Mars: War Logs

 PC
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 296 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 150 out of 296
  2. Mixed: 112 out of 296
  3. Negative: 34 out of 296

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  1. Hobojobes
    Apr 27, 2013
    7
    For the price its not a bad game. Combat is harsh and unforgiving but not without its charm, character interaction is amusing and often your choices in such have an obvious effect in game. The ingame crafting allows you to alter the effects and appearance of the armour and weapons your character uses. The graphics given the games pricing can be forgiven. The voice acting is laughable atFor the price its not a bad game. Combat is harsh and unforgiving but not without its charm, character interaction is amusing and often your choices in such have an obvious effect in game. The ingame crafting allows you to alter the effects and appearance of the armour and weapons your character uses. The graphics given the games pricing can be forgiven. The voice acting is laughable at times, but the games indie background seems to have allowed the developers to go for a more adult tone in language and events which makes a change to most RPGs on the market.The only major fault is the often, tedious nature of some the quests you receive, go here, double back, route through numerous piles of garbage hidden about the level.… Expand
  2. Acidblood83
    Apr 26, 2013
    8
    Only played about 2 hours so far, but initial impressions are very good. Don't expect AAA presentation (graphics animations), but mechanically combat is solid and works well, being a decent challenge (once out of the tutorial fights) on hard; items are also quite useful. Character customisation is good with a range of feats (passive boosts to XP, crafting, looting and rep) and skillsOnly played about 2 hours so far, but initial impressions are very good. Don't expect AAA presentation (graphics animations), but mechanically combat is solid and works well, being a decent challenge (once out of the tutorial fights) on hard; items are also quite useful. Character customisation is good with a range of feats (passive boosts to XP, crafting, looting and rep) and skills (three loose trees of combat, stealth items and magic). Crafting involves upgrades to armour and weapons, which have slots, and each slot can be given a variety of bonuses (and visuals) if you have the materials. The story is quite well told so far, with good voice acting and in-engine cutscenes; will be interesting to see where it leads. PC wise it feels a little like a port (mostly the mouse is a little floaty), but has enough options to please most people and it runs well on my laptop (alienware m14x) with high settings. I didn't need to customise the keyboard mouse controls (thumbs up) and there are default keys for most things (inventory, map, skills, characters, etc.) as well as 0-9 for easy to use item ability hotkeys. Like I said, and for $20, don't expect AAA, but in some ways that's a good thing (especially in an RPG) as it feels like the Devs have focused on mechanics over flash, and assuming the rest of the game is as good or better than the first few hours this is definitely a game sci-fi and or RPG fans should check out.… Expand
  3. Wagzy
    Apr 28, 2013
    10
    Very well done game for the price of $20. They've done a lot of things right.

    The combat is fairly good, at first it may seem weird but it works well. The quest are somewhat interesting, some are fetch this, bring it back, but other feel well placed for the setting. For the lip sync you end up not realising that it's out of time and done fairly bad. Voice acting isn't the best but the    Very well done game for the price of $20. They've done a lot of things right.

    The combat is fairly good, at first it may seem weird but it works well.
    The quest are somewhat interesting, some are fetch this, bring it back, but other feel well placed for the setting.
    For the lip sync you end up not realising that it's out of time and done fairly bad. Voice acting isn't the best but the main characters voice acting is done very well!
    The setting is great, the graphics are not top notch, but they don't have to be. I fell it adds character the the Mars setting and the fits the game very well.
    Has good character progression. Things you do can reflect on comments made by other characters. Skill tree isn't as vast as say Skyrim, but you wouldn't need anything more than what it gives.

    Overall, It's a really fun game. The characters are done well, dialogue is all there(character background etc. combat works great, story is interesting. Well worth the buy!

    10/10! May seem high to some but this little title that came from no where is great     … Expand
  4. Jones21
    Apr 27, 2013
    9
    I just heard about this game yesterday when it's released. I do a bit of research afterwards on how the game is developed and it looks interesting. I bought the game afterwards for $20 and I have to say, for an indie game, this is an excellent game. It's an action rpg where your decisions in game will affect the game later. I'm 6 hours into the game and I'm not even halfway finished.I just heard about this game yesterday when it's released. I do a bit of research afterwards on how the game is developed and it looks interesting. I bought the game afterwards for $20 and I have to say, for an indie game, this is an excellent game. It's an action rpg where your decisions in game will affect the game later. I'm 6 hours into the game and I'm not even halfway finished. Graphic looks good, the people's lips are kind of stiff but overall the animation is great, voice acting is pretty good, combat is actually fun and challenging, kind of like the Witcher 2 only with clubs and guns, and best of all it's only 2.5 GB in size. Wow, 2.5 GB and the game is this long and content filled. That's a big surprise. It's definitely worth the money.… Expand
  5. PhobosAres
    Jul 13, 2013
    9
    Mars: War Logs is perhaps a great example of how a indie team with a limited budget can surprise the masses, with a rather incredible and vivid game.

