Could you survive in prehistoric times? What if you weren’t a human, but a stranded alien attempting to make their way on our planet? While Ark asks how you’d manage among the dinosaurs, new survival game Astrobotanica takes a different angle. As Xel, a highly intelligent but out-of-luck extraterrestrial who finds themselves stuck on Pleistocene-era Earth, you’ll have to learn about the world around you and deal with the locals if you’re ever going to make it home. In just one week since developer Space Goblin launched a Kickstarter, it’s already flown past its initial funding goal.
That curious setup gives Astrobotanica a vibe not unlike the mighty Subnautica; while you might be on land, Xel’s need to breathe carbon dioxide rather than oxygen means the environment of this survival game still poses some problems. You’ll need to seek out specific plants and nutrients to stay topped up on everything you need to stay alive and, eventually, unlock the ability to travel back to your home planet – providing you want to. Of course, our world is full of hostile threats and other troublesome aspects such as poisonous vegetation that will make that job difficult.
Starting from humble beginnings with your handy bioscanner, you can analyze flora and fauna to see what might be useful to you, then mark out plant beds with water and compost to start growing and breeding plenty of resources. Just make sure they’re protected from pests and any hungry passers-by. Animals range from scavengers and herbivores to more dangerous predators, and some can even be befriended using certain foods and items.
As you develop, you’ll be able to decorate your settlement, mix various ingredients to craft tonics and potions with powerful effects on you, other creatures, or the environment. You’ll even meet Neanderthal humans; learn to communicate with them and help solve their woes and they’ll prove worthwhile allies, sharing tips on plant care and usage, or providing you with useful tools and building materials.
Xel’s development is handled via a Fallout-style stat grid called the PRIMAL system: that’s planetary knowledge, research, investigation, management, adaptation, and learning. With several biomes spread across a series of interconnected islands, you’ll be exploring everything from lush forests to volcanic terrain. There are even hints of a mysterious, ancient civilization that seems to have thrived in a time before yours; collect enough and you’ll start to put together their story.
Last week, Warsaw-based developer Space Goblin launched a month-long Kickstarter aiming to raise £25,000 ($33,152). That target has already been comfortably met, with the current total already just shy of £30,000 / $40,000 at the time of writing from almost 1,000 backers.
With the funding goal hit, Space Goblin’s planned stretch goals are a very real possibility. These include the ability to tame pets at the £30,000 mark, the ability to fish (along with crafting for bait and tackles) past £35,000, and more advanced, interactive building options if the fund reaches £40,000 in total.
Astrobotanica is scheduled to launch in alpha for backers in summer 2025. The current roadmap outlines a public beta for the autumn, with the full early-access release planned for the winter. You can wishlist it now on Steam if you want to be kept up to date with its progress.
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