About The Roottrees are Dead
The Roottrees are Dead is a detective game set in 1998 and built around a family tree. A private jet owned by the Roottree Corporation has crashed, killing the Roottree sisters and their parents, and a fortune of more than a billion dollars now has to pass to the rest of the family.
There's a catch, thanks to Elias, the family's eccentric great-great-grandfather: blood relation is what counts. Your job is to work out who truly belongs on the tree. Over an old dial-up connection, you hunt for photos, books, articles and other records, then place names and faces where the evidence says they go.
Every correct spot you fill cuts down the names and photos you still have to place, so the tree gets easier as it grows. You can play The Roottrees are Dead online in this tab with a mouse.
How to Play The Roottrees are Dead
- Watch the opening news report to learn about the crash and the family.
- Click inside the game window first, then use the mouse to browse the evidence and the tree.
- Search for photos, books, articles and other records about family members.
- Use what you find to place each person's name and photo in the correct spot on the tree.
- Work outward from what you're sure of; correct placements shrink the pool of remaining options.
What to Expect in The Roottrees are Dead
The Roottrees are Dead is all about research and deduction. There's no action, only evidence, a growing tree and the satisfaction of proving a hunch with a document you dug up yourself.
The late-90s setting is part of the charm, from the TV news opening to the dial-up research. Despite the plane crash in the setup, it's a clean, family-friendly detective game, with the focus on records and relationships. It began life as a game jam project, and this browser build is that version, so you can try The Roottrees are Dead free right here.
Tips for The Roottrees are Dead
- Start with the people you can confirm from photos and articles, then build out from them.
- Pay attention to surnames and marriages mentioned in articles. They often show who is related by blood and who married in.
- Remember the rule behind the inheritance: being close to the family is not enough, only blood relatives count.
- Keep notes on who you've ruled out. The list of names and photos shrinks as you fill the tree, which makes the last few spots easier.
- When stuck, go back to an earlier source. A caption or a line in a book may connect two branches you thought were separate.
Who Made The Roottrees are Dead
The Roottrees are Dead was made by jjohnstongames, who released it on itch.io. It was made in Unity for Global Game Jam 2023. FunClicker embeds the creator's own version so you can play it here without downloading anything. We did not make the game, and the credit for its design, code, and art belongs to its creator. You can find the original on The Roottrees are Dead page on itch.io.
FAQ
Is The Roottrees are Dead free?
Yes. The Roottrees are Dead is free to play in your browser here, with no download or sign-up. Watch the opening news report and the investigation begins. It's a research game, so give yourself some quiet time to read the evidence properly.
How do you play The Roottrees are Dead?
You research the Roottree family and fill in their family tree. Click into the game window, then use the mouse to look through photos, books, articles and other evidence. Place each name and photo in the right spot on the tree. Every correct placement shrinks the pool of names and photos left to place.
What is the goal in The Roottrees are Dead?
The goal is to work out who in the Roottree family is truly a blood relative, after a plane crash kills the sisters and their parents. A fortune of over a billion dollars depends on it. You prove each relationship with evidence and complete the tree correctly.
When is The Roottrees are Dead set?
The game takes place in 1998. That shapes how you investigate: your research runs over a dial-up connection, and the story opens with a TV news report about the crash. The late-90s details are part of the fun, from the evidence you find to the way you search for it.
Who made The Roottrees are Dead?
The Roottrees are Dead was made by jjohnstongames and released on itch.io. It was built in Unity and started as a Global Game Jam 2023 project, and this browser build is that jam version. FunClicker did not make the game; we embed the creator's own build and link to the original.
Can I play The Roottrees are Dead on a Chromebook or phone?
A Chromebook works well, since this is a point-and-click game that runs in the browser. On a phone it may load, but you'll be reading articles and comparing photos side by side, which is much easier on a bigger screen with a mouse.
Is The Roottrees are Dead unblocked at school?
The Roottrees are Dead runs in an ordinary browser tab, with no download, plugin or account. Whether The Roottrees are Dead unblocked access works on a school or library network depends on that network's filters, which we do not control. If the game loads for you, it plays the same as anywhere else.
Is The Roottrees are Dead family friendly?
Yes, it's a clean detective game. The setup involves a plane crash, but the game itself is about research: reading articles, comparing photos and connecting relatives. The focus stays on records and relationships, which makes it a good pick for teens and adults who enjoy logic puzzles.