    The storyline is well written, and there is plenty of lore embedded in your menu to read up and understand the setting that takes place. The game is inspired by some other similar titles, but does a excellent job at being unique from those    Mars: War Logs is perhaps a great example of how a indie team with a limited budget can surprise the masses, with a rather incredible and vivid game.

    The storyline is well written, and there is plenty of lore embedded in your menu to read up and understand the setting that takes place. The game is inspired by some other similar titles, but does a excellent job at being unique from those other ones.

    The Graphics are very good; I play the game on three monitors and max settings; it is a well-rendered for the mars environment. The engine they use I have not heard of before, but it seems bug-free.

    The Game-play is also catered in a unique light. The game has a bit more of a emphasis on melee, but does have guns. The player will find himself in the beginning trying hard to save resources, since the life of a mars inhabitant in the state of this game can be quite unforgiving.

    The RPG elements are acceptable; there are moral choices and different dialogue options with many people in the game. The skill tree is oriented in three different paths, and skills give you perks.

    There is also crafting, recycling, trading, side quests, and nooks and crannies to explore that will keep you busy.

    9/10 Excellent budget indie title!    … Expand
  6. daskind
    Sep 19, 2013
    8
    this game is completely underrated. good story, quite nice gameplay, if repetitive at some point. i loved the characters and the steampunk settings. if you didn´t play it yet, don´t hesitate. it´s a bargain!
  7. norris_
    May 3, 2013
    7
    I enjoyed the game. The first few hours in the first level were great, and the game felt in its own clunky (indie) way fresh compared to the bland FPS & RPG AAA titles we get nowadays.

    Unfortunately, as you progress the game the quality deteriorates fast. The gameplay mechanics which held the game together the first few hours start to feel boring and repetitive. There's no excitement    I enjoyed the game. The first few hours in the first level were great, and the game felt in its own clunky (indie) way fresh compared to the bland FPS & RPG AAA titles we get nowadays.

    Unfortunately, as you progress the game the quality deteriorates fast. The gameplay mechanics which held the game together the first few hours start to feel boring and repetitive. There's no excitement to explore places since the loot has no variety, and it becomes just a requirement for progression. The combat becomes too easy as your character gains experience and even your gear fully upgraded starts to feel old, since there's a relatively small amount of different equipment in the game. However, the story and character leveling keep the game interesting enough to the end, even if you eventually start hoping to reach it already.

    For its price point (20 euros) this game is still a good recommendation. The first few hours are worth it, and its a low cost for supporting an indie team which has this much ambition. Hopefully we'll hear more from them in the future.    … Expand
  8. Loggrim
    Jul 14, 2013
    8
    Kind of a mix between Mass Effect (character dialog choices and reputation system), Fallout (loot, overall setting and crafting) and Skyrim (real time combat but with dodges and parries) this game is a severely over looked and under rated gem.

    The level design does leave a lot to be desired and even the updated voice over and dialog is still not great. But the atmosphere, the story, the    Kind of a mix between Mass Effect (character dialog choices and reputation system), Fallout (loot, overall setting and crafting) and Skyrim (real time combat but with dodges and parries) this game is a severely over looked and under rated gem.

    The level design does leave a lot to be desired and even the updated voice over and dialog is still not great. But the atmosphere, the story, the characters, the combat, the crafting and anything else you can think of are all very interesting and fun.

    Sure it's not the longest game, but at 1/3rd the price of most new games, I can't really complain.

