sale.

EDIT: Just realised I did not get the achievement for finishing the game so the house in the mountains that I thought was the ending is in fact NOT the last area. I'm not sure where I am supposed to go.

I burst into tears more than once while playing this game. It was so so well made. No frills, no fuss, just a beautiful story put against a beautiful experience. Absolutely worth the money and the time.

I have never experienced something like this. VERY RECOMMENDED

This is a very pretty, chill game with a nice story. I wish the there was a sprint option in addition to run, sometimes the vast amount of land you need to cover is fusterating. Also there seemed to be a weird glitch trying to "activate" the stones in one level, took too many tries. besides that no complaints, would recommend overall.

From the creator of Home is Where One Starts… comes The First Tree, a third-person exploration game centered around two parallel stories: a fox trying to find her missing family, and a son reconnecting with his father in Alaska. Players take control of the fox on a poignant and beautiful journey that crescendos at the source of life, and perhaps result in an understanding of death. Along the way, players can uncover artifacts and stories from the son's life as he becomes intertwined in the fox’s journey towards The First Tree.

The First Tree is a visually enchanting journey that proves you don't need photorealistic graphics to create something beautiful. The papercraft-inspired art style, with its stunning landscapes and thoughtful use of color, creates an almost dreamlike atmosphere. The way sunlight filters through the stylized trees and the graceful movements of the fox against the vibrant environments made me stop multiple times just to take in the scenery.

What truly elevates this game is its deeply moving narrative that weaves together two parallel stories - a fox searching for her cubs and a son reflecting on his relationship with his father. The way these tales intertwine is masterfully done, with excellent voice acting that brings genuine emotion to every moment. Developer David Wehle has created something truly special here, turning personal loss and love into a universal story that resonates long after the credits roll. While it's a relatively short experience, it's one that deserves to be savored. Recommended for anyone looking for a meaningful, contemplative gaming experience.

This is a SUPER quick game, only took me a couple hours to finish the whole thing. It may not be very in-depth from a gameplay perspective, but it is a pretty peaceful little trek as a fox, and the art style is lovely. If you're looking for a simple, aesthetically pleasing experience, this is for you.

This is not a FPS game and should not be thought of as one. This is a game that works with emotion and storytelling to allow you to imagine life, love, and the experiences that go with it, in a simple way. There isn't much guidance, since life doesn't have a guidebook, yet you find your way. Describe your own experiences along with the story, weave your life's tale, and learn that everyone has problems, big and small.

Nice game, but a little boring.

Boring. Didn't empatize with the narrated story. Very, very beautifull scenery, but controls are clanky and together with the sad voice narration are annoying. However, if you like simple, sappy stories, you may like it.

1. Barely a game.
2. This could have been a therapy session of someone coping with the guilt of a strained father-son relationship, but decided to turn it into a "game" and torture Us all.
3. I want my money back. Not becase I need it, I really don't. Is out of principle.
4. Fuck this game, and fuck whoever recommended it to me.

A beautiful game, with a lot of deeper meanings behind it. The music is incredible too. I only wish it was a little longer!

A simple, yet emotional game. I had the luck to play it in a difficult period of my father, and it made me to emerge more to it. I recommend to enable commentary, it makes the experience much much better!!
It worths !!

Very emotional in narrative, story, visuals and soundtrack.

I bought this game shortly after its release, and I have to say, there are now so many more polished games out there. Still, it gave me a lot of memorable moments. However, I encountered some bugs, and the game guidance could use a bit more work

Disclaimer: I didn't write this review, a friend of mine did after having played it on my account. However, I do agree with it.


I so badly want to press thumbs up on this game. I really do. You can tell that the developer has poured his soul into this game, like literally. There are so many emotions in the story. I'm guessing he's telling a story about his own life, and he's a really good story teller.

The game is about a fox trying to find her two pups. That context is set in the beginning, but throughout the entire game there's nothing to remind you of that. You forget about it until the very end of the game.

Throughout the entire game there's a narrator telling a story about his childhood and his relationship with his father. The story is truly moving and, as a first-time father myself, he's talking about things I've thought about myself: What kind of father do I want to be? I keep wanting to hear more. You'll hear parts of the story automatically at certain checkpoints, but there are also optional sites where you can dig up items that unlock more of the story. The narrated father-son story feels like the main purpose of the game, which makes it weird that most of that story is optional.

