Roottrees Game AI Origin Human Art Made It Hit

The Accidental Discovery and an Ethical AI Dilemma

Robin Ward stumbled upon The Roottrees are Dead, a free browser game on the indie platform itch.io, while recovering from a broken arm. He was instantly captivated. "This should be a bigger deal than it is," he told its creator, Jeremy Johnston. Yet, Ward also understood why the game, in its current state, couldn't achieve wider success.

The core issue lay in its visuals. The browser version of The Roottrees are Dead, a puzzle game centered on investigating individuals and constructing a complex family tree, relied on AI-generated art. At that time, Steam, the dominant PC gaming storefront, prohibited games using generative AI. Beyond platform restrictions, both Ward and Johnston shared an ethical stance: they felt it was "unethical to sell artwork created in this way."

From Game Jam to AI Art A Pragmatic Beginning

Johnston had initially released the game for free. This decision came despite dedicating 11 months to expanding it from a simple Global Game Jam project, which he'd rapidly assembled in under a week in 2023. During the intense pressure of the game jam, and before generative AI became a household name, he had sought help from a friend proficient with Midjourney. This friend generated images based on prompts Johnston provided for his puzzles.

Left: the original AI-generated artwork with a photographic style. Right: the illustrated replacement.

The Uncanny Valley of Early AI Art

The AI-generated images were far from flawless. Both Johnston and Ward recall a particularly unsettling image of a young girl in the original game—Ward described it as "demonic." (The original version is still available for free). Other portraits featured the distorted hands characteristic of early generative AI.

Despite nearly a year spent refining the game's story and puzzles, Johnston admitted he "never really thought" about replacing the art. Not being an artist himself, he was drawn to the photographic quality of the AI images and knew he couldn't afford professional models and a photographer to replicate that style.

He also tempered his expectations for the game's reception. "I’ve released other things — not games, necessarily, but things that I spent a lot of time and energy on, and then they came out and no one cared," he explained. This experience made him hesitant to invest financially in Roottrees, fearing he wouldn't recoup the costs.

Left: a particularly cursed AI-generated child. Right: the vastly improved illustrated replacement.

Unexpected Success and a Crucial Connection

When the itch.io version of Roottrees launched, its popularity was a pleasant surprise. The game gained traction on forums and Reddit and even caught the attention of the games press. Due to the AI artwork, Johnston offered it for free but included a donation link, which garnered around $2,000-$3,000 from over 10,000 players.

Robin Ward was one of those players. After their initial contact, Ward and Johnston agreed to collaborate. Ward would reprogram the game, and importantly, hire an illustrator to replace all the AI artwork, preparing it for a commercial release on Steam.

The Human Touch Reimagining Roottrees Art

The illustrator brought on board was Henning Ludvigsen. He approached the task by using the existing AI art as a preliminary concept sketch. Ludvigsen then conducted his own research into the historical era and artistic style the game aimed to evoke. This meticulous process resulted in nearly 40 unique illustrations, developed over almost a year.

"I’m not a big fan of generative AI," Ludvigsen stated, noting that his peers in the illustration industry, especially concept artists, have seen a decline in work. He observed that some companies "kind of skip that step now [using AI], which I think is not great."

Left: a composite AI illustration of the Roottrees. Right: Ludvigsen could create more consistent characters who actually look like they’re in the same world.

Navigating Player Perceptions of AI in Games

Ludvigsen believes that when it comes to finished products, generative AI is "not doing that well in general" among players. Major game companies like Take Two Interactive have acknowledged that players often avoid games using AI and react negatively online and in reviews, calling it a potential source of "loss of players, revenues…and reputation harm." Johnston cited the backlash Cyan Worlds, the creators of Myst, faced for using "AI assisted content" like texture assets in their latest game, as reported by PC Gamer.

Johnston suggested that The Roottrees are Dead managed to sidestep these issues by being transparent about its AI use from the outset and by releasing the initial version for free. Ward added a crucial point: "in this case, it’s the case of ‘there would be no game’ versus ‘there is a game.’" Johnston concurred, emphasizing that without AI-generated art, the first version would never have been released, meaning the subsequent, polished version with Ludvigsen’s human-created art would also not exist. Ludvigsen himself, despite his general reservations about AI art, said he "really enjoyed" the process of replacing the illustrations.

The AI Stepping Stone A Necessary Catalyst

"I think some people would say, ‘Well, I would prefer that there is no game in this case,’ and I think they’re entitled to their opinion," Ward acknowledged. He pointed to environmental concerns and the controversial practice of scraping artists' work for training AI models as valid arguments for that perspective. "But I ended up playing something that I really loved," he concluded.

Left: the AI-generated original. Right: the illustrated version more clearly reflects the setting of the photograph.

The Final Polish Human Art Leads to Critical Acclaim

The game launched on Steam in January 2025. "The vast majority of people are like, ‘I’m very happy you got rid of the AI,’" Ward reported. While a few players expressed a preference for the photographic style of the original AI art, Ludvigsen’s work is widely seen as a significant upgrade. His illustrations corrected anatomical issues like twisted fingers and provided greater consistency in character design across multiple images, which in turn made some puzzles clearer and more solvable.

The Roottrees are Dead is now a critical and commercial success. This achievement wouldn't have been possible without the initial, if imperfect, contribution of generative AI, nor without the crucial intervention of a human artist to elevate the game to its full potential. Both Ward and Johnston recognize that their game followed an unconventional development path. However, with the increasing availability and sophistication of AI tools, it's conceivable that more games might find themselves on a similar journey.