Trees Hate You is an indie comedy rage-adventure developed and published by Tykenn, scheduled for release on November 16, 2026, with a playable demo available on Steam. Your objective across the Chapter 1 demo is simple: hike your way out of the forest after an interrupted picnic while surviving dozens of comedic, unfair environmental hazards.
Because the game lacks a jump button and relies entirely on memory, baiting animations, and directional jukes, completing the run requires learning the specific visual tells of each hostile tree. This walkthrough breaks down every stage, hidden collectible, and lethal gag found across the demo.
Core Mechanics and Hostile Tree Types
Survival in the demo depends on recognizing tree types and environmental markers before stepping into their triggers. You cannot jump, and your base walking speed cannot outrun straight-line tree sprints without pathing around obstacles.
| Tree Type / Hazard | Visual Tell | Attack Pattern | How to Bypass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melee / Slap Tree | Standard dark green foliage | Swings heavy branch arms at close range | Bait the swing by stepping near, step back, then walk around. |
| Gun Tree | Dark green foliage, often holds revolvers/pistols | Shoots straight or angled high-speed projectiles | Juke laterally or hide behind rocks and fallen trunks. |
| Falling / Tipping Tree | Pale, desaturated, or tan bark | Collapses forward or drops directly from the canopy | Trigger the fall by walking near the edge of the zone, then immediately back up. |
| Dirt / Yellow Leaf Patch | Discolored ground patches | Sprouts an aggressive tree vertically or drops a trunk | Never stop on discolored patches; route wide around them. |
| Chaser / Stalker Tree | Three-cone dark spruce | Runs directly toward the player upon visual contact | Break line of sight behind corners or lead it into terrain. |
| Tripping Root | Small ground protrusions | Trips the character, locking movement temporarily | Walk between the root knots or intentionally trip early away from incoming hazards. |
| Apple Bomb Tree | Red apples hanging from branches | Drops apples that detonate across a wide radius | Keep continuous horizontal momentum and do not linger beneath branches. |
Area 1: The Picnic Site and Gun Tree Corridor
After choosing between the default avatar or the custom character creator, you wake up beside a picnic basket with a sign reading, "Be sure to read every sign you see."
- The First Slap: Step forward toward the path. The first roadside tree immediately swings at you. Step within trigger range, step backward to let the swing whiff, and walk past it on the left.
- The First Gun Tree: Further along the trail, a tree pulls out a revolver. Bait its shot by peeking into its lane, step down to let the bullet pass, and proceed forward while it resets.
- The Rotating Tree: The next tree tracks your position. If you hesitate in front of it, it shoots diagonally. Move quickly toward the lower perimeter to clear its line of fire.
- The Side Path Coin: A hidden Tree Coin sits in the upper corner behind the rock formation. Collecting it is optional, but note that navigating into side corridors exposes you to quick-draw gun trees.
- The Underground Drop: Continue down the stone steps. Avoid the center lane where a tree lunges from behind, and drop down the earthen hollow to reach the first major checkpoint flag.
Area 2: The Tab Key Trap, Falling Trunks, and Stairways
The second area introduces vertical traps and gags designed to punish players who blindly follow tutorial signs.
- The "Check for Trees" Gag: At the checkpoint, a sign instructs: "If you get stuck, press tab and check for trees." Pressing Tab opens a menu that immediately crushes or shoots your character. Do not press Tab if you want to keep your death counter clean.
- The Stairway Trunk: Approach the wooden steps leading upward. As soon as your character touches the first step, a log drops from the canopy to flatten you. Step onto the bottom step, immediately back down to safety, and let the trunk crash down before climbing.
- Pushable Cover Trunks: Past the stairs, a firing squad of gun trees guards the long corridor. Lighter fallen logs in this section have collision and physics; walk into them to push them forward, using them as mobile shields against oncoming bullets.
- Dirt Patch Ambush: Watch the ground textures carefully in the next clearing. Light yellowish patches indicate buried sprouter trees. Route along the far edge of the dirt to trigger the eruption without getting hit.
- Log Tunnel Checkpoint: Dash through the hollowed-out tree trunk to bank your progress at the red flag checkpoint.
Area 3: Deceptive Arrows, Apple Bombs, and the Rolling Sphere
The third major zone tests your ability to spot deceptive directions and manage moving obstacles.
- Reverse Psychology Signs: You will encounter signs with arrows directing you to turn right or left. Following the indicated direction frequently walks you straight into a wall of thorns or a gun tree. Take the opposite route indicated by the arrow to find the safe lane.
- The Apple Tree Orchard: In the lower grove, round red apples fall from the upper branches. Unlike standard collectible fruit, these detonate on contact like dynamite. Run without stopping through the middle gap between explosions.
- The Hidden Top Hat Chest: An optional treasure chest is tucked away in the upper cliff. Opening it equips your character with a fancy top hat cosmetic. However, continuing along the primary route triggers a tree hand that immediately snatches and shreds the hat.
- The Rolling Tree Sphere: A large spherical foliage boulder rolls down the pathway like a trap from an adventure movie. You cannot outrun it in a straight line. Bait the sphere into rolling down the lane, then tuck into the side indentations between tree trunks to let it pass.
- The Arcade Cabinet: Near the third checkpoint sits a retro arcade machine that accepts Tree Coins. Inserting a coin allows you to play a brief mini-game featuring high scores set by fictitious players named Pine, Spruce, and Aspen. Playing is optional and does not permanently block progression.
Area 4: The Bramble Run and Chapter 1 Ending
The final sequence combines multiple hazards in a narrow escape path toward the road.
- Navigating the Root Field: The path narrows into an area covered in brambles and sprawling root clusters. Stepping on these roots causes your character to stumble and lie prone for a brief moment.
- Outrunning the Final Chaser: A fast stalker tree pursues you from behind while the rolling ball threatens your front. Hug the far outer edge of the path to avoid the main knot clusters. If you trip, rapidly mash directional inputs to recover your footing before the chaser reaches you.
- The Highway Cutscene: Break through the clearing onto the paved asphalt road. The game announces that you have successfully made it out of the forest.
- The Truck and Tree Heaven: As you attempt to cross the street, a delivery truck driven by a tree runs over your character.
- The Tree God: Your character ascends a long celestial stairway into "Tree Heaven." At the summit, you encounter a towering divine tree entity that delivers a final blow, concluding Chapter 1 of the demo.
Clearing the demo unlocks Challenge Mode on the main menu, which rearranges trap timings and enemy behaviors for subsequent playthroughs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can you jump or sprint in Trees Hate You?
No. There is no jump or sprint button. Overcoming traps relies strictly on positioning, pathing around obstacles, and baiting out enemy attack animations early.
Can you find an axe in the demo?
No. While the controls screen lists an action key for chopping (F on keyboard or X on controller) and signs tease finding an axe, there is no obtainable axe in the Chapter 1 demo.
What do Tree Coins do?
Tree Coins are optional collectibles hidden in dangerous side routes. In the demo, their primary function is serving as tokens for the woodland arcade cabinet located near Area 3.
Does the game have full controller support?
Yes. According to the game's official Steam store data, Trees Hate You features full controller support, including specific compatibility for DualShock and DualSense controllers alongside keyboard controls.
