Loading critic reviews...
Deals
Finding deals...
Live Streams
Finding live streams...
About Rootbound
Rootbound is a physics-based action adventure from Brainlag Games, released December 31, 2026, for PC. You play as a plantling fighting to save your home from a spreading blight. Armed with a sentient backpack, you explore a fractured world filled with ancient ruins, hostile creatures, and cryptic puzzles. The game blends environmental storytelling with platforming and combat, as you uncover the history of a lost civilization. While not a genre-shaker, its charm lies in its tactile world and quirky characters. Ideal for fans of methodical exploration and puzzle-solving.
Gameplay
Rootbound revolves around physics-driven traversal and problem-solving. Your backpack interacts with the environment, pulling objects, creating bridges, or disarming traps. Combat is simplistic, relying on dodges and basic attacks against monsters, but the real focus is on puzzles. Sessions often involve navigating crumbling temples, using your backpack to manipulate gravity-defying terrain, and piecing together lore from scattered notes. Controls are responsive but demand precision, especially on tight platforms. The game’s pace shifts between tense platforming, meditative exploration, and sudden bursts of combat. No autosave means you’ll replay sections after mistakes.
What Players Think
PlayPile users rate Rootbound 4.2/5, with 84% completing the base story. Average playtime is 11 hours, though 32% log over 15. Community moods skew curious and determined, with many praising the “hauntingly beautiful” environments. Critics on Steam highlight its “imaginative physics puzzles” but note uneven pacing in later acts. Steam reviews are 89% positive, though 17% complain about unclear checkpointing. Achievement hunters report 47 total trophies, 85% of which require backtracking.
PlayPile's Take
Rootbound is a solid, if uneven, pick for puzzle lovers and atmospheric explorers. Priced at $29.99, it offers decent value for its core experience but falters in polish. The backpack mechanics and world design impress, but combat and save systems feel tacked on. If you prioritize clever puzzles over action, this is worth $30. Otherwise, wait for a sale.
Game Modes
Single player
Achievements
Loading achievements...
Similar Games
Finding similar games...
Buzzing on Bluesky
Checking Bluesky...