Rooted: Everything We Know

Let’s face it, we’ve all thought about the untimely end of this world. Those with religious ties anticipate the return of their savior, while the other lot examines the possibility of a Martian or Zombie infestation. Arguably, they could either be right or wrong. But one thing is certain: this “end” or Armageddon won’t be a bed of roses. 

Over the years, we’ve seen movies and TV shows use this as the plot’s premise. Depicting a brutal way of living that veers humans off the path of what they’re accustomed to. To make this experience more enthralling, video game adaptations are putting your survival skills to the test. Will you survive or crumble at the first strike? Headlight Studio’s upcoming title, Rooted, is one such game that will send shivers through your spine. The post-apocalyptic survival game occurs in a world where danger lurks around every corner. Are you brave enough to face the unknown? Well, you will know once you have a go at the game. But before then, let’s get to know more about the upcoming game before its eventual release. Here’s everything we know about Rooted. 

What is Rooted?

Rooted is an upcoming solo and multiplayer survival co-op game by Headlight Studio. The studio comprises a team of five developers, setting their mark in the already saturated survival game genre. To set itself apart, the studio is leveraging the phenomenal power of Unreal Engine 5 for an impressive presentation of a post-apocalyptic world. 

From the looks of things, the studio’s project is amazingly good and could be a top contender on Steam soon. But with only a 17-second clip to go by, we are not optimistically sure that this is how the game will be once it drops.

Story

The game takes place in a futuristic world approaching the year 2100. A looming bacteriological war threatens the existence of residents who were part of a once peaceful and glorious civilization. The effects of the war are far-reaching, destroying all life forms along its path, consequently sweeping the entire globe. Overgrown vegetation and dilapidated buildings are all that remain. 

You play as one of the remaining survivors who must live through the harsh reality. The game’s narrative sounds like a chapter from The Last of Us or Days Gone, but thankfully you won’t be running away from the undead in this one. You will, however, come across AI-controlled survivors. 

Here’s a description of the game by the developer:

“It’s 2100, and you are one of the few survivors. You must progress and adapt through the ruins of the past civilization that collapsed due to global bacteriological warfare. To develop your camp and improve your living conditions, you must explore – alone or with your friends—to collect scraps and objects, restore items, or even create new ones that you will learn to craft along the way.”

Gameplay

The adventure in Rooted starts with exploration. The vast, derelict, open world is littered with resources that can make your survival easier. Scavenging gives you access to more resources; the more you collect, the more you learn how to assemble them. 

 Much of what you’ll find may be broken or missing items that players can repair and recover. However, for this to happen, you’ll need to build a crafting station known as the Workbench. A fully functional workbench gives you access to blueprints that are key to repairing items from the post-apocalyptic era. 

But first off, you will need a roof over your head. The game will be laden with highly challenging conditions that call for shelter. For this, you must collect wood, which is fundamental to constructing the shelter. You may also customize your shelter to fit your personality. Once you build your dream cabin or home, the game saves the structure as a blueprint, which is crucial when constructing a secondary outpost.

Notably, the game uses mechanics to make the experience as authentic as possible. Since you’ll be moving from one area to the next, you’ll encounter challenges you must be prepared for. For instance, navigating chilly weather will drastically impact your health. Not to mention the great dangers long-distance travel holds. Here is where your secondary outpost comes in. With your blueprints in place, you can easily construct a second shelter. 

Moreover, as a survival game, any skill or knowledge you acquire will be stored in your Survivor Guide. Brace yourself for activities such as hunting, protecting your territory, and ensuring the water is not contaminated. Speaking of territory, you will encounter hostility from ROTOR robots. However, there are other dangers you should be wary of. Some areas within the open world are contagious; without the right equipment, you risk contamination.

Development

Rooted started as a Kickstarter campaign and virtual experimentation in 2022, giving the team the assurance they needed to develop the game. The game has so far raised ₤120,058, which as per the developers, is 200% above their initial target. 

Apparently, the team has solid and deep networks in the gaming industry, which have eventually paid off in curating this survival game. On the Kickstarter campaign page, Mathieu, the game director, mentions, “Through an Epic Megagrant from Epic Games, and a partnership with Nvidia, these two major players in the video game industry have trusted me with all the work I’ve done over the past four years; training thousands and tens of thousands of people in the making of video games. It’s a real network of talents that allows us to move forward serenely in Rooted and to propose audacious features.”

Trailer

Are you sold? Do you want to see more of this action? Well, thankfully, the developers released a trailer last year during the Future Games Show at Gamescom. The trailer shows much of the gameplay and hints at the environment’s dangers. The video opens with a broadcast announcement that gives an insight into the post-apocalyptic world and what is expected of the player. 

You can view the trailer in the above-embedded video. 

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

The team is currently working on a PC edition of the game. However, it’s unclear when its release will be. It is safe to say that the game is still in its early stages of development. If we were to make a wild guess on when this would be, we’d say somewhere in 2024. 

Moreover, the team constantly keeps its fan base in the know with regular updates on Discord. If you want to participate in the discussion, you can share your feedback here. You can also keep tabs on the official social feed here for more information on Rooted. If anything changes before its eventual release, we’ll let you know all the essential details right here on gaming.net.

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Rooted when it drops? Let us know your thoughts on our socials here.