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Root

$14.99
Release Date:
Developer:
Dire Wolf
Publisher:
Dire Wolf
Platforms:
Windows Mac
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About This Game

A game of woodland might and right.


Play the digital adaptation of the beloved tabletop board game. Root is a game of adventure and war where 2 to 4 players battle for control of a vast wilderness.

The nefarious Marquise de Cat has seized the great woodland, intent on harvesting its riches. Under her rule, the many creatures of the forest have banded together. This Alliance will seek to strengthen its resources and subvert the rule of Cats. In this effort, the Alliance may enlist the help of the wandering Vagabonds who are able to move through the more dangerous woodland paths. Though some may sympathize with the Alliance’s hopes and dreams, these wanderers are old enough to remember the great birds of prey who once controlled the woods.

Meanwhile, at the edge of the region, the proud, squabbling Eyrie have found a new commander who they hope will lead their faction to resume their ancient birthright.

The stage is set for a contest that will decide the fate of the great woodland. It is up to the players to decide which group will ultimately take root.



The most recent conquerors of the forest, the Marquise de Cat plays a game of engine building and logistics while policing the vast wilderness. By collecting Wood they are able to build Workshops, Sawmills, and Recruiters to help her score victory points. Marquise de Cat has the largest army in ROOT, but numbers alone won’t be enough to secure the forest...

The Marquise de Cat builds a mighty industrial war machine to subdue the forest. Each time the Marquise builds a Workshop, Sawmill, or Recruiter, you score victory points. The more of the same building she has on the map, the more points scored. However, to fuel ongoing construction, the Marquise must maintain and protect a strong, interconnected economy of Wood. While it may be tempting to overwhelm your opponents with sheer numbers, this leaves you at great risk of spreading yourself too thin and ultimately not being able to keep up.


The Eyrie Dynasties once ruled the wood, before the coming of the Cats. They must retake control by capturing territory and building Roosts before they collapse back into squabbling. The Eyrie are proud and bound to the decrees of their leaders. Each leader brings with them different specialties and advantages. The right leader at the right time could lead you to victory, but the wrong leader could cripple your chances of reclaiming the forest.

During the Evening, the Eyrie score victory points based on the number of roosts on the map. The greater their presence in the Woodlands, the greater their gains. However, the Eyrie are bound by their Decree, an ever-increasing set of mandated actions promised by their leader. Each turn, they must take all of the actions on their Decree, or else fall into turmoil.


The Woodland Alliance doesn’t take kindly to despots - old or new. Marquise, Eyrie, they’re all the same. Only through the will of the people can this wood be ruled! The Woodland Alliance are masters of guerrilla warfare, they begin slowly but can build into a late-game powerhouse - but only if they can manage to subvert the other would-be rulers along the way.

The Woodland Alliance works to gain the sympathy of the various creatures of the forest. Each time the Alliance places a sympathy token, they may score victory points. The more sympathy on the map they have, the more victory points they score. Gaining the sympathy of the people requires supporters. These supporters can also be put toward violent ends, inciting outright rebellion across the forest. When a revolt erupts, the Alliance will establish a base. Bases allow the Alliance to train officers, increasing their military strength and flexibility.


The Vagabond is an adventurer to some, a trader to others, and thief to more, and an all-around scoundrel. As the Vagabond, you will explore all over the map, beyond just it's clearings, into dense woods to find items and ruins. You can trade and lend aid to the warring factions of the forest to help you complete your own secret quests.

The Vagabond plays all sides of the conflict while going on quests to increase his renown throughout the wood. Each time the Vagabond improves their relationship with another faction, or removes a warrior belonging to a faction hostile toward them, the Vagabond scores victory points. You can also complete quests to score victory points. To move and act effectively the Vagabond must manage a pack of items, expand your selection by exploring the forest ruins and providing aid to other factions.

Screenshots

User Reviews

Very Positive
71 user reviews
89%
Positive
5 hrs at review
Recommended

Root is hands down the best asymmetrical board game experience I’ve ever had, and the digital version does an excellent job of capturing what makes it so special. Each faction plays completely differently, which gives the game incredible replayability. While I still prefer the feel of the physical tabletop version, the digital edition is perfect for learning. It does a great job guiding you through the rules and interactions without feeling overwhelming, which is a big deal for a game with this much depth and complexity.

