Rooster

Rooster is an adventure about Chinese culture and community, drawing on traditional folklore, art, music and food. At a Lunar New Year’s Eve party, the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac tire of Rooster’s terrible behaviour, especially after he makes Rabbit cry. Dragon sends Rooster back in time to Ancient China with a potion, hoping he will learn a lesson. As Rooster, you meet Little Dove, whose life milestones give you chances to help and make amends with your Zodiac animal friends. Your choices affect whether you can return from the past in time for a fresh start and a happy Lunar New Year.

Twelve Zodiac levels

The game has 12 levels, one for each Chinese Zodiac animal. Across them, you play hidden-object and puzzle sections, a dating sim, cooking, logic challenges, dialogue choices, paper crafting, garden design, transmutation and tower defence. The final level is a boss fight against yourself, where self-reflection, awareness and making the right choices are key.

• Rat: Find objects to make an apology basket for Rat, who loves food and represents wealth and surplus.
• Ox: Find objects and solve a mystery with Ox, a hardworking and dependable friend.
• Tiger: Help find a wife for Little Dove in a dating sim. Tiger, guardian of children, is a confident, creative and unpredictable thinker; the matchmaking becomes a game show.
• Rabbit: Find ingredients for a special soup in a hidden-object cooking level, and see Rabbit’s reactions to your choices.
• Dragon: Cook with Dragon, whose magical fiery and icy breath helps in the kitchen. Dragon represents luck and success and brings natural leadership, but you must take over at a certain point.
• Snake: Help Snake choose a body shape to keep Baby safe while babysitting in a hazard-filled marketplace.
• Horse: Help energetic, carefree Horse transmute items to bring joy to a human family.
• Goat: Identify hidden objects from clues during Goat’s poignant mission. Goat represents filial piety, purity and kindness.
• Monkey: Help confident, careful and industrious Monkey with paper crafts during a somber time.
• Dog: Help honest, smart and loyal Dog restore a decrepit garden.
• Pig: Help gentle, caring, family-loving Pig prepare for a 100-day feast. With a new baby and parents who need rest, you must fend off overbearing relatives who arrive early with unsolicited advice.
• Rooster: Face yourself in the final challenge, using self-reflection, awareness and good choices to succeed.

Art and soundtrack

The game uses art inspired by Chinese brush painting, with humorous animation, and has an original soundtrack. Its story follows the characters’ growth across time, with memories spanning multiple generations.