    Hope to see a bigger sequel from the same developers.    … Expand
  9. AndoreGhost
    Apr 30, 2013
    7
    Worth playing.
    Decent. That word probably describes the game best. The setting is interesting, but the story is a little dry, it definitely has a potential to be so much more. It's mostly linear, but I don't see it as a flaw. The game mechanically resembles KotOR, Jade Empire, Witcher, etc. Graphics are not stunning but they are Ok. RPG system is very simple. Combat is more action that    Worth playing.
    Decent. That word probably describes the game best. The setting is interesting, but the story is a little dry, it definitely has a potential to be so much more. It's mostly linear, but I don't see it as a flaw. The game mechanically resembles KotOR, Jade Empire, Witcher, etc. Graphics are not stunning but they are Ok. RPG system is very simple. Combat is more action that tactics. I haven't found any bugs that affect the gameplay. Probably the main weakness of the game is that it lacks polish. Overall it's a good effort and I wasn't disappointed.    … Expand
  10. rabidclock
    Jul 19, 2013
    8
    I'm really impressed with this game, coming from a studio that employs 20 people, it is really well done. This isn't a triple A production, and as such, it does not have the kind of polish or cutting edge technology one would expect from high dollar productions. That being said, it is a wonderful little game with a good story. The mechanics are a bit clunky and dated, but at least it isI'm really impressed with this game, coming from a studio that employs 20 people, it is really well done. This isn't a triple A production, and as such, it does not have the kind of polish or cutting edge technology one would expect from high dollar productions. That being said, it is a wonderful little game with a good story. The mechanics are a bit clunky and dated, but at least it is challenging enough to hold my interest. The story is where this game really shines though. It pulls a lot of the elements that I loved about the first KOTOR and allows the player to make decisions that affects how your companions react, and who you get to play with. Granted, the game is a bit on rails, so it tends to play out like a movie rather than an adventure. If you enjoy Sci Fi, and you're looking for an interesting take on the classic Mars colony theme, this is a wonderful game. The price is fair, and I would recommend it to others. It has some replay value, though two runs is going to be about as much as I can give. I would love to see a sequel with a bigger budget and more exploration and immersion of the world, but please no multiplayer aspect. All in all, a good title.… Expand
  11. Dafenix
    Jul 14, 2013
    8
    A lot of people (see: critics) are being too hard on this game. If you buy it expecting a AAA game you'll be disappointed because it's not made with a AAA budget by a AAA studio. Given the budget and the size of the team they must have had they did a remarkable job on it. Though I have only played about two hours so far the story has me wanting to see more and the gameplay mechanics areA lot of people (see: critics) are being too hard on this game. If you buy it expecting a AAA game you'll be disappointed because it's not made with a AAA budget by a AAA studio. Given the budget and the size of the team they must have had they did a remarkable job on it. Though I have only played about two hours so far the story has me wanting to see more and the gameplay mechanics are pretty solid. The graphics are actually better than what I'd expect from an indie developer. The voice acting is pretty hit and miss but if you've played a lot of indie games you know to expect that.
    You can search the environment and find salvage you can use to craft upgrades for your equipment that not only give you different boosts to your character but also show up on your character in the game. Even in cutscenes!

    If you played the original Witcher and liked it you should give this game a try. For the price it's not a bad game and reminded me a lot of the original Witcher. The only gripe I really have about the game is the ridiculous names some of the characters have but it's explained in the game as a part of the lore. Even the main character makes a comment about it.    … Expand
  12. Gnostic
    Sep 12, 2013
    8
    I was rather annoyed when it ended, as I started to enjoy the story and the character development. It is a very good game for its price, and if it had twice the size it could easily be a full title. The pre-made character works well, and the combat is stunning. All in all a good game, especially for its price.
  13. Slumrunner
    Jun 27, 2014
    8
    I have been hesitant to pick this up with the $20 price tag and not hearing to much about the game, when it went on steam summer sale though i jumped at the chance. I have to say im rather happy with the purchase. No its not a game that breaks the mold and sends it into mars atmosphere, but its a game that gets a lot right. The best part is the combat and crafting systems. The combat isI have been hesitant to pick this up with the $20 price tag and not hearing to much about the game, when it went on steam summer sale though i jumped at the chance. I have to say im rather happy with the purchase. No its not a game that breaks the mold and sends it into mars atmosphere, but its a game that gets a lot right. The best part is the combat and crafting systems. The combat is responsive and gratifying with each swing and the pints you invest into your charatures combat performance. The crafting on the other hand resembles that of the witcher series get components to upgrade Armour and weapons and make heath kits and so on. Personally im a sucker for when upgrades are shown on amour and weapons like you made a difference and you put it there. The side quest are fun enough to keep you wanting to complete more, but be warned the game falls flat with all the back tracking within the 3 chapters you play through. you will get families with your surrounding and I mean familiar. Sadly what makes this game a little then then what it could be is the story on such a small budget it shoots to be a great space opera like mass effect, which is not necessarily a bad thing just falls flat more then naught, yes there are those rare moments that push you in and make you want to see it to the end but all in all its hard to care about the story when it docent connect to a bigger picture. For the $20 you spend you will get a good amount of play time and a fun combat system and interesting if not lack luster story. I recommend anyone a fan of the witcher series, syfy, or RPG to try this romp around the red planet and if you can catch it on sales but all means then pick it up you wont be disappointing, and after all you can do much worse.… Expand
  14. Mudpuppyuk
    Dec 4, 2013
    8
    A good, short RPG that's well worth its lower price.
    It hits all the right notes, the combat at first is a challenge but once you level up a few times, get some gear and develop a system it becomes a lot of fun. The game also has a good story although the end is a slight anticlimax but still good enough. A single play through lasts up to 12 hours but it has enough replayability for a    A good, short RPG that's well worth its lower price.
    It hits all the right notes, the combat at first is a challenge but once you level up a few times, get some gear and develop a system it becomes a lot of fun. The game also has a good story although the end is a slight anticlimax but still good enough. A single play through lasts up to 12 hours but it has enough replayability for a second run due to in game choises and combat branch.    … Expand
  15. Mayhzon
    Oct 12, 2013
    8
    This game is for the endearing player who is willing to try something new, even if it means that some compromise has to be taken and some flaws have to be accepted. But it is a decent game overall. Just take healthy breaks between playsessions and keep playsessions shorter than 5 hours to avoid repetition kicking in, ruining your fun.

