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The First Tree similar games & best alternatives

The First Tree

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, Nintendo Switch, Linux • 2017

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Quick resume

A beautiful, 3rd-person exploration game centered around two parallel stories: a fox trying to find her missing family, and a son reconnecting with his estranged father in Alaska. Uncover artifacts from the son's life as he becomes intertwined in the fox’s journey towards The First Tree.

Global score

75/100

Genres

Adventure, Indie, Platform, Simulator

Similar games

    Pros

    • Touching and emotional story
    • Beautiful art style and visuals
    • Amazing and fitting soundtrack
    • Relaxing and contemplative atmosphere
    • Unique narrative structure and player message feature

    Cons

    • Simple and clunky gameplay mechanics
    • Some tedious and repetitive exploration
    • Short playtime
    • Lack of save points and chapter select
    • Minor bugs and graphical pop-in issues

    Analysis

    Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Intimacy, Survival, Violence, Competition. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Strategy, Fellowship, Thrill.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      3

      "Players control the fox freely exploring large semi-open levels with some light platforming and item collection, allowing personal pacing and decision on exploration."

    • Competence
      -2

      "Gameplay is simple and straightforward with minimal challenge; controls and jumping mechanics are basic and sometimes clunky, requiring little skill."

    • Competition
      -5

      "No competitive elements or comparison to others; focus is on personal experience and narrative."

    • Continuation
      1

      "Short playtime and some tedious sections may limit long sessions, but emotional impact and atmosphere encourage replay for story and achievements."

    • Cooperation
      -5

      "Entirely single-player experience with no cooperative or multiplayer elements."

    • Creativity
      4

      "Unique narrative structure combining two parallel stories and player-created messages; artistic visual style and atmospheric design."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No elements of dominance or superiority; interactions are solitary and respectful."

    • Escapism
      5

      "Strongly designed to provide emotional escape and reflection, helping players cope with real-life issues and stress."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily for intrinsic interest in story and atmosphere, not out of obligation."

    • Experimenting
      1

      "Some exploration and discovery of hidden items and story elements, but gameplay mechanics are simple and repetitive."

    • Exploration
      4

      "Encourages discovering new areas, secrets, and collectibles across varied biomes and dreamlike landscapes."

    • Expression
      3

      "Players can compose a personal message at the end, which is shared with others, allowing self-expression within the narrative."

    • Fantasy
      3

      "The game blends realistic emotional themes with a dreamlike, surreal narrative featuring a fox and symbolic storytelling."

    • Fellowship
      -5

      "No social or community features; experience is solitary and introspective."

    • Growth
      2

      "Players gain insight into the story and characters, with some personal reflection and emotional growth encouraged."

    • Health
      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay without physical activity or health-related mechanics."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention to explore and follow story; some players find pacing slow but not background or casual play."

    • Intimacy
      4

      "Emotional narrative and voice acting foster close connection to characters and themes of family and loss."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or group management elements; purely single-player experience."

    • Progression
      1

      "Progression through story and collectibles, but no complex item upgrades or power accumulation."

    • Relaxation
      4

      "Calm, soothing atmosphere with gentle music and slow pacing promotes relaxation and emotional flow."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Visually pleasing art style and evocative soundtrack provide sensory enjoyment and emotional stimulation."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social recognition or status systems; focus is on personal experience."

    • Story
      5

      "Central to the game; deeply emotional, well-narrated story with strong narrative immersion."

    • Strategy
      -4

      "Minimal strategic or problem-solving elements; gameplay is straightforward and linear."

    • Thrill
      -4

      "Low risk and suspense; experience is controlled and contemplative rather than thrilling."

    • Value
      2

      "Generally considered good value for a short, emotional experience, especially on sale; some feel full price is high for length."

    • Violence
      -5

      "No violent or destructive gameplay; focus on exploration and narrative."

    • Survival
      -5

      "No survival or threat mechanics; stable and safe environment."

    Where to buy

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    Last update: 29/04/2026