"I Was a Teenage Exocolonist" stands out in the gaming landscape, captivating players with its innovative approach to storytelling and gameplay. The game adeptly combines the intriguing concept of time loops with a rich, branching narrative, all underpinned by a unique card-based memory system. It encourages players to reflect on life's pivotal moments and the profound impact of choices, crafting a deeply personal and engaging experience.
The Vertumnan Saga: Navigating Life on an Alien World
Developed by Northway Games, "I Was a Teenage Exocolonist" casts players as Sol, a child born aboard a vessel destined for the distant planet Vertumna. The journey spans a formative decade, from age 10 to 20, where every significant event – be it a budding romance, a conflict with a peer, or a moment of profound personal struggle – transforms into a collectible playing card. These memory cards are not mere mementos; they become the very tools through which players overcome challenges, from excelling in academic endeavors to surviving perilous encounters with indigenous wildlife. Instead of traditional combat or dice rolls, success hinges on strategically assembling a "hand" from these accumulated life experiences. This ingenious mechanic posits that one's identity is intrinsically woven from their past, allowing for the symbolic "deletion" of lesser memories to make way for new, more impactful ones, echoing the real-life process of growth and evolving self-perception. Designer Sarah Northway highlighted how this card system serves as a tangible representation of the player's evolving character, more intimate and malleable than a mere stat sheet or skill tree.
The gameplay loop is structured around seasonal activities, prompting players to make impactful decisions about how Sol spends their time – whether engaging in xenobiology research, socializing with fellow colonists, exploring the uncharted territories, or attending school. Each choice steers Sol down a distinct path, fostering specialization. Successfully navigating card challenges and advancing through the narrative awards points that can be allocated to various stats like 'Rebellion' or 'Empathy'. As these stats develop, new dialogue options, activities, and romantic possibilities unfold, demonstrating how neglected aspects of Sol's development can lead to unexplored characters and storylines. While often categorized as a "cozy game" due to its gentle art style, soothing music, and rhythmic colony life, the narrative unflinchingly tackles themes of trauma, loss, and grief, proving that a game can be both comforting and profoundly moving. This duality has earned "I Was a Teenage Exocolonist" a unique place, resonating with players who appreciate depth alongside comfort.
A standout feature is the game's New Game+ mode, where subsequent playthroughs are enriched by the "baked-in" knowledge from previous lives. Sol gains an almost prophetic awareness, discerning optimal relationship paths or foreseeing dangers, akin to the temporal mechanics seen in "The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask," but stretched across a full decade rather than three days. With an initial playthrough typically lasting 12-15 hours, many players find themselves investing 80, 90, or even 100 hours, drawn by the allure of exploring diverse outcomes. The game boasts an impressive 29 potential endings, allowing Sol to fulfill roles ranging from leading the colony's government to pioneering research or tending a tranquil garden. Each distinct conclusion feels deeply earned, reflecting the myriad of choices made across countless tiny, consequential moments in one's life.
One of the game's most celebrated romance options is Rex, an endearing "dog-boy" whose well-written character and relatable insecurities have made him a fan favorite, further illustrating the breadth and depth of the game's narrative design.
Ultimately, "I Was a Teenage Exocolonist" offers more than just entertainment; it's a profound meditation on the human experience, exploring how our past shapes our present and future, and how even the smallest decisions ripple through the tapestry of a life. It provides a digital sandbox to experiment with the fundamental question: what if we could try again, armed with the wisdom of hindsight?