    Story 6.5 10: Overall not bad, but holds a few    This game is for the endearing player who is willing to try something new, even if it means that some compromise has to be taken and some flaws have to be accepted. But it is a decent game overall. Just take healthy breaks between playsessions and keep playsessions shorter than 5 hours to avoid repetition kicking in, ruining your fun.

    Story 6.5 10: Overall not bad, but holds a few clichés and a cheesy main character. What might be a bit offputting is the developers fascination of abuse, physical as well as mentally. You get Innocence, one of the main characters and his prison shower arrival scene, a full questline about finding and dealing with a r*pist and eventually you meet Mary, a character with the background of an abuse victim.
    At first it might also be difficult to get a feeling for the main character and how he argues with all the morally rotten people living on Mars. However, if you keep playing and look past the abuse motif that appears a few times, you will eventually immerse yourself in the world the developers want to show you.

    Gameplay 8 10: Definitely the strong point of the game. It features a good batch of mechanics, but sadly a few of them don't go much into depth and some abilities cearly trump others. The combat is rich of action and often challenging, but you will quickly learn that guarding parrying is for the weak on the red planet and that even a technomancer has to use his baton. It's a game with a heavy focus on melee combat. Everything else that you will learn or find will be mostly there to diversify the melee fighting. Your gun is mostly an emergency button for block breaking. Various spells are there to enhance melee combat, so is stealth and placing traps. Be aware of that when buying the game. It will always be a game about beating people with sticks, from start to finish.

    After you have beaten your enemies into coma, you may decide between leaving them there unconscious or finishing them off for extra serum currency. Based on your decision it will increase or decrease your reputation, but the morale system sadly leaves a lot to be desired as it simply hands out different passive skills (+crits when being evil; +discounts for merchants and improved companion when being good). It also changes a few dialogues, but you can always work around it if needed.

    What makes the game somewhat unique is the crafting system. Unlike other RPGs, you barely find equipment. Instead you often find scrap metal and other parts you need for the crafting. Most useful items have sockets and you change then the attributes of your weapons and armor by adding certain enhancements. Variations range from raw physical damage and armor over critical strikes to improved electric damage and protection and several combinations of those.

    The dialogue system is interesting and choices do actually matter, which is another plus. For instance, leaving a certain troublemaker in a quest alive instead of killing him will later lead to said troublemaker reappearing and giving you more trouble. Some enemies can be convinced to give up their cause, you then don't have to fight them. The game could have featured a few more of those decisions, though. At the very least they are not "bogus" decisions like other games often offer players. Replaying the game doing things different you will eventually experience changes in the environment and NPCs attitude.

    Visuals 9 10: I personally found them to be quite good, but then again I don't have the highest of standards when it comes to visuals. More importantly, the game runs relatively well on my machine and it's about 4 years old. So, not only does it look good, but it's not too hardware demanding. The character, weapon and armor models are especially nice. The dirt on the faces, the rust on the metal pipes, the rough leather patches of your clothing, it all looks convincing.

