I didn't use the wiki until 50+ hours in. You need to make your own goals. I started by making a thief and just stealing my way to the top.

You can fairly easily make money and skill up by just running around carrying and selling shit. Specialize your first characters, make the next companions workers.

It's very much a sandbox where you make your own story.

When you start the game you are incredibly weak.

It absolutely is but getting some beginner tips could be a good idea.

For instance if you get bandits to chase you into a shop the gaurds will deal with them. You can then loot all the bodies.

Getting hit trains toughness and defense. Likewise hitting people trains your attack.

So getting beaten up is good but you need to make sure you don't get knocked out (you'll most likely bleed out with low toughness) or have a second person ready to heal you with med kits after the fight hiding somewhere.

Outside of towns is super dangerous until later in the game.

Also running is a very good option if you are out powered. You train your athletics by running. It trains faster if you aren't over encumbered.

It's not unlike Valheim in that way, to be fair. Use a wiki sparingly, just to get your feet under you, and then leave it behind. 🤌🏼

If you're taking suggestions I recommend watching https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXFIaWk23rSznUxxUMAiNoo24Nx4IPBsX You can learn the basics as you watch him suffer.

I kind of had the same experience with it, except I actually managed to get really into it one time. I started as a prisoner in a giant mine, and had a shitload of fun trying and failing to escape. After many hours, I finally did it, and lost interest shortly afterwards because things got too confusing again.