The Roottrees are Dead in IOS

A Genealogical Mystery

Walkthrough, Guilds, Tips on this special game

Our Site Score

93/100

The Roottrees Are Dead is a true masterpiece of modern investigative gaming. Taking obvious inspiration from *Return of the Obra Dinn*, it replaces maritime tragedies with a brilliantly written 1990s corporate and family soap opera. Searching through fake late-90s web pages and cross-referencing subtle details in family photos makes you feel like a genuine detective.

The game respects the player's intelligence. There are no hand-holding objective markers; success depends entirely on your note-taking and logical connections. When a stubborn branch of the family tree finally clicks into place after hours of cross-referencing, the rush of satisfaction is matched by very few games. It is an absolute must-play for mystery fans.

Reviewed on: Fri Nov 06 2026
Dinsun Avatar

Dinsun Review

Every once in a while, a mystery game comes along that reminds you what genuine investigative deduction feels like without resorting to glowing quest markers or hand-holding tutorials. The Roottrees Are Dead is an absolute triumph of environmental storytelling and logical puzzle design. I spent hours cross-referencing archival documents, piecing together a tangled family tree, and digging through corporate records on my device. It demands real attention to detail, rewarding you only when your own deductive reasoning clicks into place. If you have the patience for authentic investigative work, this is easily one of the sharpest puzzle games released in years.

Overall Stats

Pros & Cons

  • Brilliant, deeply rewarding investigative puzzle design
  • Immersive archival documentation and compelling mystery narrative
  • Zero hand-holding; true player deduction required
  • Can lead to frustrating dead ends for players lacking patience
  • Interface on mobile screens requires careful navigation of documents

Technical Report

Performance: Stellar mobile port performance with smooth document zooming and text rendering.

Accessibility:
  • Subtitles

Audience Fit

Buy if: Fans of hardcore detective games, logical deduction puzzles, and deep narrative mysteries like Return of the Obra Dinn.

Skip if: Players who prefer fast-paced action, linear markers, and instant gratification without reading documents.

Similar Games:
  • Return of the Obra Dinn
  • Case of the Golden Idol
  • Her Story

Reviewer Context

  • Reviewer: Dinsun
  • Hardware: iPhone
  • Playtime: 8 hours
  • Status: Solved the main family mystery

The Game

Available on: iPhone, iPad, iPod

Version 1.0.11Wed Nov 04 2026

Optimized touch controls for text selection.



Requires iOS 15.6 or later. Compatible with iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE (2nd generation), iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone SE (3rd generation), iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16e, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17e, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone Duo, iPad Pro (11‑inch), iPad Pro (11‑inch) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro (12.9‑inch) (3rd generation), iPad Pro (12.9‑inch) (3rd generation) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad mini (5th generation), iPad mini (5th generation) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad Air (3rd generation) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro (11‑inch) (2nd generation), iPad Pro (11‑inch) (2nd generation) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro (12.9‑inch) (4th generation), iPad Pro (12.9‑inch) (4th generation) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad Air (4th generation), iPad Air (4th generation) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad (8th generation), iPad (8th generation) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro (11-inch) (3rd generation), iPad Pro (11-inch) (3rd generation) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro (12.9-inch) (5th generation), iPad Pro (12.9-inch) (5th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini (6th generation), iPad mini (6th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad (9th generation), iPad (9th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air (5th generation), iPad Air (5th generation) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad (10th generation), iPad (10th generation) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro (11‑inch) (4th generation), iPad Pro (11‑inch) (4th generation) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro (12.9‑inch) (6th generation), iPad Pro (12.9‑inch) (6th generation) Wi‑Fi + Cellular, iPad Air 11-inch (M2), iPad Air 11-inch (M2) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air 13-inch (M2), iPad Air 13-inch (M2) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 11-inch (M4), iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 13-inch (M4), iPad Pro 13-inch (M4) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini (A17 Pro), iPad mini (A17 Pro) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad (A16), iPad (A16) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air 11-inch (M3), iPad Air 11-inch (M3) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air 13-inch (M3), iPad Air 13-inch (M3) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 11-inch (M5), iPad Pro 11-inch (M5) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 13-inch (M5), iPad Pro 13-inch (M5) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air 11-inch (M4), iPad Air 11-inch (M4) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air 13-inch (M4), iPad Air 13-inch (M4) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini (A20 Pro), and iPad mini (A20 Pro) Wi-Fi + Cellular.

