Before We Leave, an indie game from 2020, is a deceptively calming civilization-builder in a “peaceful corner of the galaxy.” The game begins when your Peeps leave their fallout shelter, determined to rebuild what was lost in a long-forgotten (but soon to be rediscovered) tragedy. You’ll explore ruins, solve riddles, and of course, build bigger and better cities as you attempt to reach the stars. All while attempting to avoid the same calamity that befell your predecessors!

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There are a number of changes in the newest Toxic Wasteland update ranging from minor tweaks to brand new game mechanics. Before you start a new game or revisit an old one, here’s everything you’ll need to know to conquer the wasteland.

8 Smart Shipping Simplifies Resource Management

Before We Leave Trade Ship Selected

One of the most difficult aspects of Before We Leave is the shipping mechanic. Before the most recent update, you'd have to construct individual shipping lanes between each fixed location. Not only that, you had to select which ships went to which ports. This meant that trading between planets was especially complicated since you would have to select the shipping lane for the planet and for the sea ports. Now, shipping has been simplified. All you have to do is select whether a port or planet is exporting or importing an item, and smart shipping does the rest!

7 Hub Buildings Help Manage Resources And Peeps

Before We Leave Research Technologies menu with Logistics selected

The new hub buildings don’t do anything on their own, but they provide different buffs to adjacent buildings. These are especially helpful later in the game when your Peeps require more and better resources to remain happy. There are three different varieties of hubs that have different effects.

  • Relaxation: Peeps in adjacent Accommodations are unaffected by one source of Unhappiness (you choose).
  • Workshop: Adjacent Production buildings produce materials/resources faster.
  • Storage: Instantly delivers resources to adjacent buildings and can also store extra resources.

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You can unlock hub buildings through the new Logistics technology.

6 Repeatable Research Grants Big Bonuses

Before We Leave Library

Once you’ve constructed the Research Institute on your first planet after exploring the sunken ruins, you’ll be able to access this new feature. Repeatable Research is a new technology that can be researched multiple times. Once unlocked, you’ll have access to different branches of research that provide different boosts to different aspects of the game - ten percent boosts each time. Be careful though, every time you research, the other research options in that group will become more expensive. To get Repeatable Research, build a submarine to gain access to the Research Institute.

5 The Toxic Wasteland

Before We Leave Toxic Wasteland tiles

The namesake for Before We Leave’s most recent update, the Toxic Wasteland is a new game mechanic that is affected by pollution. A Highly Polluted tile now has a chance to become Toxic Sludge, which will turn the surrounding tiles into a wasteland. Your Peeps will not be able to enter the wasteland without protection, so you’ll need to build a Protective Airlock or Protective Elevator to access any buildings there. You can reclaim a wasteland by removing the Toxic Sludge with a Toxic Sludge Extractor. You can access these buildings through the Decontamination technology in the research menu. Be warned: some buildings, like the Whale Charmer, will not work on planets with Toxic Sludge tiles.

4 New Spires Modify Your Islands

Before We Leave Snowy Island with Nanotech Spire

The new Nanotech Spires will sometimes appear on islands on middle and edge planets in your solar system. When found, your Peeps can interact with the spire and unlock three different bonuses to the island. The first one is a straight boost, but two of the options will also include downsides, so choose wisely!

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In addition to the Nanotech Spires, there is also the Reclamation Spire, which can be built after unlocking the Laser technology. This spire will completely remove an Astrobaleenium deposit from an island.

3 Desalination Plants Become More Useful

Before We Leave Snowy Island with Desalination Plant

Water is one of the most important resources throughout Before We Leave. Especially once you have access to the Irrigation technology, you’ll want to make sure each of your islands has access to plentiful water. However, wells can only be built on green tiles, and you’ll quickly find many islands have extremely limited green tiles–or even none at all! The desalination plant is a good solution; it turns salt water into a useful resource. After “The Wasteland” update, they’re even more useful: desalination plants can now be built on landlocked water sources and on high tiles.

2 Happy Peeps Take Over For Sad Peeps

Before We Leave farm tiles on green island

One of the most frustrating parts of Before We Leave is Peep management. Specifically, their happiness, which can seem increasingly fickle as you explore your solar system and expand your civilizations. Peeps can become unhappy if they don’t have access to good food, luxury items, clothes, or are exposed to too much gloom or pollution. Unhappy Peeps can become an insurmountable obstacle and can bring entire production lines to a grinding halt. The new update has alleviated at least some of that pressure with a simple fix: if Peeps become too unhappy, Happy Peeps will automatically take over their jobs for them while they recover.

1 Repairing Ruined Buildings Grants You That Technology

Before We Leave snowy island with ruined apartments

Once you begin to expand beyond your first island, you’ll find evidence of previous civilizations. You’ll quickly discover ruins on other islands, or even in the sea. In addition, you’ll also find the burnt-out remnants of ancient buildings. Previously, these burnt buildings were inaccessible unless you’d already researched the necessary technology to build them yourself. However, if you are able to repair the building you’ll now automatically unlock whatever technology is required to build it.

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Before We Leave: Beginner Tips