    Level Design 5 10: Sadly leaves a lot of desires unfulfilled. It "makes sense" in the game's context, but it has a repetitive scheme. You have about 3 hubs, each with 1 or 2 dungeons tops. Each Hub dungeon is split into "rooms". It is rare to have more than 1 encounter in each room. Think of Monster Hunter. It does give the player the feeling of a restricted world. Also, there isn't exactly much to discover. Clearly a weak point of the game.

    Sound 7 10: Sound effects sound good and never really out of place, but the voice acting isn't always convincing. The main character sounds believable, though.

    Soundtrack 8 10: Mostly depends on whether or not you like electronic stuff and synthesizers. I personally found the music to be very suitable, given the game's background. Every environment and battle had its own sound to it And it sounds very dirty and rough. The frequent use of percussions and drums might be offputting for some. The soundtrack was also made available for free by the developers themselves, so if you like it you can actually download it.    … Expand
  16. hellcat5
    Jul 24, 2013
    8
    I've watched game play videos of this, I watched the developer videos. I decided, despite the negative comments about this game, I'd give it a shot. I'm glad I did. This game, while the controls aren't perfect, has a nice atmosphere. I loev the art, the music, and the voice overs have their own style. The voice acting is humorous, and enjoyable. The combat, skill, and crafting systems areI've watched game play videos of this, I watched the developer videos. I decided, despite the negative comments about this game, I'd give it a shot. I'm glad I did. This game, while the controls aren't perfect, has a nice atmosphere. I loev the art, the music, and the voice overs have their own style. The voice acting is humorous, and enjoyable. The combat, skill, and crafting systems are nicely made.

    War logs is worth the time.    … Expand
  17. SuperSly
    Jul 12, 2013
    9
    I usually never write reviews on game. Because I think that game does not deserve some of the bad review it received.

    First of all the graphics are pretty good, it match most console graphics game. Its not a AAA game graphics like Call of Duty, but it doesn't need it neither. Its a RPG not a FPS. The gameplay is great too. The combats are fun and the control are easy to use (play    I usually never write reviews on game. Because I think that game does not deserve some of the bad review it received.

    First of all the graphics are pretty good, it match most console graphics game. Its not a AAA game graphics like Call of Duty, but it doesn't need it neither. Its a RPG not a FPS.

    The gameplay is great too. The combats are fun and the control are easy to use (play well with a xbox controller and with the mouse/keyboard). The fight are a little bit like dragon age origin where u can click a button who slow down the game and let use pick a special skill.

    Finally the story is awesome, with lots of details, once again a little bit like dragon age (with a lore book ).

    If you are a RPG player and you don't mind the half real time combat of dragon age origin you will like that game.

    I hope they will make Mars log 2. This game is a real hidden gem.    … Expand
  18. Ultravires
    May 13, 2013
    6
    The degree of freedom of choice given to players in customizing items is a great addition to the game. What I liked most was the game's Mass Effect/SWKOTOR-esque style of decision-making. What you would say would literally influence what your character would be able to do. The game's replayability is good, but doesn't offer a new game+ which I was disappointed in. The story wasThe degree of freedom of choice given to players in customizing items is a great addition to the game. What I liked most was the game's Mass Effect/SWKOTOR-esque style of decision-making. What you would say would literally influence what your character would be able to do. The game's replayability is good, but doesn't offer a new game+ which I was disappointed in. The story was satisfactory and some of the characters were quite intriguing such as that of the Technomancers but don't expect the game to be at par with EA's Mass Effect because this is an indie game.

    Overall, the replay value as well as depth of customization makes this game quite good despite its shallow and almost cliche story line. The price of this game is worth it if you like customizing your character, but if you are more on storytelling, Mars: War Logs will disappoint you to a certain degree.    … Expand
  19. CobraCarl
    Apr 30, 2013
    7
    First of all, I've had much fun playing this game, but there are a few things i didn't like.

    -Endless backtracking. I've stopped doing side-missions because it meant more running through all the same tiny levels again and again. - Every locations looks exactly the same. I know this isn't an expensive AAA title, but a bit of variation should be possible. The games Story is OK but not    First of all, I've had much fun playing this game, but there are a few things i didn't like.

    -Endless backtracking. I've stopped doing side-missions because it meant more running through all the same tiny levels again and again.
    - Every locations looks exactly the same. I know this isn't an expensive AAA title, but a bit of variation should be possible.

