The First Tree

A heartfelt, often pretty, but really quite mediocre "walking simulator" game.

Levels are sprawling and repetitive and do a poor job at telling you where you to go. Which would be OK if getting lost would lead to delightful discoveries, but it almost never does. Symbolically, the very end of the game, which is supposed to feel like a linear-ish cutscene, is almost comically frustrating. Imagine being told to "walk to the light" by a benevolent creator spirit but then getting stuck in the underbrush and having to backtrack. That's pretty much the whole experience of The First Tree.

As many people have pointed out, the controls are quite poor. The fox steers like a boat, and there's an absurd ability to double-jump which feels ridiculously out of place. Thus, the "walking" aspect of the game, which should be its central mechanic, is more annoying than captivating.

There's also a silly collection game going on inside, which is unrelated to the story and really unrelated to anything at all. If it's supposed to encourage you to explore more, well, there's nothing to be found other than these collectibles themselves.

The dialog and voice acting move from touching sincerity to superficial platitudes. I think I was supposed to cry at the end, but instead I rolled my eyes.

I'm glad other people found this game inspiring. I'm also glad that it brought attention to indie games and to walking simulator games in particular. David Wehle did a great job at promoting his first-ever major work. I especially hope it leads to recognition for other indie developers working in this genre, such as the prolific Tonguç Bodur.