Just Updated

Welcome to the Rottenroots Demo Version 2.0!

Demo Version 2.0 - Patch Notes:

• Settings, yay! Customize your experience or just click all the buttons to see what happens. We won't judge.

• Save & Load Functionality That Actually Works! Your progress is now safe from the digital void. Revolutionary, we know.

• Bug Extermination Party - We flipped over the game's metaphorical couch cushions and found horrors beyond imagination. They're gone now. You're welcome.

• Fresh Character Threads! Our artists finally realized humans have five fingers, not amorphous mittens. Two thumbs up!

• Writing Completely Overhauled! We fired our previous writer (it was Dave from accounting) and hired someone who understands the concept of pacing. Exposition now comes in bite-sized nuggets instead of hour-long text walls!

• Emotional Renovation - Less second-hand embarrassment, more "oh no, I'm feeling things" moments. The writing team finally experienced an emotion! (We are proud of them!)

• Action Sequences That Might Take Your Breath Away!

• Dream Sequences That Will Make You Question Reality

• Characters With Actual Personalities! Yes, they all sound unique now! And yes, you might actually be able to relate to them!

• More branching Choices That Actually Branch! Your decisions matter even more now, unlike in real life

• Text That Stays Where It Belongs which is neatly in the center of a text box, and not spilling out into unreadable territory

• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Menus So Pretty You Might Just Stare At Them that’s right, no wonky boxes and ugly fonts anymore!

• Italics: Unlocked (We finally read the manual!)

• Language Filter because our dialogue writer apparently learned vocabulary exclusively from sailors.

• As requested, made the game extra gay.

Coming Soon:

• Steam Achievements for showing off

• Sound Effects and Music that make the world even more vivid

• Even more new artworks (with people with real hands of course)

About This Demo

Navigate a Deadly Battle Royal

Dive into Salem's world as he embarks on a perilous "Sundown" survival competition. Your choices forge his identity as he navigates treacherous waters with James - his secret lover who risks everything to be by his side. Will you prioritize duty to the regime or protect your forbidden relationship? Every decision deepens Salem's internal conflict.

Character Dynamics in Action

See how characters remember and react to your choices throughout the demo. Help Audrey out and she might become an ally. Show hostility, and watch relationships deteriorate. When the clock starts ticking during ambushes and confrontations, your split-second choices determine who survives and how. The demo showcases the high-stakes decision-making that defines the full experience.

Enter a World of Secrets

Experience a solarpunk dystopia where privileged citizens like Salem enjoy status while others hide their true identities to survive. The demo introduces you to the Storm Oak camp—a militaristic youth program where conformity is enforced and questioning authority can be fatal. Discover mysterious symbols and coded conversations that suggest the world isn't what it seems.

Why You'll Love the Rottenroots Demo

• Test our unique personality system that tracks traits like boldness, reliability, and insight—shaped by your choices and affecting how others perceive Salem.

• Experience multiple paths through the demo's river journey, each revealing different aspects of the world and characters.

• Get your first glimpse of Laura Meggers' distinctive art style that brings Salem's world to life through hand-drawn characters and atmospheric environments.

• Enjoy 60+ minutes of gameplay that drops you right into the action—set during the first third of the full game's story.

• Replay the demo to uncover alternate routes, different character interactions, and hidden secrets that change with each playthrough—revealing new layers of the story with every decision.

Download the Demo Now!