Trees Hate You

Demo guide

Trees Hate You demo guide: checkpoints, traps, and dying less

The demo is not a precision platformer. It is a trap-reading game: the safe-looking route is the joke, and the first death is how the game teaches you. This guide covers what is confirmed on the current build.

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Trees Hate You character on the stairs in the forest demo

Official Steam screenshot. The demo covers the forest first chapter.

What the demo contains

  • • The first chapter, set in the forest biome.
  • • A character creator before the run, with additional options added in June 2026.
  • • Checkpoints, including an extra one added before the tree-for-fall.
  • • A timer and death counter, optional on the HUD from Settings.
  • • Challenge Mode on the Steam Demo, unlocked after a normal completion.

Signs

What does the sign in Trees Hate You mean?

Short answer:the signs are part of the forest's misdirection. They are not reliable directions. Official store copy does not document them, and community playthroughs describe at least one sign that sends you toward a trap rather than safety.

Treat a sign as a clue about what the trap designer wants you to do. If a sign points somewhere that looks too convenient, test the route from the nearest checkpoint before committing. Watch what changes around the sign (a branch, a gap, a trigger) rather than reading the text alone.

Community routes place a sign section before the root chase. We have not verified each sign on the current build, so we do not list a "correct" sign route yet. If you are stuck at one, send a screenshot with the demo version through the contact page.

Chapter 2

How to unlock chapter 2 in Trees Hate You

Short answer: you cannot unlock chapter 2 in the free demo. The demo covers the first chapter, set in the forest. There is no public chapter-select, unlock code, or save transfer that opens chapter 2 before release.

  • • The demo ends after the first chapter and teases the full game.
  • • Chapter 2 is part of the November 16, 2026 release.
  • • The full game adds beach, desert, and snow biomes beyond the forest, according to official copy and release-date coverage.
  • • No demo-to-full-game save transfer has been announced.

After release, this section will cover chapter progression and any chapter-select option.

Five rules that save runs

Bait, then move

If a tree or object looks suspicious, step forward and back off. Trigger it once, watch the timing, then commit.

Read the ground and the canopy

Traps come from above and below. Look up before you run under a branch, and look down before a clean path.

Flags are for practice

Once you reach a flag, you can experiment without replaying the earlier section. Use that.

Do not sprint blind

Speed is rarely the answer on a first attempt. The traps are designed around players who rush.

Change one variable

If a death feels random, repeat it the same way once. If it repeats, it is a pattern, not luck.

Route outline (community-reported)

The demo does not label its sections. This outline follows the landmarks used in community playthroughs; we are verifying each one on the current build before publishing exact trap timings.

  1. Picnic opening: the first tree swings across the path. Bait it, back off, then pass.
  2. First flag: checkpoint. Treat flags as the only safe place to experiment.
  3. Stairs and vertical section: watch for traps that trigger on the climb, not just on the ground.
  4. Misleading signs and fake-safe paths: the obvious route is often the trap.
  5. Root chase: a pursuit section where stopping to read the route costs you the run.
  6. Road and closing scene: the demo's end, with the axe and the full game teased.

Full demo playthrough

Third-party footage from 2KG. It may be from an older build, so use it to learn landmarks rather than exact frame timings.

Still stuck?

If the problem is input, loading, or performance, it is probably not a skill issue. Start with the controls and troubleshooting pages.

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Demo guide FAQ

How do I beat the Trees Hate You demo?

Reach each flag, read the trap before committing, and accept that the first death is usually the tutorial. The demo covers the first chapter; there is no single trick that skips the traps.

What does the sign in Trees Hate You mean?

The signs are part of the misdirection. They are not reliable directions; community playthroughs describe at least one sign that points toward a trap. Test the route from a checkpoint instead of trusting the text.

How do I unlock chapter 2?

You cannot unlock chapter 2 in the free demo. The demo covers the first chapter, and there is no public chapter-select, unlock code, or save transfer before the November 16 release.

How many checkpoints are in the demo?

The checkpoint system is confirmed, and the June 19, 2026 update added one more before the tree-for-fall section. Tykenn has not published an exact total, so we do not list a number.

Is the demo too hard?

It is a rage game, so deaths are the point. If a section feels random, slow down and watch the trap once without trying to pass it. Challenge Mode is harder and is meant for players who already finished the demo.

Can I skip a trap or a section?

There is no confirmed skip or level select in the demo. Checkpoints are the intended shortcut: once you reach one, you do not repeat the earlier section.

Where can I watch a full demo playthrough?

The community video embedded on this page is a full demo run. It is third-party footage and may be from an older build, so trap behavior can differ from the current Steam Demo.

Why does the guide not list every trap yet?

We only publish trap routes we can verify on the current build. The demo changed through 2026, and several older community routes no longer match. This page is being expanded with first-hand captures.

Sources checked for this page

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