Hey J, Trails of Cold Steel -- need to play the first to enjoy the second or is there no real need to do so?

@mantid I picked it up and then got wrapped up in some other stuff. I really enjoy its aesthetic, but it's got a steep learning curve and it's not a forgiving game. My first four attempts I froze to death in about 10 minutes. The last time, I managed to get eaten by a wolf. I plan to come back to it, though, because it's just so... sparse? Is that something that's supposed to be a positive about a game? It is in this case.

Long Dark not worth buying?