The original Gothic 1 gave players an unusual amount of freedom from the first moment. The Gothic 1 Remake stays faithful to that philosophy, dropping you into the Colony with almost no direction. You can wander off in any direction as soon as you take control of the nameless hero. But the world doesn't take it easy on you. The guards of the Old Camp are cut-throat, and the creatures in the forest are brutally difficult. A little preparation goes a long way. Here are 14 things you should do first in the Gothic 1 Remake, based on the early-game advice that experienced players rely on.

1. Stick with Diego

Right at the start, you meet Diego. The game's first piece of advice is simple: stick with him. He knows the lay of the land and can show you the ropes before the world tries to kill you.

2. Pick up everything

The Colony is full of useful items scattered on the ground, in chests, and on bodies. The advice is straightforward: pick up everything you see. You never know when a seemingly useless herb or piece of junk becomes a vital crafting component or a handful of nuggets from a trader.

3. Manually save your game

Gothic 1 Remake does not hold your hand with autosaves. The source briefing explicitly recommends manually saving your game. The world is unforgiving, and one wrong step can send you back a long way. Save often and save in different slots.

4. Collect the pickaxe, nuggets, and old sword

Early on you can find three specific items that make a big difference: a pickaxe, some nuggets, and an old sword. The pickaxe lets you mine ore, nuggets are the currency, and the old sword gives you a basic weapon that beats your fists.

5. Set quick heals

Combat is dangerous. The briefing advises setting up quick heals so you can restore health without fumbling through menus. Bind a healing item to a hotkey and keep an eye on your health bar.

6. Save tutorials in the glossary

When the game shows you a tutorial, instead of dismissing it immediately, save it to the glossary. You can come back to read it later when you need a refresher on controls, crafting, or faction reputation.

7. Find your way into the Old Camp

The Old Camp is the first major hub. Getting inside requires a bit of navigation. The source suggests making this a priority, because the camp offers safety, quests, and traders.

8. Home sweet home

Once inside the Old Camp, you find a place you can call home. The briefing calls it "Home Sweet Home" — a safe spot where you can store items, sleep, and plan your next move.

9. Find a pan to cook some meat

Cooking is one way to turn raw meat into more effective healing food. The game advises finding a pan early so you can cook meat you hunt or find. It’s a simple quality-of-life upgrade.

10. Complete essential early side quests

The Old Camp has a handful of early side quests that teach you how the game works and reward you with experience, items, and reputation. The source says to complete these essential early side quests before heading into the more dangerous areas.

11. Talk to Diego once you level up

Diego doesn’t just guide you at the start. The briefing recommends returning to him after you gain a level. He may have new advice, training, or quests that open up as you prove yourself.

12. Earn some more nuggets

Nuggets are the gold standard in the Colony. The game suggests earning more nuggets before spending them. You can find ore to mine with your pickaxe, sell looted items, or complete quests for coin.

13. Sell valuable items

Not everything you pick up is useful for you. The briefing advises selling valuable items that you don’t need. Jewelry, extra weapons, and rare crafting materials can be traded for nuggets that fund better gear and training.

14. Spend your nuggets wisely

Once you have a pile of nuggets, don’t blow them on the first shiny thing you see. The last piece of advice is to spend your nuggets wisely. Prioritize upgrades to your weapon, armor, and skills that directly improve your survivability.

Why this list matters

The Gothic 1 Remake doesn’t give you a quest marker for every step. It expects you to figure things out, make mistakes, and learn. These 14 steps are not a complete guide to the game but a survival kit for the first hour or two. Follow them, and you’ll enter the Old Camp with a weapon, some healing items, a few nuggets, and a much better idea of how the world works. Ignore them, and the cut-throat guards and the forest beasts will teach you the hard way. That freedom is what Gothic has always been about, but a little preparation means you get to enjoy that freedom longer.