The loss of my Grandmother still brings me to tears, even years after her death.
I began playing The First Tree knowing that it was going to be an experience dealing with the loss of a close loved one, but I didn’t realize just how much it would affect me.
The First Tree follows a fox mom as she searches for her kits and, at the same time, tells of how a young couple is dealing with the loss of the husband’s (Joseph) father. As you travel through the wilderness, you uncover memory fragments of Joseph’s youth growing up with his father in Alaska.
What helps this game stand out from other Indie titles is that it doesn’t shy away from the topic of death, instead dealing with this loss with dignity and kindness.
Losing a loved one is probably one of the most difficult situations a person will ever go through. My family has gone through a number of deaths in recent times and seeing all of the encouraging messages from across the world was almost cathartic.
You never stop missing those you’ve lost, but you will always carry a piece of them with you to remember them by.
I’m a sucker for a good soundtrack and this one is absolutely magical, enhancing the ever changing feelings of loss, hope, longing, and finally acceptance. The music in this game had me tearing up more than once.
The controls for the game were easy to grasp and I was quickly racing through each level, jumping to catch butterflies, trotting across grassland and through forests, and generally gallivanting around just to see the gorgeous scenery.
Stats (for nerds):
Title: The First Tree
Developer: David Wehle
Genre: Adventure, Third person
Platform: PS4
Rating: ★★★★★
Meandering Michelle 