Required/Recommended lore before playing?

[Stone]

I've just started playing, and it seems like maybe there's some manual/lore/readings/etc I maybe should (have?) read beforehand? I do not want spoilers, how (best) to play, etc., just "this is the world you're about to jump into. Fun fact! A/B/C etc." This game seems ripe for just that sort of thing, and... I can't find it (even a manual to RTF out of).

Pretty much the only thing I know is the paragraph or so on the website/announce video. Is that it?

[Fanta]

I don't think there is any homework you should do before playing. Finding out about the lore/story is part of the game, I don't recommend you spoil it by finding out in advance.

[WZ]

Just the "about this game" spiel on the store page yes.
Explains the premise clearly & imho enhances appreciation for the intro.
Going in totally blind outside of that is best. GLHF!

[tenchu400]

It's not that type of game. The lore and story reveals itself to you as you play.

[Mograx]

there's two primary ways to convey information to the player via exposition. either the characters in game describe and explain things in a conversation where the participants already know the information, making it obvious it's purely for the player's benefit, resulting in awkwardness and some immersion breaking info dumps.

Or they speak and behave as they normally would, requiring the player to connect the dots on their own what they're talking about.

This game does the latter, which I prefer.

[Paradroid78]

You learn everything through the course of playing. Thankfully it's not one of those games where you need to watch the damn stage play to understand what's going on.

[Peter Panzy]

This game rewards exploration and sight seeing... the more engaged you are in the game, the more you'll learn about its world. Rushing from point A to B to C is really a MAJOR disservice to yourself.

[Stone]

Thanks everyone, good to know. I'll keep playing to get the lore.

[Strinder]

I do wish I knew how the mechanics of the number worked going in. It isn't a mystery and me trying to figure it out took me out of the intro of the story. If you want to know it, I promise it isn't any real spoiler, then read below:

The number on the monolith shows who dies. When it changes, everyone who is that age and older is killed. The number started at 100 and has counted down every year since. At the start of the game it is about to tick down to 33.