Released in Early Access on PC on January 24, 2024, Roots of Yggdrasil is a city-building game of roguelike. In development by Quebec studio Manavoid Entertainment, the title is already in good shape, notably with the participation of players who contributed to its Kickstarter. I’ve been playing it for a few weeks on Steam Deck and here are my impressions!
Rebuilding after Ragnarök
Roots of Yggdrasil launches us on a quest to restore the Nine Realms after the destruction caused by Ragnarök. The idea is to revive the Yggdrasil World Tree by growing its roots so that they can take root and breathe life into it.
Our base is Holt where we rebuild colonies and our team prepares. We will improve the places which will provide us with the tools necessary for our expedition. Each trip launches a loop that takes us to the islands where the resources to collect for the clan are located.
An eye-catching achievement
The way the game is designed makes the experience quite addictive. Developed procedurally, each loop has many surprises in store for us. Even when visiting similar places, the way the terrain unfolds changes all the time. The events caused are also random.
Playing with the cards handed to us, each turn must be well planned. If at the beginning I went a little gropingly, I ended up establishing my strategy and planning my moves. The objective is to make the trees supplying energy to my ship bloom in order to continue exploration on the next island. Ultimately, I must go to the highest branch of Yggdrasil.
Collecting resources for Yggdrasil is a dangerous gamex
Each turn, the cards we have in hand are reshuffled, but that’s not all. On the ground, we must be vigilant about what is happening there. Some people will help us, others will attack us. We must watch our money, the forces in place and people must have enough houses and other buildings to ensure their survival.
At the same time, not only does the Ginnungagap threaten to engulf us, but disasters can strike at any time. Moreover, the most recent update brought in the fires. When our houses are on fire, a nearby fire station will put it out. Otherwise after three turns, they will be destroyed. Note that with a wooden ship, let’s say that it too is flammable if it is near the homes concerned. I say it like this…
This update also adds cards to our deck offering a greater variety of possible actions. Chance is part of it but by thinking about my games in advance, I could plan what I could get thanks for example to my observation tower, the objectives completed or the random encounters of the crossed challenges during a game.
We also invite you to discover our test of the previous Manavoid game entitled Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan.
Roots of Yggdrasil is off to a great start
Although I’m currently playing an early access version, Roots of Yggdrasil is off to a great start. Manavoid Entertainment shares information regularly on the updates made and the work being done on the game. In addition, we have access to a version entirely available in French. It promises for the future, but it is already very entertaining for fans of the genre.
