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I Was a Teenage Exocolonist

I was a Teenage Exocolonist is nothing short of amazing. Its complex inclusive characters, choice-driven gameplay, and immense potential for replay make it a must-have for any gamer.
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist Game Cover
93%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, stability
97% User Score Based on 5,442 reviews
Critic Score 89%Based on 12 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchLinuxPCPlaystation 5Mac OSPlaystation 4Steam DeckWindowsPlayStation
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist Game Cover

About

I Was a Teenage Exocolonist is a single player role playing game with romance, drama and science fiction themes. It was developed by Northway Games and was released on August 25, 2022. It received positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"I Was a Teenage Exocolonist" is a narrative-driven, life simulation game where your choices shape your character's development. As a teenager on a distant exoplanet, you'll manage resources, form relationships, and face challenges that determine your unique story. Every decision you make contributes to the person you become, offering a deeply personal and replayable experience.

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97%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,442 reviews
story1.3k positive mentions
grinding120 negative mentions

  • Engaging and emotionally impactful storyline with well-developed characters.
  • High replayability with multiple endings and choices that genuinely affect the narrative.
  • Beautiful art style and soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
  • Some characters and romances feel shallow or forced, with limited outcomes.
  • The card game mechanics can become repetitive and may detract from the narrative experience.
  • Certain storylines and events can be confusing or require specific actions to trigger, leading to frustration.
  • story
    3,188 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "I Was a Teenage Exocolonist" is widely praised for its depth, emotional resonance, and engaging character development, making it a standout in the narrative-driven game genre. Players appreciate the intricate world-building and the impact of their choices on the storyline, which encourages multiple playthroughs to explore different outcomes and character arcs. While some critiques mention pacing issues and repetitive gameplay elements, the overall consensus highlights the game's ability to evoke strong emotions and provide a rich, immersive storytelling experience.

    • “The story is very well made and the characters are well built and likeable.”
    • “With myriad storylines, easy-to-understand gameplay loops, and novel worldbuilding and characters, this game is really excellent, especially for folks who enjoy visual novels but want more stimulation and challenge without going fully into a time-consuming open-world RPG.”
    • “The story is emotionally gripping, all of the characters are compelling, and the visuals are breathtaking.”
    • “The story is the only thing it has going for it, and even that could use some tweaking (i.e. the characters are distinct but feel very distant and some later ones are very hard to take seriously).”
    • “The game doesn't respect players' time: it makes you walk everywhere to talk to people every month without a dash function, and the lifespan was far too long for the story it was trying to tell.”
    • “Because of this, the story's pacing is incredibly drawn out with 'big events' sprinkled throughout, much like a carrot on a stick.”
  • gameplay
    1,208 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "I Was a Teenage Exocolonist" is a blend of visual novel storytelling and engaging card-based mechanics, allowing players to manage their character's development over a decade while navigating relationships and choices that significantly impact the narrative. While the core gameplay loop is satisfying and encourages replayability through a unique memory system, some players find the mechanics can become repetitive over time, especially during multiple playthroughs. Overall, the game is praised for its beautiful art, compelling story, and the integration of gameplay elements that enhance the emotional depth of the experience.

    • “I love the world, I love the characters, I love the writing, I love the art, I love all the systems that work together so beautifully in a harmonious gameplay loop that I can't put down.”
    • “With myriad storylines, easy-to-understand gameplay loops, and novel worldbuilding and characters, this game is really excellent, especially for folks who enjoy visual novels but want more stimulation and challenge without going fully into a time-consuming open world RPG.”
    • “The gameplay is underlined by the deck builder elements, each memory of your life or journey forming the tools that Sol will use to overcome further challenges.”
    • “The gameplay is repetitive (normal for visual novels), and the narrative is so opinionated on what the 'right' answer is that choice is just an illusion, because the only outcomes for 'wrong' answers are punishment/death/etc.”
    • “The core gameplay is decent as an idea, but ultimately ends up being tedious especially given the game wants you to replay it multiple times.”
    • “There is no reason to have to grind for another 8-12 hours with the exact same repetitive gameplay just to see another outcome, let alone many, many different outcomes.”
  • music
    723 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "I Was a Teenage Exocolonist" is widely praised for its beautiful, atmospheric quality that enhances the emotional depth of the game. Many players appreciate how the soundtrack complements the art and narrative, creating an immersive experience, although some note that it can become repetitive over extended play. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, with many players expressing a desire to listen to it outside of the game.

