Exploring the Intricacies of Roots Of Yggdrasil: A Mesmerizing Roguelike Citybuilding Experience

Roots Of Yggdrasil, the latest addition to the roguelike citybuilding genre, has been making waves in the gaming community since its debut at the 2023 Steam Next Fest. With its stunning inkwash visuals and Norse-inspired setting, this game has captured the attention of many, including myself. In this article, we will delve into the intricacies of Roots Of Yggdrasil, exploring its gameplay mechanics, narrative elements, and what sets it apart from other games in the genre.

The fundamental structure of Roots Of Yggdrasil will be familiar to those who have played games like The Banished Vault or Jumplight Odyssey. Your band of Vikings are forever trying to outrun the all-consuming Ginnungagap, the primordial void from Norse myth. The only way to stay ahead of its fatal purple clouds is by briefly touching down on fragmented floating islands and building up settlements. Once you’ve gathered enough power, you can leg it over to the next island and keep on running, all the way up to the top of the Yggdrasil tree.

Each island presents a unique set of challenges, as the landscape becomes increasingly unstable the longer you stay. The timeline bar across the top signals when certain events will start happening, but you don’t know what they’ll be until they occur. These events can range from flooded tiles to thick, nasty brambles that need to be removed, and even storms that gradually cruise across the map, stopping you from building on affected tiles. The aim is to get in and get out before these events start happening, as the Ginnungagap will eventually catch up with you, and it’s game over when it reaches your ship.

The narrative device of being stuck in an endless timeloop is a neat one, and it works well within the setting of Roots Of Yggdrasil. It’s just an excuse to play level after level of its moreish building puzzles. Your goal on each island is to build up your town toward the titular roots, which are often stranded on separate chunks of land from your initial starting position. You can magic up more terrain to help bridge the gaps by accumulating enough Might, which comes from placing specific buildings like a Barracks or Training Ground. New cards are added to your deck by hitting population milestones, but the cost of each new house increases with each one you build, so you’ll need to place down enough supply buildings and maximize their refresh bonuses to keep your economy in check and make the most of your deck.

The order in which you play your cards is important, as you might miss out on vital multipliers otherwise. At the same time, you’ve only got so many supplies you can spend on buildings per turn, and maximizing your hand and keeping your population growing quickly becomes a satisfying juggling act. Best of all, you get to decide where all of your buildings go, as you can drag and drop them onto the map with your mouse and fiddle about with their pixel-perfect locations to get their bonus ranges just right.

The UI has had a major overhaul since the Next Fest demo, making it much easier to see how all your supplies, Might, and Eitr are being replenished each turn. The game’s fundamental structure is familiar, but the freeform, turn-based building systems give you drive and purpose in your construction choices, while also being light and chill. The existential threat nipping at your heels adds just the right amount of tension to keep you engaged.

Story events also crop up randomly on the map, adding an extra frisson of tension to your citybuilding strategising. These events can range from simple tasks to more complex challenges, and they often come with their own rewards. Completing these events can help you unlock new Kinships with your crew members, giving you valuable bonuses and insights into their backstories.

The narrative elements of Roots Of Yggdrasil are a welcome addition to the roguelike citybuilding genre. The game’s Norse-inspired setting is rich in mythology and lore, and the story events help to flesh out the world and its characters. The game’s writing is engaging and immersive, and the voice acting is top-notch. The game’s art style is also a standout feature, with its inkwash visuals and hand-drawn animations creating a unique and visually stunning world.

Roots Of Yggdrasil sets itself apart from other games in the roguelike citybuilding genre with its beautiful visuals, engaging narrative elements, and satisfying gameplay mechanics. The game’s roguelike foundations mesh well with its freeform building systems, giving you a sense of purpose and drive in your construction choices, while also allowing for a level of creativity and freedom. The game’s existential threat adds just the right amount of tension to keep you engaged, and the random story events help to keep the game fresh and exciting.

In conclusion, Roots Of Yggdrasil is a mesmerizing roguelike citybuilding experience that is well worth checking out. With its stunning visuals, engaging narrative elements, and satisfying gameplay mechanics, this game is a must-play for fans of the genre and newcomers alike. So, grab your longboat of magic Vikings and set sail for the floating islands of Yggdrasil, where you’ll find a world rich in mythology, lore, and building puzzles that will keep you hooked for hours on end.