Spirit of the Island Guide - Tips and Tricks for Beginners

Spirit of the Island is a charming game that has you starting life on a small island. It’s here that you will learn to grow your farm, build useful tools, and find the truth behind your birth. To make it through your journey, though, you will need to be crafty and know just how to handle the world around you.

Getting Started - Spirit of the Island Beginner's Guide

When you first start the game, it feels like there are a million things to do. Don’t waste your resources trying to make all the available tools or use all your energy clearing out a huge field. Set up a small area for your farm, and plant some seeds. You will want to focus on gathering food for the first few weeks, as this ensures that your hunger meter stays full. 

You should also concentrate on making a few extra water bottles to carry with you when adventuring. While you are waiting for your harvest to grow, start working towards making a stove. Cooked food is much more filling than raw veggies and fruit.

You should also set up several chests and label them so you can split up your supplies. You don’t have a ton of inventory space at the start of the game, so you need to only carry around the items that count. Since this game has a survival element, you can’t just run off with a single machete in your possession and expect to survive.

You should also make sure to stop into town each day and speak with each of the local residents. By simply talking with them, you can raise their affection level rather quickly, and gifting gift boxes and foods they like will help expedite this. The higher the affection level, the more you get to know about the residents of the town. If you are attentive enough, then you can even get married.

You will want to keep a close watch on your stats and make sure to not let them get too low. Try to have a set time to go to bed as well. When your stats are low, you will be limited in how quickly you can move. Here are some quick tips for making the most out of your gameplay session:

• Remember to check the town notice board for quests.
• Remember to at least speak to every resident each day.
• Set a building goal and stick to it.
• Keep a list of the materials you need to gather when you go mining or exploring.
• Take advantage of things like tools upgrades and making keys at your workbench.
• Use co-op mode to take on the game with a friend.

Spirit of the Island is a game that allows you to play the way you want. It's up to you how you ultimately want to spend your time in the game.

Taming The Wilderness - Starter Tips

The game starts when you wash up on the shore of an island. It’s here that you claim a large plot of land and begin to piece together your past. When you arrive at your home, you will quickly notice that it’s in rough shape, and the area surrounding it has been overgrown by trees and weeds. 

From here, you will get your first tools and learn how to craft. Once you are done with learning the basics, we recommend that you start seeking out a location to grow crops in. Try to keep this as close to your house as possible.

You will need to dig up dirt with your shovel then use the hammer to make a plot. Afterward, cut down some nearby grass to gather seeds. You need six seeds of the same type per plot. Once this is done, be sure to get the soil water each day to ensure that your plants grow.

Be sure to clear out the old fencing and furniture in your house over the next few days so that you have a great start. You will also want to build a furnace and some chests to help you manage your crafting. Keep in mind that items will be crafted while you're away, so it’s easy to always have something being made as you go about your daily tasks.

Keep in mind that your tools do wear down, you can check the status of your tool by looking at the small bar besides it's icon at the bottom of your screen.

Spirit of the Island Tips - Build a Rhythm

The most important thing you can do is make a daily rhythm. It’s easy to just start running after several different goals while playing Spirit of the Island, but this won’t get you far. First, figure out what skills you need to work on. Your skills level up and unlock more items for you to build like sprinklers, a garage, and staff housing.

By leveling up your skills, you are going to make the game much easier for you in the long run and, eventually, move towards automating your farm. You should also work on finding a profitable way to earn money once you have food security. You can build and set up a shop where you can sell items so that you don’t have to run back and forth between traders.

You will want to avoid selling items that you are regularly using and focus on pawning off extras you don’t need, like crops, gems, or even building items like tape. You can have your building station constantly crafting items while you are away and then place them in your shop when you get back. This way, you are constantly making money.

Money can be used to do things like buy items you need, get a better boat, or make more space in your inventory. In addition to the items you are going to sell, be sure to always have building items being made in your furnace so that you don’t have to wait long to build new unlocks.

Remember that one of the goals of the game is to return the town to a bustling tourist destination. The more tourists you can attract, the more money you can make in the long run. You will also need to have tourists who want to stay on your island if you are looking to hire help for your farm.

Managing Your Stats

You will need to manage your stamina, hunger, thirst, and sleep meters while fixing up your new home. You get three bottles when you start the game, and there is a small pond near your home that you can feel them at. There are also trees growing apples surrounding you that can restore a small amount of hunger.

You will really want to work towards making a stove, as cooked meals help feel your stomach better than raw fruit or vegetables. You should also ensure that you are holding some produce back to make yourself food instead of outright selling it all.

