The First Tree
A fox's journey overlaid with a human couple's conversation.
The First Tree is a 2017 third-person exploration game created by solo developer David Wehle. Players control a mother fox searching for her lost cubs, while an audio conversation between a human couple, Joseph and Rachel, plays over the fox’s journey. The game’s story and visuals drew mixed reactions from critics, who generally found the atmosphere calming but the controls clunky.
The narrative unfolds through voice-overs and environmental details, telling two stories at once: the fox’s visual quest and the couple’s spoken dialogue, in which Joseph expresses regret about not connecting more deeply with his father. Near the end, the perspective shifts to Joseph’s first-person view. Gameplay is mostly third-person exploration, with some puzzle and platforming elements; PC Gamer’s Joe Donnelly described it as a “walking” and “bounding” simulator as the fox gallops through natural landscapes.
Wehle, based in Utah, developed the game largely in his spare time after his earlier title, *Home is Where One Starts* (2015), received little attention. He had no coding experience when starting *The First Tree*, which was inspired by *Journey*, *Gone Home*, *Firewatch*, and the novel *The Road*. The death of his father and the birth of his son motivated the project, and Wehle voiced Joseph himself. He chose a fox mainly for its visual contrast against green forests, though he also noted personal ties to his wife’s family name and fox-themed wedding cake toppers. The game uses a simple, papercraft-inspired art style with pentagonal lens flares, creating a surreal aesthetic. It was released in English only. The first trailer appeared in July 2016, and the game launched on Windows and Mac on September 14, 2017, later reaching Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One (November 30, 2018), and iOS (November 18, 2020). Wehle intended for players to finish it in one to two hours.
Reviews were split. PC Gamer’s Donnelly called it a nice change from mentally demanding games, while Inverse’s Corey Plante praised Wehle’s “mellow and contemplative” voice acting. Push Square’s Rebecca Stow gave the PS4 version an 8/10, highlighting the voice work and visuals, though noting limited controls. IGN’s Yoshiki Chiba (reviewing a Japanese translation) rated it 8.4/10, complimenting its atmosphere and music. Kotaku’s Heather Alexandra praised the fore
- Developer
- David Wehle
- Release Year
- 2017
- Platforms
- Windows, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, iOS
- Genre
- Third-person exploration adventure
- Notable Inspirations
- Journey, Gone Home, Firewatch, The Road
- Estimated Playtime
- 1–2 hours
Lore & Background
The First Tree was largely produced by Utah-based developer David Wehle, who previously developed Home is Where One Starts in 2015. That game did not garner much attention or profit, but led to Wehle being hired as a technical artist for VR experience developer The VOID. In his spare time, he developed and marketed The First Tree. Wehle had no coding knowledge entering development. The death of his father and the birth of his own son inspired the game; he also provided the voice for Joseph. A fox was chosen mostly for the visual impact of a red-orange creature against a green forest, though Wehle noted personal connections to his wife's family name and fox-themed cake toppers from their wedding.
Reader's Guide
The First Tree is notable as a deeply personal indie game that uses environmental storytelling and voice-over to weave two parallel narratives: a fox searching for her lost kits and a human couple, Joseph and Rachel, discussing Joseph's desire for a more meaningful connection with his father. The game's simple, papercraft-inspired visuals and calming atmosphere were praised by some reviewers, while its clunky controls and platforming elements drew criticism. The game was released on multiple platforms between 2017 and 2020, and included a fan translation system. Its reception was mixed: some critics lauded its emotional depth and voice acting, while others found the narrative manipulative and the gameplay frustrating. The game stands as an example of a small-scale, personal project that achieved broader distribution through Steam Greenlight and console ports.
Did You Know?
- David Wehle had no coding knowledge when he began developing The First Tree.
- The game was inspired by Journey, Gone Home, Firewatch, and the novel The Road.
- Wehle provided the voice for the character Joseph.
- The game includes a fan translation system allowing players to work on additional translations.
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