    The games Story is OK but not great, as well as the gameplay.
    My score would be lower if this was a full price title, but i payed only 20€ on steam and for that it's ok.    … Expand
  20. Anlauf
    Apr 30, 2013
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game ideas are pretty good.
    The history is interesting and drives people forward to see what will happen, despite some characters being annoying. Exaggerated innocence from some of them are just out of way in what the game shows Mars is.
    For the game, the combat system is very good, but the dive and block system can be very trick to use, and sometimes, the NPCs do some unbelievable movements hiting you far away and sometimes pretty much useless. As are your companions most of times, mainly during fight with mobs. Only one function does work good in Companion Order (defend), others only will lead them to die. Also, for the one of these companions, bring her along could lead to increased difficult, since her attacks never stop after the animation started, leading to friendly fire.
    The button configuration are a mess. 4 buttons doing interactions, sometimes E, or R, ou LMB or RMB. Leading to point where trying to collect a item on ground only make Roy go combat ready".
    Graphics are good for a low budget game, face animations are ok.
    Game main story line is short, but god a small but good and well done side quests.
    Also, the plot ends leaving you wondering if will be more games to this saga.
    But, some side quests doesn't start, continue or end with no reason at all.
    For the game price on Steam, worth to get it. But the game does need some polishing in upcoming patches we hope it will get.    … Expand
  21. mangavideo
    Nov 27, 2013
    9
    For an indie game, this definitely takes the crown! Excellent gameplay, good clean fun. For the price/quality ratio, this is, for sure a game NOT to be overlooked!
  22. Parrk
    Apr 29, 2013
    8
    Every other day or so I review the Steam new releases in hopes of finding something like this game; a 3rd person story/character-based rpg that I have not played, or read much about. It almost never happens. I follow the genre closely, and generally know what is on the horizon. This kind of game (rpg)offers a mix of development cost/complexity and mediocre sales expectations thatEvery other day or so I review the Steam new releases in hopes of finding something like this game; a 3rd person story/character-based rpg that I have not played, or read much about. It almost never happens. I follow the genre closely, and generally know what is on the horizon. This kind of game (rpg)offers a mix of development cost/complexity and mediocre sales expectations that basically has meant that smaller or indi studios rarely make them, opting for more of a sure thing, or a less resource-intensive game style.

    This game caught me by surprise, and it has been a really pleasant surprise. I really enjoy the game thus far. It certainly has its, lets cal them eccentricities, but none of them, or even they all in aggregate,effectively "break" the game. It runs well on my machine. Below I will focus on different aspects of the game, sharing my views after about 8 hours of play.

    Story: The story is interesting. I like that it is not "omg save teh wurld!" in its scope. Mars is about as dystopian as setting come, and what you do will likely not ultimately SAVE anyone for good because at the end of the day,there will still be too many thirsty, and not enough water, and little prospect for escape or giant leaps in quality of life. This is a story of trying to make the best of a really bad situation with little or no hope for a genuinely positive ending. Mars is a place where everyone is horrible to everyone. It is oddly satisfying to play hero in a plac ewhere people are hugely appreciative for hte smallest things.

    Characters/writing/VA: I have read a lot of negative reviews of the voice acting. It hasn't bothered me at all. This is what yu get when you do what you can, but do not have millions to dedicate to VA. It is servicable,and never markedly bad imo. There were instances where it caused me to chuckle, but the intonation is generally solid, so i does its part. I actually thing the PC is pretty well done. The dialogue is good in places, and never what I would call bad. The writing matches the setting and stays pretty true to the "feel" of the game. Some of hte caracters are better done than others. Some are bizarre, but that is because they were intended to be so. There are no striking failures. Mary is weird but likable, and I think that is what they were going for.

    Combat: It is a bit repetitive, or gets to be. It isn't the combat itself, which flows pretty well and is not overly easy, but som of the respawns got to me after a while, especially given the huge amount of back-tracking and how each enviroment is used for quite some time. Technomacy is powerful, but not hugely overpowered. You can never 2-shot mobs, and casting times are long enough that you have to timeyour casts well in order to avoid interruption. Like another reviewer said, you hit people with a stick...a lot.

    Graphics/animation: I am not a discerning consumer of fine graphics. I like for characters to look good, and this game succeeds in that. They focused on character faces, which I think is a strong choice. The lighting works well andthe textures on characters are pretty good. I have not even looked at the environmental tetures closely. Some of hte animations are a tad wonky. Sometimes the characters have odd facial contortions that make them appear to be craning their neck is odd wys which makes them appear to be overly-animated. All in all, I reall like the style, and many of the characters are really well-drawn.

