🕹 Game Review: The Cherry Tree
Submitted by: thatonejake
🎯 First Impressions
From the start, The Cherry Tree impressed me with its simplicity—but more importantly, with how well that simplicity worked. Quirky music, an ominous sting, and the basic task of picking cherries. Seemed innocent enough. But by Day 3, I started wondering if the developer was messing with me (in the best way possible). The narrative slowly crept in—addiction, repetition, and an unraveling mind. Suddenly, days were flying by, the music turned foreboding, and my character started losing their faculties. I felt it. That creeping sense of dread. Just... One... More... Day.
This was a wonderfully executed take on the theme and a perfect example of how storytelling and mood can elevate a minimalist gameplay loop.
🔥 Fun & Engagement
At first, I was just curious—but then I had to keep playing. There’s something special about being able to convince a player to keep doing the same task over and over without feeling bored. That’s a real design win. The pacing of the reveal was spot on, keeping me hooked until the moment things turned.
🎨 Theme Use
Nailed it. “A World Without Color” was reflected in the game’s increasingly bleak emotional tone and repetitive actions. The concept of chasing “just one more day” was chilling in its execution and aligned perfectly with the theme.
👁 Visual Presentation
The 3D environment was simple but effective. Everything felt like it belonged. There wasn’t anything forced or out of place. It gave me just enough space to feel immersed, without needing excess detail.
🔊 Sound & Music
The music did exactly what it needed to—starting light and quirky, with just a hint of unease. When the narrative turned, so did the tone. That shift was impactful. That said, there’s room to build on this:
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Adding footstep sounds could enhance immersion.
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A “munch” or pluck sound when grabbing cherries would add game juice.
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Consider adding subtle changes to the music each day leading up to the twist—small tonal shifts or distortions to foreshadow the unraveling.
🛠 Technical Execution
Zero bugs! A welcome surprise in a game jam environment. Everything ran smoothly, and I never encountered a soft lock or glitch. Clean execution from start to finish.
One small quality-of-life improvement: I really wanted a sprint key while exploring the forest. It would speed up the gathering process and open the door to exploring more hidden surprises in the world—like Easter eggs, secrets, or narrative breadcrumbs.
💡 Originality
You took one of the oldest mechanics in gaming—a fetch quest—and gave it a dark, clever twist. That level of originality, especially within the jam's constraints, was fantastic. The emotional arc baked into something so basic gave it weight and impact.
✨ Polish
The game could benefit from a bit more juice—particularly in sound design and interaction feedback—but the core experience felt complete. It was concise, intentional, and effective. You delivered a beginning, middle, and end—all in a short, self-contained package.
🧠 Final Thoughts
The Cherry Tree was a strong and memorable entry to the jam. It told a complete story, delivered its message clearly, and managed to make repetition feel meaningful. That’s a huge achievement. With some added polish—particularly around sound, pacing, and immersion—this could easily evolve into a larger project or an expanded experience. Thank you for taking the time to build this and share it with us. I’m looking forward to seeing what you make next!