I didn’t play enough of the demo for Taking Root to give it a fair shake, which I think has to be the first thing to say here. I sat on it too long since it was available after Next Fest was over, and got started in the real time mode. When the game launched recently, the demo was ended.
That said, the realistic “Passive” mode which has offline progress doesn’t need a ton of upkeep. Though I was logging in to check my plants daily, like real plants, you don’t really need to water them every day. I did see enough to get into repotting plants and taking cuttings to start new ones. This feeds into growing plants, to sell them, to get money, to decorate the room. As one Steam Reviewer has noted, if you watch the trailer and it seems like your sort of cozy vibe, then it’s for you.
Every plant has its own unique needs, meaning you have to consider your light sources and surfaces when placing them. Something to factor into the decorating side of the game and your choice of plants.
The game does have a sped up “Active” mode, which sounds like an idle game with no offline progress. I didn’t get a chance to test this out myself, but may be more to some peoples speed. Without the offline progress, you don’t have to worry about closing the game, forgetting about it for a week and having everything die on you. At least, that sounds like the intent here.
Taking Root launched recently and is on sale for 20% off it’s normal 11.99 price. If you’re into cozy decorating games, it’s certainly worth a look.