    All in all I think they did really well. I certainly have no problem recommending this game given the $20 price point. It is very good in places and I consider it to be a really solid effort.    … Expand
  23. Logiwonk
    Apr 28, 2013
    7
    This is a game. A game about hitting people with a stick. Also, about bolts of electricity. You will combat faceless mooks on the Red Planet to gather Serum (aka money, who uses blood components as money?). With this money you can upgrade your stick. This is not phallic.

    You will meet Mary. Mary is pretty and doesn't enjoy wearing clothing. Mary will follow you while you beat people    This is a game. A game about hitting people with a stick. Also, about bolts of electricity. You will combat faceless mooks on the Red Planet to gather Serum (aka money, who uses blood components as money?). With this money you can upgrade your stick. This is not phallic.

    You will meet Mary. Mary is pretty and doesn't enjoy wearing clothing. Mary will follow you while you beat people with your stick. You make some choices, but mostly hit people with a stick while Mary watches. This is not a game about sexual frustration or S/M.

    Really, it's fun. Also, Mary is pretty.    … Expand
  24. twoeazy
    Apr 29, 2013
    8
    By the time I've played it for now, I can surely say: this is definitely not a bad game. I can say more Mars: War Logs is surprisingly good, especially for it's price. It contains more awesome things than any sequel RPG of the past couple of years. Unusual setting reminds of Riddick stories; the story is strong, and the lore is strong too. Harsh and unforgiving combat, comparing to otherBy the time I've played it for now, I can surely say: this is definitely not a bad game. I can say more Mars: War Logs is surprisingly good, especially for it's price. It contains more awesome things than any sequel RPG of the past couple of years. Unusual setting reminds of Riddick stories; the story is strong, and the lore is strong too. Harsh and unforgiving combat, comparing to other current RPG games, delivers lots of pleasure. Add the crafting, huge variety of skills and perks and nice dialogue system to this. And the quests! Forget about the Skyrim-like magic compass thing, here on Mars you're on your own with your tasks. Anyway, all these goodies doesn't mean the game is absolutely perfect. Graphics are a few years outdated, animations are choppy and lacks frames. Side quests are mostly boring or just common. Roy's haircut is just awful he looks like a complete douchebag. Most cons are just about the game's appearance. So, the game is surely worth of it's cost. It's made just for you if you're tired of modern dumb ass RPGs.… Expand
  25. Faldon
    Apr 27, 2013
    7
    Apart from the truly appalling voice acting, terrible lip syncing, vacant NPC stares and average visuals, I am finding myself really enjoying this game. Really. The combat is satisfying and offers some RPG progression and weapon/armour crafting which I am finding very intriguing. Let's face it, who doesn't want to be a Technomancer? Cool. What an effort from a low budget team. Oh, and anyApart from the truly appalling voice acting, terrible lip syncing, vacant NPC stares and average visuals, I am finding myself really enjoying this game. Really. The combat is satisfying and offers some RPG progression and weapon/armour crafting which I am finding very intriguing. Let's face it, who doesn't want to be a Technomancer? Cool. What an effort from a low budget team. Oh, and any game that can incorporate an 'arrow to the knee' quote gets my vote.… Expand
  26. MigRib
    Apr 17, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Good things first: as a science fiction RPG, per se, is already good news (great news even, given the rarity of RPGs which do not delve in fantasy). Visually - and although the graphics are not it's strongest point - the game is well done. The color palette helps to accentuate the idea that we are locked in a prison institution on Mars. The soil is red and there is dust everywhere -it can even be used to distract enemies in combat - the buildings are gray, dimly lit and prisoners wear dirty and deteriorated garments. Besides the environment, the characters are well defined and have their own agendas; some intersect with the interests of Temperance, the protagonist of the game, others have their own burdens. During the preparation process, Temperance will find some allies, like Innocence Smith, a young man newly arrived in prison. The names are not a coincidence or just bad taste: according to the history of Mars: War Logs, Aurora guild members always receive a name or nickname that corresponds to a virtue - presumably not just the seven Catholic virtues. Worth checking out.… Expand
  27. Adams1
    Apr 30, 2013
    5
    I am not sure why there are so many high reviews of this game with almost all of them praising the combat and story as both these aspects I found terrible. the combat was glitchy, not helped by the camera control which I dont think had one smooth pan during my whole game playthrough, it was unforgiving and even on the lowest difficulty setting It was very hit and miss with some fights II am not sure why there are so many high reviews of this game with almost all of them praising the combat and story as both these aspects I found terrible. the combat was glitchy, not helped by the camera control which I dont think had one smooth pan during my whole game playthrough, it was unforgiving and even on the lowest difficulty setting It was very hit and miss with some fights I lost very convincingly in 10s and on the retry I won without a scratch, everyone keeps comparing it to witcher which I havent played so maybe you need to play that first to understand it. The story was so laughable with no explanations for NPC motivations or changes of heart, one character was a friend, tried to kill you and then offered to be a companion in about 2 mins without any explanations and that was normal for the game the main story never even explained the main characters motivation and even gives you a choice of what it was about 5min from the end. For a low budget RPG it wasnt bad but the story could really have been done a lot better, its like it wasnt even proof read and was full of spelling mistakes in the dialogue.… Expand
  28. Hermes_tri
    Jun 26, 2014
    7
    Don't be repelled by my rating of 7 - it is a good rating after all and the game is solid. It has unique setting, engaging narrative and passionate voice acting. It is a solid RPG with melee fighting system. However the game does not reach higher than 7 for me for a number of reasons - repeating environments(ala Dragon Age 2), limited ranged weapons(1 in total), skill trees not balancedDon't be repelled by my rating of 7 - it is a good rating after all and the game is solid. It has unique setting, engaging narrative and passionate voice acting. It is a solid RPG with melee fighting system. However the game does not reach higher than 7 for me for a number of reasons - repeating environments(ala Dragon Age 2), limited ranged weapons(1 in total), skill trees not balanced and not well designed, too much unnecessary animations - like opening doors(although they can be skipped), too much running back and forth in linear environment. But, dialogues and decision making is there and this is what makes a good rpg. Worth the money spent, just wish it had a bigger budget.… Expand
  29. Syroc
    May 4, 2013
    5
    Long review short: it's not bad! But it's definitely not good either. It's mostly just "meh".