The year is 1998. A private jet belonging to the Roottree Corporation has crashed. On board were the Roottree Sisters and their parents. Together, they were worth over a billion dollars.

Now, due to the eccentric wishes of their great-great-grandfather Elias, their money must be redistributed among the remaining members of the family. But who’s actually a BLOOD RELATIVE?

That’s where you come in.

SCOUR THE EARLY INTERNET

Armed with a dial-up modem, search through photographs, books, articles, and other evidence to uncover names, faces, dates, and connections.

CHASE DOWN EVERY LEAD

Follow every clue and cross-reference your findings. One discovery may unlock another, revealing forgotten relatives, hidden relationships, and new branches of the family.

RECONSTRUCT THE FAMILY TREE

Place each person where they belong. Every correct deduction narrows the field—but the closer you get to the truth, the more elusive and cryptic the clues become.

TRUST YOUR REASONING

Read closely, connect the dots, and solve a layered mystery through puzzle-solving, observation, and deduction. Few things feel better than watching the final pieces fall into place.

The Roottrees are Dead is a genealogical mystery set in 1998: quiet detective work, a tangled inheritance, and a family full of secrets.

Can you complete the Roottree family tree?

Contact Us: support.m@indieark.com


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Ratings & Reviews

3 out of 5 with 2 Counts
★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★★
Age Rating 16+

Screenshots

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The Roottrees Are Dead is an acclaimed detective deduction game set in the late 1990s. Following the mysterious disappearance of three wealthy brothers in a plane crash, players are hired to verify legitimate heirs to the vast Roottree fortune. Armed with an early-era search engine, archived documents, photos, and personal notes, players must piece together names, faces, and relationships across several generations of an eccentric family tree. Fans of *Return of the Obra Dinn* and *Her Story* will find an immersive narrative puzzle.

Features

1

Deep, non-linear investigative gameplay rewarding logical deduction

2

Nostalgic 1990s internet research interface aesthetic

3

Over 50 family members to identify across multiple generations

4

Richly detailed lore, news articles, photos, and corporate records

5

Built-in notebook system for cross-referencing clues

Recommended Links

App Store Page

Official App Store listing for The Roottrees Are Dead.

Store

News on this game

The Roottrees are Dead has you investigating a complex family tree with 90s technology  Pocket Gamer

Pocket Gamer - Fri Nov 06 2026

The Roottrees Are Dead Now On Mobile  Gamer Matters

Gamer Matters - Fri Nov 06 2026

The Roottrees are Dead Is a Mystery Game About Untangling a Billion-Dollar Family Mess  Droid Gamers

Droid Gamers - Thu Nov 05 2026

The Roottrees Are Dead confirms global launch on December 5th at The Mobile Premiere 2026  GamingonPhone

GamingonPhone - Fri Oct 30 2026

The Roottrees are Dead opens pre-registration on mobile for its family detective puzzle mystery experience  GamingonPhone

GamingonPhone - Fri Sep 25 2026

Web-sleuthing mystery The Roottrees are Dead opens pre-registration ahead of November mobile launch  Pocket Gamer

Pocket Gamer - Thu Sep 24 2026

Best Investigation Indie Games to Play If You Like Golden Idol  80 Level

80 Level - Fri Aug 28 2026

The Incident at Galley House Review: Specters of the Past  The Punished Backlog

The Punished Backlog - Tue Jul 28 2026

How Evil Trout aims to turn a cult free game into a Steam hit – again  GamesIndustry.biz

GamesIndustry.biz - Tue Jul 14 2026

2026’s best murder mystery game just officially released on Steam  Polygon.com

Polygon.com - Tue Jul 14 2026

Gameplays

Q&A

No, the game allows you to test hypotheses freely, validating progress whenever you correctly identify a group of individuals.

More by Developer

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PolyPine
Last Update: Thu Jan 29 2026

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