Exploring the broken world of Yggdrasil in Roots of Yggdrasil.
Roots of Yggdrasil is a Viking-themed, deck-building village builder who will have you building from the ashes of a post-Raganrök world. It was developed and published by ManaVoid Entertainment as well as being published by Indie Asylum, you will be fighting off a chasing darkness, so choose your moves carefully.
However, before trying to outrun the chasing darkness, you will be given an introduction to the game through mostly visual cutscenes. There doesn’t seem to be talking during the introduction; however, with the way it’s illustrated and accompanied by music, it shows an epic portrait of what happens when you’re out running, as well as some of the major characters in the game running to a flying ship.
Once you have gone through the visual introduction, you will be directly taken to the tutorial. Once you’re in the tutorial, the first thing you have to sit through is meeting some of the major characters and finding out what’s been happening in the story so far. After you are shown how this world works, which is pretty simple, the first thing you learn about is the currency system.
The first order of survival would be currency – the population represents the people, which will, in turn, influence your settlement’s growth alongside building housing to increase it after every five new population. Mastering this will allow you to access new building cards.
The next version of the Roots of Yggdrasil’s currency would be Supplies – this currency is spent to play new cards in your hand, but without it, you can no longer make moves or place new cards into play, making this the backbone of your economy.
In Roots of Yggdrasil, you will receive cards and get an explanation as to how they work. For every card, there will be a currency cost with whatever is on the card, determining the cost and effects. Some cards will grant you population, which will be given to you after playing the card and having you place the settlement or building down. However, these buildings will range from military power, population growth and supply currency.
There are many cards in Roots of Yggdrasil, each granting its own rewards, protection, or being a dud to slow you down once you have learned all about the economy and how to build. Alongside the building, you will also learn how to open new land and complete turns, allowing you to collect acculturated resources and income. However, it is also prompted that you should not hesitate to use it.
Traveling will be the next mechanic you learn, which will be presented by a map showing your flying boat and three possible islands or mysterious-looking shapes with a message appearing on the left side of the screen explaining how everything works.
Choosing your path and traveling on it will use your spare time by pressing a node to start traveling. However, you will lose moves that are important as while you progress Roots of Yggdrasil; you come to find out darkness is chasing after you and your ship, which can only be driven off with ‘Blooming Saplings’. These look more like wilted trees, but nonetheless, should you succeed in getting them to bloom, you will also be able to fly to the next island.
By hovering on nodes, you will be described what to expect or at least some minor details that help with the coming level. Once you have gotten through the flying lessons and chosen a new land, you will be given control of your own “loop”. Keep this phrase in mind, as it also has to do with the game’s permanence and rogue-like aspects.
After receiving control of your actions within the game, you will be given your loop objectives, which, when completed, will reward you with cards or card upgrades but will also allow you to advance. So, if the tutorial wasn’t obvious, the objective gives you a written prompt on what to do.
This does not end the game’s process of explaining certain aspects, such as rain being a hurdle if you don’t have a smite card on hand, but during the explanation, the game does give you a smite card to try out for yourself.
Rain clouds in this world are described as a threat and will keep you from progressing as they stop you from building where they form. Once all is said and done, you will be given the chance to do it for real, and should you die, more of the story will be revealed.
Meeting the Norns after death will reveal new information – the Norns are three sisters of fate within the Norse setting for this game. It is revealed to you that this has happened before and will continue to happen again until the end of time. The Norns somewhat speak in riddles, but the main idea of what’s for what is pretty clear.
Roots of Yggdrasil’s characters are beautiful and well-drawn while following the main character, Sunna, and her tribe of Vikings as they run, build, and meet interesting characters. Along with the designs being just as beautiful as the rest of the characters, each has their own unique designs, styles, and ways of portraying themselves.
Along with repeating your quest within the nine realms until you beat the dark fog, sort of like the fog from Labyrinth of Zangetsu; however, instead of the fog hiding enemies, the dark fog in Roots of Yggdrasil follows and tries to consume you.
Now, remember the former mention of a “loop”? The concept of the loop falls into the rogue-like genre; once you start Roots of Yggdrasil, that is your loop, and there is no way to start over. With every failed run, you will be brought back to your starting area, having to redo challenges and collect new cards to keep.
This game has many great qualities, from the storyline, visuals, and sound design, as well as a great execution of how to work things from controls to cards and all the information in between. It’s a good game with tons to do that’ll keep you busy hunting for the truth behind Roots of Yggdrasil, outrunning the dark fog, and meeting new people along the way.
Befriending the wide range of scions will influence or modify your runs, bringing unique playstyles, bonuses, and more for each run within your loop. The procedurally generated islands, encounters, and events will keep things refreshing and guarantee an enjoyable experience. Along with its almost endless replayability, Roots of Yggdrasil’s content is colorful, dark, funny, and with some notes of seriousness.
Gaming within the deck-building genre tends to be well put together, some more than others, but this game is a great example of pure deck-building, as each card has its use to further your progress. Choose them wisely; each move might be enough to get you through the levels or hinder you.
Overall, Roots of Yggdrasil is a fun single-player, deck-building village builder set in a post-Raganrök, a world that’s being ripped apart and threatened by a dark fog, which is hellbent on stopping your progress. From visuals to actions, Roots of Yggdrasil will keep you busy for hours, tickling the brain on what to do next as you carefully plan your next move. Like many settlement builders, this one is just as fun using cards to set up your settlements and take the win.