    • “The music adds another layer of immersion, enhancing the emotional impact of key scenes and making the overall experience even more enjoyable.”
    • “The soundtrack is fantastic, the visuals are stunning, the characters are so intriguing and don't get me started on the story!”
    • “The music is beautifully tailored to every scene/scenario and I could listen to it doing any daily task and feel so at peace.”
    • “The only thing I would say is that while the music suits the game, it is.... really boring.”
    • “But at the same time, you have to listen to the music over and over again, since it's a game that's designed for you to spend literal real time days if you want to find everything.”
    • “I would say the biggest problem I have run into is that the music seems very buggy.”
  • graphics
    613 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning art style, which is described as beautiful, charming, and immersive. Players appreciate the attention to detail in character designs and environments, often noting how the visuals enhance the emotional depth of the story. While some mention minor issues with visual clarity in certain areas, the overall consensus is that the artwork significantly contributes to the game's appeal and replayability.

    • “The artwork is gorgeous, the characters have personality, and your choices absolutely matter.”
    • “The art style is incredible, every time during a cutscene I gasp at how detailed and beautiful the illustrations are!”
    • “The graphics are beautiful, and you can and will replay it so many times, which makes up for it being such a short game.”
    • “The only minor issue I've had is that, at times, I've had difficulty keeping my eyes focused while moving around certain maps, I think due to forced perspectives/depth of field (and probably my laptop's graphics settings).”
    • “Mild criticism: the story sometimes feels almost at odds with the art style (things get pretty dark!) and on my first run I was a little shocked by it.”
    • “Do not be confused by the chipper visuals, it is a sad game.”
  • emotional
    592 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "I Was a Teenage Exocolonist" is profoundly impactful, with players frequently reporting intense feelings ranging from joy to heartbreak. Many reviewers noted that the game's narrative and character development evoke strong emotional responses, often leading to tears during pivotal moments. The combination of beautiful art, engaging storytelling, and meaningful choices creates a rich emotional experience that resonates deeply with players, making it a standout title for those seeking heartfelt gaming experiences.

    • “The story it tells and the characters it tells it with are really engaging and it's hard not to get emotional at the epilogues sometimes.”
    • “This game is a delightful act of storytelling that takes you through a tale that is an emotional roller coaster in the best possible way.”
    • “The emotional impact of this game can be pretty intense, especially if you had a rougher childhood.”
  • replayability
    565 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, with many players highlighting the numerous choices and branching storylines that lead to multiple endings. Users report spending significant hours replaying the game to explore different outcomes, with some noting that the built-in mechanics enhance the experience by allowing players to carry knowledge from previous runs. While the replay value is generally considered high, a few players mentioned that certain aspects can become repetitive over time.

    • “The replayability is insane, you'll want to beat the game more than once.”
    • “The quality of the writing, the complexity of the characters, the emotional investment, and the amazing replayability make this game stand out.”
    • “The game is built to be replayable more than once, the things you can do and say can change when you replay.”
    • “But the replayability sucks.”
    • “The core gameplay loop is about replayability, but successive replays feel like a chore.”
    • “The game itself requires being replayed over and over again in order to achieve a player's most preferred ending - however, the game does not .. well.. make that necessary replaying aspect the most fun in the world (not enough variations in character, setting to really welcome true replayability).”
  • grinding
    128 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players finding it tedious, especially during repeated playthroughs. While some appreciate the depth it adds to character interactions and story exploration, others feel that the card game mechanics and stat farming become monotonous over time. Options to disable certain grinding elements are available, but the overall sentiment suggests that the game could benefit from a more streamlined approach to its repetitive tasks.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “This game is very text-heavy, and at times feels like you're just reading a book. If you're in the mood for something with more action, then you probably would want something else, but this fits the cozy gaming vibe I wanted, and I'd recommend it if that's the vibe you want as well.”
    • “The core gameplay is decent as an idea, but ultimately ends up being tedious especially given the game wants you to replay it multiple times.”
    • “I generally enjoy visual novel-like games, and I enjoy quite a few grindy games, but damn, this is just tedious and egregious.”
    • “The main con is that the game relies on repeat playthroughs to explore all the content, which are very grindy due to the amount of time it takes to re-increase the skills.”
  • character development
    110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is highly praised for its depth and emotional impact, with players noting the strong connections they form with characters through immersive storytelling and meaningful choices. The character designs are described as unique and visually appealing, contributing to the overall experience and allowing for significant player agency in shaping relationships and outcomes. While the game offers a rich narrative and replayability, some players found certain endings unfulfilling, indicating a mixed experience in character resolution.

