30 November 2025

If I Could Only Play 1 Game This Holiday Season, It Would Be This Gem

By newsgame

With the holidays on the horizon and game releases slowing down, it’s time to play catch-up. There’s something special about clearing out your backlog of the titles you missed out on earlier in the year, especially those that you picked up at a steep discount. There are a lot of different games that I’d recommend playing during the holiday season, from the GOTY-nominated Clair Obscur to the endlessly addictive Ball x Pit, but if I only had the time to play one game this holiday season, it would be The Roottrees are Dead.

I would imagine a lot of you are wondering what exactly The Roottrees are Dead is. If you do know the game, then you can help me spread the word about this gem of a game. For those who have played Roottrees, I’ve included a few additional recommendations at the bottom of the post. These are games that I became obsessed with at various times throughout the year that are not the obvious picks, like Hollow Knight or ARC Raiders.

What is The Roottrees are Dead?

The Roottrees are Dead is a mystery, puzzle-solving game where you are piecing together a family tree. After the deaths of the last remaining members of the Roottree family, your goal is to use different pieces of media to figure out who is who within the immediate and extended family. At first, it just seems like you are merely trying to put names to faces, but eventually, bigger mysteries begin to present themselves. As the game progresses, you learn that the Roottree family empire is on shaky ground.

The Roottrees are Dead steam trailer screenshot newspaper

The game requires a fair bit of thought, but the game is great about providing helpful clues along the way. There is even a hint system that will first nudge you in the direction of a clue, before spelling it out for you.

Why The Roottrees are Dead is a Great Holiday Catch-Up Game

I should clarify that The Roottrees are Dead is a perfect holiday game, not because it is the best game I played in 2025, but because it has a little bit of everything. It offers a great communal experience if you have family visiting for the holidays or your live-in family members happen to be around while you’re gaming. It’s a great game that you can jump into for just a few minutes, make some progress, and then get back to a family activity or preparing a nice meal. And finally, The Roottrees are Dead is meaty enough that it will keep you occupied for a good long while, especially if you want to complete the “full story.”

I loved playing The Roottrees are Dead with my wife because it offered us an opportunity to unwind at the end of the day with a game that wasn’t mechanically demanding. She could read the different clues and make suggestions, and I could do all the menu navigation. You rarely get the opportunity to play a game together when your partner isn’t interested in games, but The Roottrees are Dead fit the bill perfectly.

I could also see The Roottrees are Dead being a fantastic game to play with a group. The more people putting their heads together to solve the mystery, the better, in my opinion. I wouldn’t say that 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 The Roottrees are Dead, both because it was an enjoyable experience the whole way through that I got to experience with my partner, and because it’s a unique game that does things a little differently from a lot of titles out there. If you’re looking for something to sink your teeth into this holiday, I highly recommend The Roottrees are Dead.

Other Game Recommendations for the Holiday Season

For those who already know how great The Roottrees are Dead is, or maybe even if the game didn’t vibe with you, there are a few other titles that I think are special and would be great to jump into this holiday.

Absolum: There have been a lot of great roguelites this year, and Absolum puts a really fun beat-em-up twist on the sub genre.
Gigasword: A metroidvania throwback to the retro gaming era that plays with the idea of carrying around a big sword that’s too heavy to easily maneuver.
Time Flies: How many tasks can you accomplish in the incredibly short lifespan of a common fly.
Shotgun Cop Man: Such a funny platformer that’s fast-paced and uses the momentum of weapons to traverse the levels and eliminate baddies.
Wanderstop: A meditation on one’s place in the world that also has you making tea for strangers.

Boro and Alta sitting next to each other in Wanderstop

I had a great time with many of the big, triple-A releases from 2025, and many of them will make my top 10 list for the year, but I always love seeking out a game that does something a little different. Gaming can explore so many subject matters through a variety of lenses, and the experiences can be familiar or brand new. The Roottrees are Dead has a lot in common with puzzle/mystery games that have come before it, but it 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.