“Rooted: A Plant’s Tale” Checkpoint 1 – Individual Component

As a recap, our game revolves around a seedling whose growth is stunted and is lost of their purpose in the world, traveling around to find this purpose.

Possible directions our game could take:

The seedling is wandering to find a forest of spirits and is being “chased” (narratively) by a giant of man: the lumberjack. Gameplay is a platformer with specific levels and puzzles involving the seedling. The seedling slowly grows into a magical tree and gains power as the player progresses. In the end, in a shocking twist, the lumberjack catches the protagonist, only to bring them to the place they were looking for all along.
The seedling explores the mystery of where their family has gone and unlocks the truths of the world–bit by bit–as they progress through ruined forests and fields. They also learn about all types of plants lost to the destruction. They eventually walk through a forest set ablaze which is doused by a rainstorm as the seedling turned sapling progress. The sapling further grows from these experiences into a special type of tree which cannot be cut or burned: the tree of wisdom. More of a Finch-style / “walking simulator” where the narrative unfolds itself before the user with no real threats.
The seedling lives peacefully on a sun farm, and wonders why they have yet to grow. The seedling’s parents reveal that the seedling is adopted and they don’t know why the seedling has yet to even sprout. They get so much water and sun, so the seedling feels bad, whilst the parents remain reassuring that the seedling must just be a late bloomer and is destined for greatness. The game takes place as a light-hearted detective/mystery game where each fragment of history causing growth in the seedling.

Moodboard:

(Hollow Knight)

Hollow Knight on Steam