The Dead Tree of Ranchiuna branches out on consoles

Written by Jack Allin — February 3, 2022 at 10:33

Indie Turkish developer Tonguç Bodur has carved out quite a niche for himself with a variety of atmospheric exploratory adventures over the years, most notably the Drizzlepath series, but they've largely been limited to PC. Now, however, one of Bodur's other adventures is making its way onto consoles in the form of The Dead Tree of Ranchiuna.

Players assume the role of a recent university graduate on a "soul-searching journey" to the village of his youth. Upon his arrival, he's surprised to find it abandoned, and he soon begins to experience "visions of an incident that happened there some time ago." These visions are highly enigmatic, taking place at "various times and places," leaving it up to players to "search for clues and unravel the surrounding mystery" of what transpired here in the young man's absence.

As with all the developer's adventures, The Dead Tree of Ranchiuna is presented in full 3D, sending players seamlessly across a variety of beautiful environments, from rocky mountain passes to scenic lakes and rushing rivers to the deserted village where the protagonist grew up. Here, however, you can choose to switch between first-person and third-person perspectives at will as you undertake some "light platforming and puzzle elements." Along the way, thorough adventurers can "discover hidden dialogue" that shines new light on a story that promises to explore "how unfair society can be, both in a direct and realistic manner and with the power of fantasy elements, symbolism and abstract storytelling." 

Originally released two years ago on Steam for Windows PC, The Dead Tree of Ranchiuna is now available for download on PlayStation 4|5, Xbox One and Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.