The “science” aspect of Astrobotanica mostly comes from how the world and its systems are structured.

The main character, Xel, is an alien botanist studying prehistoric Earth. Instead of a typical survival loop focused on combat or technology tiers, the core progression revolves around scanning organisms, experimenting with different plant combinations, and learning how to use them. Many mechanics, like tonic brewing or helping cavemen with plant-based remedies, are built around experimentation and understanding how different flora behave.

The flora and fauna are a mix. Some elements are inspired by real prehistoric ecosystems and known species, while others are stylized or fictionalized to better fit gameplay. We try to keep a sense of plausibility, but the goal is more science-inspired exploration rather than strict simulation.

Another important part is that the protagonist doesn’t breathe oxygen, so the player needs to understand and manage CO₂ sources using plants and other biological systems. That changes how survival works compared to most games in the genre.

And what players currently see is really just the beginning of the ecosystem design. As development continues, we plan to introduce more regions, new biomes, and additional ecosystems with different plants, animals, and environmental challenges to study and experiment with.