12 helpful
17 hrs at review
Recommended

This is a really well-made digital version of the famous board game. When learning the game with tutorials, it helps to have the cardboard player boards (JPG) visible for reference, otherwise it is easy to miss something. Sometimes the game rulebook (PDF) gives answers to your "Why can't I do this?" questions too. [b]What I like[/b] [list] [*] The complex rules are automated! [*] Online play [*] The official expansions turned into DLCs [*] The original theme is presented nicely [*] The growing orchestra on the start screen [/list] [b]What I wish[/b] [list] [*] Plays with Vagabond faction should have an option to include the widely-used Despot Infamy house rule which balances the faction (and is even endorsed by the designer of the game) [*] There could be more tooltips about meaning of the symbols, and the reason why certain actions are disabled (possibly even references to sections in the Law) [*] An option to change keyboard bindings of WASD/arrows to better meet left-handed player...

3 helpful
16 hrs at review
Recommended

The boardgames that are the hardest to learn are often the most fun to play. And this sure is hard to learn, but it's so worth it.

3 helpful
4 hrs at review
Not Recommended

I bought both the physical and digital version of this game at the same time in order to learn it, and after playing around 10+ games across both versions... I just don't think Root is very fun. I enjoy wargames and strategy games and Root has a lot of depth, but it's gamefeel is simply *bad*. You don't feel like you're doing well even when you are. Every victory I've had has been "Oh. I guess I win." instead of "Yes! It worked! I did it!" Maybe I'm missing some critical in-person human social engineering component that makes this game work, but as it stands it isn't fun to play. It feels bad to win. It feels bad to lose. For people who already know that they like Root and don't care about what I just typed, some pros and cons of getting this digital version specifically: PROS - Everything is automated which is nice - Online features - Some single player challenges - Significantly cheaper than the physical version - Access to all expansions via DLC - Root has so many lit...

3 helpful
22 hrs at review
Recommended

Pros - It's a great digital version of a great board game. Great to keep playing the game when your friends are away or clear the disputes about the rules. - Raccoons. Cons - Some of the DLCs should be included in the base game (or the physical games should give a steam key in the box). It's pretty expensive to have both the physical and digital version of the game.

2 helpful
2 hrs at review
Recommended

I love Root <3

2 helpful
20 hrs at review
Recommended

Excellent implementation of one of my favorite board games!

1 helpful
3 hrs at review
Recommended

A charismatic game that makes full use of its assymetry of powers and abilities. At times it feels like several different cultures coexisting at the same board, with diverging view of what constitutes success.

1 helpful
12 hrs at review
Recommended

one of the few and exceptional times when the video game adaptation got me into the board game obv the board game is better, but both are very worth playing if you're into cleverly designed and even more cleverly presented strategic depth that feels at the same time casual, very "light" to pick up and play (after the first tutorials).

1 helpful
7 hrs at review
Recommended

I’ve never played the board game version (though I’d really like to), but something tells me the virtual version might actually be even better. Why? Because, surprisingly, the rules turned out to be more complex than I expected Each faction has its own limitations and strategy, which means different players can find what best fits their personal playstyle. It’s not enough to simply learn the rules — you also need to understand how to use your faction’s strengths effectively, and how to take advantage of your opponents’ weaknesses. This depth makes the game highly replayable Another big plus of the digital version is how easy it is to find partners to play with I still want to buy the Root board game one day, but I’ve already gotten so much joy out of the Steam version Highly recommended!

1 helpful

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System Requirements

Minimum

Minimum:
  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS *: Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 (64bit version only)
  • Processor: Intel Pentium D or AMD Athlon 64 X2
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Graphics card with DX11 or OpenGL 3.x capabilities
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 1 GB available space

Recommended

Recommended:
  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 10 (64bit version only)
  • Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 or AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ or better
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Graphics card with DX11 or OpenGL 3.x capabilities
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection
  • Storage: 1 GB available space

FAQ

How much does Root cost?

Root costs $14.99.

What are the system requirements for Root?

Minimum: Minimum: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS *: Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 (64bit version only) Processor: Intel Pentium D or AMD Athlon 64 X2 Memory: 2 GB RAM Graphics: Graphics card with DX11 or OpenGL 3.x capabilities DirectX: Version 11 Storage: 1 GB available space Recommended: Recommended: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: Windows 10 (64bit version only) Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 or AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ or better Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: Graphics card with DX11 or OpenGL 3.x capabilities DirectX: Version 11 Network: Broadband Internet connection Storage: 1 GB available space

What platforms is Root available on?

Root is available on Windows PC, macOS.

Is Root worth buying?

Root has 89% positive reviews from 71 players.

When was Root released?

Root was released on Sep 24, 2020.

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