Tree Simulator 2022

Triple A meets Undertale levels of commitment. A true love-letter to dendrology.

Very relaxing and stylish background, great screensaver!
I have it frequently running, as a tree lover, and TS2022 is the best from a visual point of view.
Can be played in multi-player mode to create a forrest, which is fun as well.
Give it a try, it won´t disappoint you!

Tree Simulator 2022, developed and published by Revmatek, is one of those rare games that fully commits to its absurd premise and, in doing so, carves out a strangely memorable niche on Steam. At first glance, the concept sounds like a parody of the simulator genre: you play as a tree. There are no epic quests, no intricate management systems, no combat mechanics, and no skill trees—ironically or otherwise. Instead, the game invites you to simply exist within a forested environment, rooted in place, observing the world around you. What could easily have been a throwaway joke instead becomes a minimalist, oddly calming digital space that has resonated with a surprisingly large audience.
The core experience is built around stillness and atmosphere. You are placed within a modestly rendered forest landscape where the primary interaction is camera control—rotating your view, zooming in and out, and adjusting perspective to take in your surroundings. There is no structured objective, no progression meter, and no narrative arc guiding your actions. The absence of traditional gameplay systems is not an oversight but the central design philosophy. Tree Simulator 2022 challenges the expectation that games must constantly stimulate players with tasks and rewards. Instead, it leans into quiet presence, offering a form of interactive idleness that feels closer to a digital meditation space than a conventional game.
Despite its simplicity, the environment itself provides a subtle charm. The visuals are straightforward and unpretentious, with stylized trees and natural elements that create a relaxed ambiance rather than striving for photorealism. The forest feels intentionally uncomplicated, reinforcing the sense of calm. There are no cluttered interfaces or intrusive UI elements pulling attention away from the scene. This stripped-down presentation allows players to treat the game almost like a living wallpaper—something to keep open in the background while working, studying, or chatting with friends.
One of the more unexpected additions to the experience is multiplayer functionality. Players can inhabit the forest alongside others, effectively creating a gathering of trees sharing the same digital space. The multiplayer does not introduce new mechanics or structured collaboration, but it transforms the atmosphere into something communal. Sitting side by side as stationary trees becomes a lighthearted social activity, often accompanied by voice chat through external platforms. The humor of collectively choosing to “be trees” together adds a layer of meta-entertainment that extends beyond the software itself. It becomes less about gameplay and more about shared absurdity.
The overwhelmingly positive reception the game has received on Steam highlights how well this unconventional approach has landed with its audience. Many players embrace the humor of the concept, writing tongue-in-cheek reviews about finally fulfilling their lifelong dream of becoming a tree. Others genuinely appreciate the stress-free nature of the experience, describing it as a calming break from more intense or competitive titles. In an industry often driven by escalating complexity and constant engagement loops, Tree Simulator 2022 stands out by offering the opposite: a space where nothing urgent happens and nothing needs to be accomplished.
Of course, this design will not appeal to everyone. Players seeking structured goals, meaningful interaction, or mechanical depth may find the experience too sparse to justify extended play. There is no progression system to master, no hidden layers of strategy waiting to be uncovered. Its novelty can wear thin if approached with traditional expectations. Yet that very minimalism is what defines its identity. It is not trying to compete with larger simulation titles or parody them through elaborate satire; instead, it presents a pure distillation of a concept and allows players to decide how seriously to take it.
Ultimately, Tree Simulator 2022 is less about mechanics and more about mood and intention. It captures the playful spirit of indie experimentation, reminding players that games can exist outside established genre boundaries. Whether you view it as a comedic novelty, a digital relaxation tool, or a shared social joke among friends, it succeeds in delivering exactly what it promises. By embracing simplicity and committing fully to its premise, it turns the act of doing almost nothing into a surprisingly charming and oddly compelling experience.
Rating: 9/10

Tree Simulator 2022 is arguably the best game of the franchise. While I've played TS21 and 23 in the past, nothing quite scratches the same itch. Each setting is meticulously crafted, and it's obvious that there was a lot of care put into each and every feature.
Notable in 2022 is the Multiplayer option. While previous versions felt totally fine without it, in 2022 it's an absolute must-have. The ability to Tree both in singleplayer and as a part of a forest is truly transformative, and adds a whole new layer to the gameplay, now allowing you to simulate two trees or even three, an unprecedented amount of trees in previous versions.
On top of this, another new feature is the ability to simulate up to two rocks simultaneously. While this also requires multiplayer, the introduction of rocks is a first for the franchise, and although it's a controversial mechanic in the community (rocks not being trees, the arguments that we could have instead had 100 trees instead of 98, et cetera) I personally quite like the variety introduced.
One thing that I don't like in this one is the lack of a cloud speed slider. It's relatively easy to add, and the community's been demanding it for a long while as a QoL feature, but the developers continue to refuse on technical grounds. With the complete rebuild done in 2022, this should have been done, but for some reason it hasn't. We've been assured, however, that the feature will be coming in Tree Simulator 2027 next year.
I'm also concerned about future balance issues with the Red Tie, since the color changes make it much more visible to possible woodcutters or UFOs in future patches/versions. As it stands, however, it doesn't seem to cause too much of an issue.
Another thing I'd like to see later on is the ability to simulate different environments for the tree, rather than simply customizing the existing one. While 2022 made great strides in this direction, 2023 can be argued to be a step back, for obvious reasons to anyone who's played it.
The speedrunning scene for this game is interesting to say the least, and the current record for longest Tree is a sight to behold. Shame, however, that it can only be viewed in livestream format, as it is of course still ongoing at just over 3 years.
Competitive play's interesting too. I had a moment recently where I was doing a 1v1 with a friend, and he changed the time of day not once but twice back to back. Moments like that really make the game feel alive, and keep you on your toes. In my opinion, those moments alone make it more than worth the increased pricetag over Tree Simulator 2021, and absolutely worth buying if you already have it. After all, it's barely the price of a big mac.
Another thing worth mentioning is the community for this game. It's better than most, as nobody ever says anything. It's about as peaceful as the game itself, that is to say, very peaceful.
All in all, Tree Simulator 2022 is a more than worthy successor to Tree Simulator 2021, and outperforms even 2023 in some ways. While we'll have to see how 2027 stacks up, right now I think it stands as the definitive tree simulation experience. Every feature flows together in a way that makes sense.

Everyone must be asking the same question, "Who would spend a dollar for a game where you're just... a tree?" They just don't understand. Even though this game does seem like it's trash on the first look, trust me. It will change your life in just 2 minutes. Yes, you are a tree. But, like, you are a TREE. Trees are nature. Nature is beautiful. This game will most likely change your perspective on nature, and it might eventually lead you to finally standing up from your crusty gaming chair and touching some grass. It's a tree. It's nature. It's beautiful.
Best purchase I've ever made. Truly.
- pandalos

Took Salvia and played this game. Witnessed the rise and fall of the Gnome civilization. Please help me, I'm still a tree. Is 1g of salvia too much? What even is a tree if you think about it? Leaves? No. Stump? no. WOOD? NO. A tree is what we make of it. Therefore, everything is a tree. Sit on that Linda.

Don't just watch the Tree be the Tree.
(music is just perfect and relaxing thanks to the rain)