The gameplay is very, very simple. You run around and jump. That's it. There are stars to collect which are purely for achievement purposes. Some of the stars require a bit of platforming to reach, but that part of the game feels awkward. My girlfriend walked into the room during one of those sequences, saw the game and, without hearing any of my opinions first, said out loud: "Those animations looks clunky".

The environments are really beautiful. You can tell he's talented at replicating real world nature. The music is amazing and the sound design is really good. Just running around the maps is very relaxing. The game is divided into multiple maps separated by a loading screen.

The game feels like two half baked games thrown into one. Either he should have created a game about a father-son relationship and found a better metaphor to emphasize that, or he should have created a game about a fox trying to search for her puppies and found a more suitable story for that. I would've rather seen one map that he poured his soul into, because running around the map feels really great. I could see parents letting their kids just roam around a big map as a fox. Remove the platforming altogether.

I loved this game. It was all I would expect from it and something more ( you'll see at the end if you play it especially with Commentary Mode ON ). In my opinion it was good. I liked the story, the atmosphere, the music and the visuals. I recommend playing this game with Commentary Mode switched to ON, in my opinion it makes the story more likeable. I leave this review after completing the game twice, once for the story and the game itself and the second for the achivments. If you buy this game thinking it's an easy perfect game ( 100% achivements ), well... to bad for you cause it isn't without some grind.
It's a walking simulator but it's a very nice walking simulator.

game is dogshit, shouldve refunded when i had the chance.

What can I say, this is abysmal. Goes to show you can hype anything these days. Stay away, awful game.

The First Tree is an evocative, narrative-driven game that takes you on an introspective and contemplative journey through a serene and atmospheric world. The narrative is deeply personal, exploring themes of loss, grief, connections and healing, and perhaps other things as the game allows you to draw your own conclusions at the journey's end. It’s a short experience, typically lasting around 1-2 hours, but is one that will likely resonate with you.

The visuals are rather simple and can admittedly look very rough in some places, but in others they can be quite beautiful with a minimalist style capable of creating a dreamy atmosphere. The soundtrack and sound design are fairly good, matching with the mood and immersion the game is trying to achieve, complimenting the overall experience.

Gameplay is straightforward, focusing on exploration and uncovering memories hidden throughout the environment, occasionally interacting with objects to advance the story or encountering simple platforming challenges. I believe this is ideal as the game aims to be relaxing, and the minimal gameplay serves the narrative well, allowing the emotional story and your own personal meditative peace to take center stage.

Unfortunately, I found the controls to be quite clunky. As such, the game might even become frustrating for some, which is exactly the opposite of what it wants to be. Additionally, I personally found some of the landscape design to be rather poor in that I felt confused about the path I was suppose to follow. I found myself stuck, trying to reach places and go in directions I was not supposed to. Neither of these were detrimental to my enjoyment of the game, but for others it might be enough to ruin the experience.

Overall, this is a heartfelt game with an emotional story that clearly had a lot of love, passion and care put into it. All of that love shines through each moment to create something that I believe is worth experiencing. Also, as a fox enthusiast I must give it a bonus for letting me play as a fox!

I would have loved to run faster or for some areas to be a bit smaller, but besides that it's a great game. Beautiful visuals, wonderful audio and a touching story all packed in one. Best to turn off everything else and just enjoy.

PS: The developer is a super nice dude that I got to meet at gamescom, so I bought the game right afterwards to support him. :)

This is a very personal and touching sad story. And I like it.

But gameplay is very repetitive and boring. Walking simulator in its worst appearance. This is a type of "festival games". Like those art house movies, which I usually don't like. Here is the same - profound philosophical subtext in a strange wrapper. Gameplay spoiled everything and annoyed me.

So, balance was broken for me. I lost the atmosphere.

Probable for walking simulator fans it would be ok. Well, I am not a fan....

But I like foxes... And the story...

But gameplay...

Oh.

Utterly pretentious garbage. Slow, difficult to control, and self-absorbed.

Touching story, pleasant visuals and music, it's very simple but honestly it's an amazing representation of a game and gamedev as art