Stamina works similarly to other sim games. You use a ton of stamina at the start of the game. By leveling up your skills and making new tools though, you can reduce the amount of stamina you are consuming. You also have to watch your sleep meter and be sure to make it into bed before it runs out.

Letting your meters run out will cause you to move slowly, and if you lose all your health, you will blackout and lose some of the items you are carrying.

Exploration and Battles in Spirit of the Island

Before you go exploring, be sure to bring items with you to keep your stats full. You will want to set off shortly after you wake and ensure that you can make it back home to sleep. When you get your boat, it’s best to go to the closest islands and not waste a ton of fuel. Here you will find many level-appropriate enemies that you can defeat for items and use to gain levels. Be sure to make keys at your building table as they can help you to unlock chests you find in the wild.

If you run into a larger enemy like a troll, it’s best not to interfere with it until you have found some decent clothing that will protect you. When you black out, you will lose some of the items you are carrying, which can make your whole trip void. The best tip for exploring the different islands is to go about it slowly and cautiously so that you don’t end up being overwhelmed by a powerful foe.

 Spirit of the Island Money Making

You can build and set up a shop where you can sell items so that you don’t have to run back and forth between traders. You will want to avoid selling items that you are regularly using and focus on pawning off extras you don’t need, like crops, gems, or even building items like tape. You can have your building station constantly crafting items while you are away and then place them in your shop when you get back. This way, you are constantly making money. You will want to avoid selling items that you are regularly using and focus on pawning off extras you don’t need, like crops, gems, or even building items like tape. 

While there is no one great way to make money early on in the game, selling larger batches of crops every few days can get you started off right. You can also earn a decent amount of money from monster drops, just slay some of the crab monsters wandering around on the beach near your farm for some quick cash. You can also find gemstones in the mine and even sell off things like excess seeds for a small profit. There are several different ways to make money, from fishing to mining, so it's up to you to pick the best course of action for your playthrough. If you are playing a co-op game, consider working on different goals from your partner as you can collect more items to sell this way.

Money can be used to do things like buy items you need, get a better boat, make more space in your inventory, and pay your staff. In addition to the items you are going to sell, be sure to always have building items being made in your furnace so that you don’t have to wait long to build new unlocks. Keep in mind that most things like making building materials, fixing up buildings like the dock, and building machines on your farm require you to spend time collecting resources found in the wild. You won't be able to buy your way into a garage, barn, or even farm decorations.

Remember that one of the goals of the game is to return the town to a bustling tourist destination. The more tourists you can attract, the more money you can make in the long run. You will also need to have tourists who want to stay on your island if you are looking to hire help for your farm. While money is important in the game, you will find that it's rather easy to keep funds in your wallet, without having to put your full attention on making profits.

Getting Your First Boat

Once your farm is up and running, make your way to town. You will have a short mission to repair a bridge, and then you will be able to visit whenever you want. Find the Town Elder, Tala and speak with her about your past afterward. You will unlock the ability to start working on the island. You will want to go back to your farm and head south until you reach the broken-down boat dock. Here you will learn that it’s possible to fix the dock to start bringing in tourists and so that you can visit other islands using a boat.

You will need to speak with the Town Pirate, Jack, and follow his instructions to gather materials for fixing the dock. Once you have completed the short checklist, speak with him after the dock is complete at his home.  He will sell you your first boat. When you have saved up enough money and feel like it's time to upgrade, then you can return to Jack to purchase a nicer vessel.

This will allow you to visit neighboring islands to explore and gather materials. Do keep in mind that your boat does need fuel to get around. You will need a boat to complete the main story, but feel free to play the game how you see fit, whether it be exploring or farming.

Island Hopping in Spirit of the Island

Once you get your first boat, you can leave on your first adventure. Since this is your first time going out, you will want to bring some supplies with you. Be sure to bring food and fill your water bottles. You should also bring something to fight with as you will encounter enemies. Be sure to make keys at your building table as they can help you to unlock chests you find in the wild.

To save fuel, go to the closest island and proceed with caution. While most enemies are weak, there are some stronger ones hanging around that can cause you to blackout. Defeating enemies will help you level up, but you should take things slowly at first to minimize the damage you take and the number of items that you could potentially lose. You will get better gear as you explore, and larger monsters will become easier to take down. Just have some patience and slowly build up your combat skill. 

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Spirit of the Island is still an early access game, but the developers have already shown an impressive road map that lets players know that they plan to add in more features and islands in the future.