I Was A Teenage Exocolonist is a sprawling, narrative-driven game, based on the alien planet of Vertumna. The main character, a child at the start of the game, has the opportunity to help their colony thrive. It's a beautifully illustrated game with deep lore, but behind the pretty scenes are some darker moments that players must navigate.

Related: Best Indie RPGs Of The Last 5 Years (According To Metacritic)

Starting out in I Was A Teenage Exocolonist feels a little overwhelming. There are a lot of choices: going to school to level up in certain skills, helping out in the colony in exchange for money, and building relationships with other characters are all open to the player right from the beginning. Here are a few tips for new players on how to make the most of the early stages of the game.

10 Early Decisions Matter

At the start of the game, players will get a bit of background on the main character. The protagonist is a child about to land on the planet Vertumna with the rest of their colony. Players have to make some key decisions early in the game that will impact the way the story plays out.

Gender identity and pronouns can be changed at any point in the game, which is a welcome option. Some decisions, however, are irreversible. Without giving anything away, players should pay attention to their genetic enhancement. This enhancement gives a skill boost and a special memory card with bonuses like +10 perception, +10 creativity, and +10 reasoning. Without spoiling too much, players should be able to work out what kind of bonus they'll get based on the description of the enhancement (absorbent brain, for example, is the one to pick for a super-smart character).

9 Go Foraging

There's a lot to do in Teenage Exocolonist: building relationships, doing jobs for Kudos and increasing skill points by taking classes. There is one job that shouldn't be neglected, however.

Related: Video Games Where No Character Has A Happy Ending

Sometimes, an item will drop, which players can pick up. These vary depending on the season. Items can be given to other characters, or players can use them in card challenges. It's an easily overlooked step, but having these items can make a big difference.

8 Forget Low-Value Cards

Like most deck-building games, it's useful to be able to dump low-value cards. Cards in Teenage Exocolonist are made from memories, and early cards include 'First Words' and 'Learning To Walk'. These cards are useful right at the start, but as the challenges become tougher, players will need to get rid of them in order to draw higher-value cards.

Luckily, players can do this by going to rest in the living quarters. Doing so will give players the opportunity to pick a lower-value card to forget. The protagonist loses a memory, but these will be replaced with newer, more powerful ones.

7 Get Ready For Tough Moments

There are some difficult moments in I Was A Teenage Exocolonist. Despite the beautiful, pastel-colored landscapes and the gentle gameplay, the story takes some shocking twists and turns, and it deals with some hard topics like loss and bereavement, abuse, and injury.

There is a detailed content warning system, however, which can be accessed at any time by going to the settings. Players can see an overview of the topics covered, and then click on any specific topic to read a detailed breakdown of what may occur. This is useful if players want to avoid certain trigger topics.

6 Skills Unlock New Events

Players can't concentrate on all skills. Instead, they have to pick a few that resonate with them. This allows them to build the character they want: do they want to be creative and tough, or maybe brave and good at engineering? By increasing certain skills, players will unlock key moments later in the game.

For example, early in the game, creatures break into the colony. If players have a certain level of Toughness, they can help to fight them off, unlocking a new section of the story and creating a new memory to use in card challenges.

5 Pushing Through Can Help Win Card Battles

Sometimes, players may find themselves just under the threshold to win a card challenge. They can choose to push through, but this costs Stress points. If players run out of Stress points, they will become exhausted and need to rest in the living quarters.

It's important to balance these decisions. Players will be rewarded for their effort even if they fail a card challenge but will receive better rewards if they win. It's a good idea to be well-rested before any big challenges just in case.

4 Think Outside The Box When It Comes To Conversations

A big part of Teenage Exocolonist is exploring human relationships and emotions. Building relationships is important, but some characters are harder to read than others. Anemone, for example, is a happy-go-lucky character, and players can easily please her by playing a game of sportsball.

Some characters are harder to read. Tang is a good example of this. She's hard-working, proud, and intelligent. Guessing the right thing to say to her can feel like a minefield, but players will eventually get to know her preferences as the game goes on. It's worth keeping in mind that players won't get it right every single time, and they won't be able to please everyone.

3 Work For Kudos

The in-game currency, Kudos, is a little different from other RPGs. Players won't be able to sell items for Kudos. Instead, they will receive it from doing well in challenges or doing jobs around the colony. Early in the game, players will be able to earn Kudos by shoveling dirt for their parents in Geoponics.

While it's tempting to gain skill points by taking back-to-back classes, players should be aware that Kudos will be important when the Supply Depot Shop opens up. Kudos can be exchanged for items, which are very useful for future card challenges. Stocking up on Kudos right away is a good idea.

2 Watch Out For Glow

The planet of Vertumna will shift and change with the seasons. One particular season, Glow, is particularly dangerous. It's incredibly beautiful to look at, but it usually comes with a danger of some kind, including invasions by creatures outside the colony.

Related: Best Autumn Settings In Games

If possible, make sure to rest before Glow arrives, during the Wet season. Players may need to help defend the colony, so they'll need plenty of Stress points in order to win more difficult challenges. Most of the deaths in the game happen during Glow, so it quickly brings a sense of dread.

1 Replay To Go Deeper

I Was A Teenage Exocolonist has 29 endings and a huge array of possibilities during the game. With many choices to make, players will inevitably have to allow some opportunities to pass them by. Character storylines will go unexplored, some skills will be neglected in favor of others, and beautifully painted scenes will go unseen.

The game takes place over 10 years, with the main character growing steadily older and tougher. Try not to agonize over decisions too much: there's no way of seeing everything in one playthrough. If players really love the game and want to explore it all, they'll have to start all over again to enjoy unexplored avenues from their first round.

I Was A Teenage Exocolonist is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.

More: Best RPGs On The PS Vita, Ranked