Science Points are used in Surviving the Aftermath to research advancements for the colony. Research tasks are necessary for staying alive and building a thriving civilization. Players can gather Science Points on the World Map using Specialists or by placing Outposts in sectors that have research stations available. Once enough points are collected, players can spend them on various upgrades or new advancements from the Tech Tree.
At the beginning of Surviving the Aftermath, players will have a few structures unlocked, but they will need to quickly collect Science Points to progress. Without upgrades, players will be vulnerable to the various catastrophes that periodically plague the colony, such as Winter, Pandemics, and Heat Waves. The more vital areas to focus on are food production, resource gathering, and medical treatment.
Although keeping colonists happy will make it more likely that they stay, focusing on the Community branch of the Tech Tree first is not recommended. Aside from better housing, the upgrades are all for colonist happiness, but the more important research tasks are the ones that keep the colonists alive. Focusing on the Food and Safety branches early on will help to protect the colony against catastrophes and increase the likelihood that colonists will outlive environmental disasters.
Using Science Points in Surviving the Aftermath
City-building in Surviving the Aftermath revolves around gathering resources and spending Science Points to unlock new possibilities. Upgrading medical facilities and food production will be costly but they are both worth working towards early in the game. It's very easy to run out of food or have colonists die of injury or disease, especially if a Pandemic catastrophe strikes. Food will take a bit longer to reach the point where it's protected against disasters, but once greenhouses are available, then Winter Storms, Nuclear Fallouts, and other environmental conditions won't destroy crops.
After the first few upgrades, players will need a source of electricity to power the advanced buildings. This will require Infrastructure research tasks. Unlocking Solar Power and Energy Storage will be sufficient at first, but unlocking other Infrastructure upgrades later in the game will be beneficial. The other area players will want to focus on early is the Resources branch. To start collecting Metal and Concrete, players will need to unlock the collectors from the Resource tab. Additionally, late upgrades will help streamline material collecting, which will make it easier to build structures quickly.
Gathering Science Points is essential to creating a sustainable colony in Surviving the Aftermath, and players will need to carefully choose what to spend them on. Prioritizing food and safety upgrades will help the colony stay alive through the worst catastrophes, and getting more resource collectors will help players progress. Surviving the Aftermath can be a difficult game if players make even a few wrong decisions, but unlocking valuable Tech Tree upgrades will ensure the colony's survival.
Surviving the Aftermath is available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
