#josh kramer

I don't know how I keep getting myself into these emotional games, but The First Tree (@thefirsttree) destroyed me in the most beautiful way possible.

As always, if you're interested in experiencing this game for yourself, I do recommend it, but will be referencing some spoiler content. I normally try to avoid too many spoilers and I won't discuss the ending here, but there is of course some spoiler-y content here. Hit the heart button or double-tap to like (it's free!) and read on otherwise!

"The First Tree is a third-person indie exploration game by David Wehle centered around two parallel stories: a mother fox trying to find her missing family, and a son reconnecting with his estranged father in Alaska." You awake to the fox noticing her cubs missing and the narrator, Joseph, beginning to recall his dream (of the fox) to his significant other. This style of storytelling is consistent throughout the game and, more often than not, the climaxes intersect.

You can tell right away that no punches are going to pulled on your heartstrings right from the get-go as one of the cubs is found dead near their cave. *queue my heart already sinking* Other than them laying there and the mother fox leaning in to mourn their loss, there's no indication of death, so there's immediately a mystery to pursue but nothing too gruesome on screen. The majority of the gameplay will involve you running around as the fox uncovering patches of dirt with pieces of Joseph's past, as well as collecting mysterious balls of light that seemingly have no purpose other than to be collected. Let me tell you right away, they have purpose. You want the shiny balls of light and the reason why will be clear by the end of the game.

Each patch of dirt to be uncovering by the fox is highlighted by a column of light; however, they can be uncovered in any order during each chapter. This can lead to a couple of out-of-sync pieces of information Joseph gives us here and there, but overall nothing dramatically significant to the storyline. It's fascinating to find urban objects riddled throughout an otherwise very natural landscape and the more you uncover, the more you understand Joseph's past. One of my favorites was a school bus tucked away along a cliffside, but there are countless little things to find throughout every chapter.

Overall in regards to gameplay, controls are pretty simple as you primarily run and jump throughout the world, interacting with items and collectibles. Oddly enough, you toggle between either walking or running, vs holding a button down, which I appreciated! I think I've only seen this style of movement in a few games. Scenery-wise, the landscapes are beautiful and I really enjoyed just existing in this game. However, my biggest qualm about The First Tree was the lack of saving. You get an autosave at the beginning of each chapter and that's it, which unfortunately made me feel like I was rushing through a game that was tumultuous for me at times. I would have preferred to take my time on this one, but the lack of saving really guarantees the maximum number of sitdowns you have with the game if you don't want to keep starting chapters over.

One of my favorite aspects of any game is "how high can I climb in this?" The First Tree really delivers here. At times the fox's movements can feel a bit clunky or unpredictable in rocky terrain, but dedication and patience will reward you with some great views from high up! It did feel like there were some areas that you weren't necessarily encouraged to explore, but the developer certainly wasn't going to stop you. I always appreciate a good climb!

The soundtrack to The First Tree by Josh Kramer melds perfectly with David Wehle's world and story. I absolutely love the music behind this game and truly hope the LP gets a second pressing in the future. *fingers crossed* The first major climax of the game features a beautiful swelling ambiance in the background that swept me off my feet (or my couch for that matter).

Unfortunately, the Switch version of the game didn't feature the trophy content for some reason, but that does allow you to simply focus on exploration and story. I don't think The First Tree would have been as impacting and emotional for me if I was more focused on collectibles and achievements; however, without them, I'm less likely to do another playthrough.

With that in mind, The First Tree clocked in at around 2-3 hours for me, but that can vary for you wildly depending on how much exploration you partake in. There are a total of 6 chapters that are absolutely worth your time. Leading up to the ending, details about Joseph's present and past unwind and intertwine with the fox's story effortlessly. If you've ever experienced loss or heartfelt regret, this story is going to resonate with you. The ending of this game took my breath away. I was a mess. I've never encountered something like it before mechanically, and I think that's really the beauty of indie gaming.

If you're into heavy games with meaning, I highly recommend checking out The First Tree. Before downloading, I always check out reviews, trying to avoid spoilers, and I've come across a consistent negativity around stories with heavy emotions. A lot of folx out there have called out the narration in this game, as well as any emotional game I've played. I don't think you can open yourself up and create a game like this without some of the dialogue/etc sounding a bit off, forced, or cheesy to someone. I didnt feel that way in my playthrough at all, but I can see how some folx might. I think this is especially true for anyone that's never shared their traumas/etc through writing, therapy, or other forms of communication. There's a certain level of mutual emotional understanding or empathy you may need to resonate with heavy stories, focus on the experience vs gameplay, no matter what the specific content may be. In this case, I think the experience and gameplay melded together really well.

The First Tree is available to play on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, mobile, and more! I can't imagine playing this on my phone to be honest though, as then I'd have been a mobile mess, haha.

Have you played The First Tree? Do you plan to now? I'd love to hear from you! Shoot me an ask or a message and we can talk about the game. 😄

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I'll see you next time.

- M. Magpie

(Josh Kramer)

'Steven Universe' and the Hidden Messages in Built Environments - The Atlantic

Like Fuller, the Gems strived for utopian perfection. But also like Fuller, they never quite got there. Geodesic domes, initially designed as the ideal solution to a post-WWII housing shortage, never quite worked. They leaked and didn’t age well. As viewers learn over and over on the show, perfection—whether it’s Amethyst upset about her diminutive size or simply Steven’s friend Lars’s attempts to be an effortlessly cool teen—is impossible, and striving for it can come at a great cost. This recalls one of the show’s delightful mantras: “If every pork chop were perfect, we wouldn’t have hot dogs.”

A week of hands-on practice at making comics and journalism. Join Em DeMarco and Josh Kramer at the The Center for Cartoon Studies, July 24-28.