Waking Mars

Waking Mars mixes human curiosity with a fascinating storyline straight out of the pages of a sci-fi classic; learn to master Mars' complex ecosystem and find out whether or not there truly is sentient life close to home.

Spider was an amazing experiment in storytelling; Waking Mars raises the bar on quality in long-form iOS games. Neither should be missed under any circumstances. Get this game. Whether you adore it as I do or not, it's worth experiencing.

Waking Mars offers a unique, engaging, atmospheric experience you won't find anywhere else.

Just as Eufloria impressed us with its incorporation of naturalistic aspects into an RTS shell, Waking Mars has built its science fiction adventure around creating and cultivating plant life to reinvigorate the fourth rock from the sun.

Waking Mars is a smart, well-crafted game whose smart complexity means it won't appeal to everyone.

Captivating, elegant, and fiendishly clever, Waking Mars delivers a science-fiction epic that's a delight to explore, and rewarding to play.

The detail is astounding. [Aug 2012, p.86]

Despite some shadows and a not-so-deep game mechanic, Waking Mars is an amazing adventure game, with great atmosphere and wonderful sound design. A top notch experience from the developers behind Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor.

Even with this failing, there is still a lot going for this game. The game is still a joy to play. The controls are intuitive while the graphics and music combine to form a claustrophobic, lonely atmosphere. In addition, the narrative is intriguing enough to keep you playing. Who would have thought that horticulture would be this much fun? Waking Mars is a game worth playing for its immersive and refreshing gameplay.

There's corny dialogue, and you'll probably get stuck several times, but Waking Mars' positives far outweigh its negatives, making it a cool space exploration game to have on the go.

Waking Mars will be loved by fans of Metroidvania-style adventure games. Some of the backtracking can get annoying, but this is another fine title from Tiger Style Games.

Waking Mars is ultimately a game about ecological balance, but it's the balance of a different kind – of art, narrative, and puzzle mechanics - that makes it so very satisfying to play.

The awkward controls hold it back from greatness. [May 2012, p.29]

Waking Mars ends up feeling too long for the number of mechanics included, and without an excellent story to carry it, its shortcomings stand out more and more as the levels go on.

Waking Mars is an original take on the puzzle game genre, where you will be required to regulate and create a balance in ecosystems. The atmosphere and Retina-friendly visuals are superb, and the concept an innovative one. Too bad the characters clearly lack charisma and the mechanics are sometime frustrating.

Waking Mars is more of an experience than a challenging game. If you are setting yourself up for an adventure after reading rave reviews at other sites, and the App Store you might be in for a disappointment. I know I was, as I actually got a bit bored.