    • “I get very immersed in the character development, and I connect strongly with the realities of trauma and tragedy, but also with a strong desire to do better with my own life.”
    • “This game wonderfully mixes character development and player consequences to create a gaming experience you'll never forget.”
    • “The character designs are so wonderful and interesting, and as the years go on, it made me really happy/surprised to see the kinds of people everyone was becoming.”
    • “The whole experience of character development was almost purely stressful, in that I always felt like I wasn't using my time well.”
    • “My one big problem was that quite a few of the endings were unfulfilling, especially around character development and romantic fulfillment.”
    • “If you have issues with dyed hair, pronouns, or 'hippie ideas', then you might give it a pass, but I think it could win over even the people who might roll their eyes at the character designs.”
  • humor
    59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is described as a delightful blend of lightheartedness and tragedy, with players finding themselves in amusing scenarios that often juxtapose serious themes. Many reviewers highlight the clever writing and character interactions that elicit laughter, while also addressing deeper emotional experiences, making the game both funny and thought-provoking. Overall, the humor is seen as a key element that enhances the storytelling and player engagement, contributing to a unique and memorable gaming experience.

    • “The writing is smart, funny, and heartbreaking.”
    • “If you like your RPGs to have a well-written, funny, thoughtful story, this is it.”
    • “The characters and writing are superb, at times incredibly moving and at times hilariously funny.”
  • atmosphere
    52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its engaging and immersive qualities, enhanced by beautiful artwork and a fitting soundtrack that evokes a sense of nostalgia and otherworldliness. Players appreciate the distinct environments and charming characters, which contribute to a cozy and dreamlike experience that encourages exploration and replayability. Overall, the combination of art, music, and storytelling creates a memorable and emotionally resonant atmosphere that stands out as a key strength of the game.

    • “The atmosphere is fantastic, the gameplay is surprisingly engaging for what I assumed would just be a simple visual novel, all of the characters are at the very minimum sympathetic.”
    • “The characters are charming, the atmosphere is amazing and there are so many paths to explore that every playthrough becomes a uniquely rewarding experience.”
    • “Excellent atmosphere, especially combined with the almost dream-like environment the game takes place in.”
    • “Adjusting the soundtrack to the situations and also bringing more soundtrack would also serve the atmosphere.”
    • “Backgrounds, character sprites, ending arts, cut scenes, user interface - all of them are working together to really drive home this alien atmosphere.”
    • “Music is great, it really feels otherworldly while having a kind of nostalgic feel to it that fits the sci-fi setting as well as the atmosphere they wanted the game to have.”
  • stability
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game is considered relatively stable with few bugs, particularly in its visuals and performance on the Steam Deck. However, users have reported issues with buggy music, indicating that while the game is mostly reliable, there are notable exceptions.

    • “On the upside, the visuals are pretty, and the game is relatively bug-free.”
    • “Also runs great on the Steam Deck!”
    • “I would say the biggest problem I have run into is that the music seems very buggy.”
    • “I really like this game; however, it's very buggy.”
  • optimization
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is praised for its strong optimization, offering various options to enhance performance, and users report no performance issues, even on lower-end devices like the Steam Deck.

    • “The game is also well optimized with many options to increase performance.”
    • “No issues with performance at all on Steam Deck; it's a 1.5GB game!”
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19h Median play time
39h Average play time
9-55h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 66 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

I Was a Teenage Exocolonist is a role playing game with romance, drama and science fiction themes.

I Was a Teenage Exocolonist is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, Mac OS and others.

On average players spend around 39 hours playing I Was a Teenage Exocolonist.

I Was a Teenage Exocolonist was released on August 25, 2022.

I Was a Teenage Exocolonist was developed by Northway Games.

I Was a Teenage Exocolonist has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

I Was a Teenage Exocolonist is a single player game.

Similar games include Citizen Sleeper, The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood, Volcano Princess, The Pale Beyond, The Red Strings Club and others.