If I could only play 1 game this holiday season, it would be this gem

With the holidays on the horizon and game releases slowing down, it's time to play. There's something special about clearing out your backlog of titles you missed out on at the start of the year, especially ones you picked up at a deep discount. There are many different games that I would recommend playing during the holidays, from the GOTY nominees Clair Obscuro to endlessly addictive Ball x Pitbut if i only had time to play one game over the holidays this would be it Roottrees are dead.

I can imagine many of you are wondering what exactly Roottrees are dead is. If you know the game, please help me spread the word about this gem of a game. For those who played Root treesI've included a few more recommendations at the bottom of the post. They're games I've become obsessed with at different times of the year that aren't obvious, like Hollow Knight or ARC Raiders.

What is The Roottrees are Dead?

Roottrees are dead is a mysterious family tree puzzle game. After the death of the last remaining members of the Roottree family, your goal is to use various media to find out who is who in the immediate and extended family. At first it seems like you're just trying to name faces, but eventually bigger mysteries begin to emerge. As the game progresses, you learn that the Roottree family empire is on shaky foundations.

The Roottrees are Dead steam trailer screenshot newspaper

The game requires a bit of thought, but the game is great at providing helpful hints along the way. There's even a hint system that first nudges you in the direction of the clue before spelling it out for you.

Why The Roottrees are Dead is a great game to catch up on the holidays

I should clarify that Roottrees are dead is the perfect holiday game, not because it's the best game I've played in 2025, but because it has a little bit of everything. It makes for a great shared experience if you have family visiting during the holidays or if your living family members happen to be playing. It's a great game to jump into for just a few minutes, make some progress, and then get back to doing a family activity or making a good meal. and finally, Roottrees are dead it's meaty enough to keep you entertained for a long time, especially if you want to finish the “full story”.

I loved acting Roottrees are dead with my wife because it offered us a chance to wind down at the end of the day with a game that wasn't mechanically demanding. She could read different clues and suggest, and I could do the whole menu navigation. You rarely get the chance to play a game together when your partner isn't interested in games, but Roottrees are dead fits the bill perfectly.

I could see too Roottrees are dead it's a fantastic game to play with a group. The more people who put their heads together to solve the mystery, the better, in my opinion. I wouldn't say the game is hard, but sometimes the clues don't present themselves as clues at first. You need someone else with a different perspective to say, “Hey, I think that's something.”

I can't say enough good things about it Roottrees are deadbecause it was an enjoyable experience throughout that I got to have with my partner, and because it's a unique game that does things a little differently than a lot of other titles. If you're looking for something to kick off this holiday, I highly recommend it Roottrees are dead.

More gaming recommendations for the holiday season

For those who already know how great Roottrees are dead is, or maybe even if you didn't enjoy the game, there are a few other titles that I think are special and would be great to jump into this vacation.

Absolutely: There have been a lot of great roguelites this year, and Absolum brings a really fun beat-em-up to the sub-genre.
Gigasword: A Metroidvania throwback to the era of retro gaming that plays with the idea of carrying around a large sword that's too heavy to maneuver easily.
Time flies: How many tasks can you accomplish in the incredibly short life of an ordinary fly.
Shotgun cop: Such a fun platformer that is fast paced and uses weapon momentum to traverse levels and take out baddies.
Wanderstop: A meditation on one's place in the world that also makes you want to make tea for strangers.

Boro and Alta are sitting next to each other in Wanderstop

I've had a great time with many of the big, triple-A releases of 2025, and many of them will make my top 10 list for the year, but I always like to look for a game that does something a little different. Gaming can explore so many themes through different lenses, and the experiences can be familiar or completely new. Roottrees are dead has a lot in common with the puzzle/mystery games that came before it, but packages those ideas in a new way. I hope you give it a try this holiday season and if you like it, pass it on to the next person.