Rusty Lake: Roots in IOS

Adventure

Walkthrough, Guilds, Tips on this special game

Our Site Score

98/100

Rusty Lake: Roots is an absolute masterpiece of the point-and-click genre. It manages to be macabre, surreal, and deeply touching all at once. The game follows the lineage of the Vanderboom family, starting with James Vanderboom planting a seed and following his descendants through decades of bizarre, interconnected events.

The puzzle design is ingenious—rarely feeling unfair, yet constantly challenging you to think in the strange logic of the Rusty Lake universe. The art style is iconic, and the way the story slowly unfolds across the family tree is brilliant. It’s dark, yes, but it’s also incredibly atmospheric and satisfying. If you're a fan of Twin Peaks or surrealist horror, this is mandatory playing. It’s one of the best examples of storytelling through gameplay on the App Store.

Reviewed on: Wed Sep 11 2024
Dinsun Avatar

Dinsun Review

Rusty Lake is one of the few developers that actually takes risks. Roots is disturbing, weird, and absolutely engrossing. The puzzles are logical but require a lateral thinking approach that most games don't ask for. The art style is distinct—it doesn't look like anything else. It captures a sense of dread without relying on cheap jump scares. It’s a complete, artistic experience. I don't give scores this high often, but this is a rare example of a game with a unique voice. It’s conservative in its point-and-click mechanics but revolutionary in its tone.

Overall Stats

Pros & Cons

  • Masterful atmosphere
  • Intelligent puzzle design
  • Unique art direction
  • Might be too weird for some
  • Some puzzles are cryptic to a fault

Technical Report

Performance: Perfect performance; art style scales well on all screens.

Accessibility:

    Audience Fit

    Buy if: You want a deep, mature, and slightly disturbing puzzle game.

    Skip if: You are easily unsettled or prefer lighthearted entertainment.

    Similar Games:
    • The Room
    • Cube Escape

    Reviewer Context

    • Reviewer: Dinsun - 40yo Male, Conservative scoring
    • Hardware: iPad Pro (M2)
    • Playtime: 6 hours
    • Status: Finished Story

    The Game

    Available on: iPhone, iPad, iPod

    Version 1.2Wed Feb 13 2019

    Thank you for playing Rusty Lake: Roots! We fixed a few bugs in this new version.


    James Vanderboom's life drastically changes when he plants a special seed in the garden of the house he has inherited. Expand your bloodline by unlocking portraits in the tree of life.

    Rusty Lake: Roots is the second premium point-and-click adventure by Rusty Lake, the creators of the Cube Escape series and Rusty Lake Hotel.

    Features:

    - Pick-up-and-play:

    Easy to start but hard to put down.

    - Unique storyline:

    Experience the beginning and end of characters' lives and build your own family tree.

    - More than 33 levels:

    The biggest Rusty Lake game so far is filled with puzzles

    - Full of suspense and atmosphere:

    Switching from calm to very dark moments

    - Immersive soundtrack:

    Each level has its own theme song and variations

    - Achievements:

    The tree has more secrets to unravel

    Tap on the arrows, drag or swipe to navigate around the environment. Some objects you can drag. Interact with people and objects by tapping. Select found items in your inventory and tap somewhere on screen to use them.

    We will unfold the Rusty Lake story one step at a time. So check RustyLake.com every day for new content and follow us: @rustylakecom.


    Requires iOS 8.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

    Experience the beginning and end of characters' lives and build your own family tree in the point-and-click adventure Rusty Lake: Roots!

    James Vanderboom's life drastically changes when he plants a special seed in the garden of the house he has inherited. Expand your bloodline by unlocking portraits in the tree of life.

    Rusty Lake: Roots is the second premium point-and-click adventure by Rusty Lake, the creators of the Cube Escape series and Rusty Lake Hotel.

    Features:

    - Pick-up-and-play:

    Easy to start but hard to put down.

    - Unique storyline:

    Experience the beginning and end of characters' lives and build your own family tree.

    - More than 33 levels:

    The biggest Rusty Lake game so far is filled with puzzles

    - Full of suspense and atmosphere:

    Switching from calm to very dark moments

    - Immersive soundtrack:

    Each level has its own theme song and variations

    - Achievements:

    The tree has more secrets to unravel

    Tap on the arrows, drag or swipe to navigate around the environment. Some objects you can drag. Interact with people and objects by tapping. Select found items in your inventory and tap somewhere on screen to use them.

    We will unfold the Rusty Lake story one step at a time. So check RustyLake.com every day for new content and follow us: @rustylakecom.


    Ratings & Reviews

    4.8 out of 5 with 1121 Counts
    ★★★★★
    ★★★★★
    ★★★★★
    ★★★★★
    ★★★★★
    Age Rating 13+

    Screenshots

    Rusty Lake: Roots screenshot 1Rusty Lake: Roots screenshot 2Rusty Lake: Roots screenshot 3Rusty Lake: Roots screenshot 4Rusty Lake: Roots screenshot 5Rusty Lake: Roots screenshot 6Rusty Lake: Roots screenshot 7Rusty Lake: Roots screenshot 8Rusty Lake: Roots screenshot 9Rusty Lake: Roots screenshot 10Rusty Lake: Roots screenshot 11Rusty Lake: Roots screenshot 12Rusty Lake: Roots screenshot 13Rusty Lake: Roots screenshot 14

    Rusty Lake: Roots is the second premium point-and-click adventure by the creators of the Cube Escape series. Help James Vanderboom start a family by planting a special seed and expanding your bloodline. Unlock portraits in the tree of life and experience the beginning and end of several characters' lives. Build your own family tree and uncover the mysteries surrounding the Vanderboom legacy in this atmospheric, surreal puzzle journey.

    Features

    1

    Huge family tree with 33 levels

    2

    Immersive and surreal atmosphere

    3

    Unique hand-drawn art style

    4

    Haunting original soundtrack

    5

    Interconnected narrative across generations

    News on this game

    Puzzles, Lore & Inspiration: Get Glimpse of Newest Rusty Lake Game Development  80 Level

    80 Level - Fri Aug 21 2026

    Servant of the Lake brings a touch of Saltburn to Rusty Lake  Checkpoint Gaming

    Checkpoint Gaming - Thu Aug 20 2026

    Servant of the Lake Overview  KeenGamer

    KeenGamer - Tue Aug 18 2026

    Rusty Lake's Servant Of The Lake, Reviewed  Kotaku

    Kotaku - Thu Aug 13 2026

    Rusty Lake’s Surreal Point-and-Click Puzzler ‘Servant of the Lake’ Opens its Doors Today on Steam and Mobile  Games Press

    Games Press - Thu Aug 13 2026

    Servant of the Lake release date confirmed for August 13  Notebookcheck

    Notebookcheck - Tue Aug 11 2026

    Mid-week Android app deals and freebies: Google Play Mega Game Sale from $0.10, and more  9to5Toys

    9to5Toys - Wed Jun 24 2026

    ‘Servant of the Lake’ Opens Its Doors August 13 on Steam and Mobile  Games Press

    Games Press - Mon Jun 08 2026

    New 'Rusty Lake' Title Launches August 13, Unveiling the Vanderboom Family's Past  Inven Global

    Inven Global - Sat Jun 06 2026

    Servant of the Lake launches August 13  Gematsu

    Gematsu - Sat Jun 06 2026

    Gameplays

    Q&A

    While it's part of a larger universe, Roots works perfectly as a standalone experience.

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