    When I saw this on steam, I was optimistic. It had many of the things I love. Cyberpunk setting, RPG elements, martian colonies and a promise of choosing sides in a corporate war? Awesome. And the game started out promising, with a narration of a confused youth detailing how he was lured    Long review short: it's not bad! But it's definitely not good either. It's mostly just "meh".

    When I saw this on steam, I was optimistic. It had many of the things I love. Cyberpunk setting, RPG elements, martian colonies and a promise of choosing sides in a corporate war? Awesome.

    And the game started out promising, with a narration of a confused youth detailing how he was lured into joining a corporate war in the hopes of money and maybe adventure, but then slowly becoming disillusioned by it all before being captured in battle by enemy forces. For the first few scenes of the game, I thought I was going to be treated to a "rags to badass" story as the narrator goes from a lowly POW to a major player in the war. (I am an eternal optimist.)

    Alas; this was not to be.

    Once the game starts we're introduced to the REAL protagonist of the game in a scene that really drives home how a character shouldn't be introduced. It's not helped that it goes on for way, way too long. It starts the trend of almost getting things right, but not quite managing it.

    The story had promise, and if more time had been devoted to letting things unfold and getting information out it would have been great despite its brevity. (I finished the game in about 11 hours, and I was taking my time.) The game does a good job of things at first, but once you're out of the prison things start getting worse and worse. This isn't helped by the at times ridiculous dialogue, which runs gamut from bad to good.

    The setting is interesting, because as I said before I love me some cyberpunk. And Mars. But for a long time I was confused about where to find out information about it. And even then, this isn't exactly Bioware-levels of depth. It was only late into that that I realized that the corporations were actually guilds, and what exactly a 'dowser' was, and by then I had long ago given up hope that I would be told what these things were and resigned myself to seeing where things were going.

    The characters are a mixed bag. The companions are, for the most part, pretty bad. They're main function is split enemy attention in battle so that I don't get mobbed, and maybe spit out a funny comment or two. This wouldn't be so bad, but a lot of the time my relationships with these characters doesn't develop so much as I'm informed that it's happened. Like the brother-relationship I apparently had with someone at the end of the first level. On the other hand, a lot of the NPCs are done very well. The brothel madame and her prodigal whore were nice, as were the two bickering prisoners who helped me kill water-seeking mutant mole-bugs. (Because if you can't have mole-people on Mars, mutant mole-bugs are just as good.)

    The game's real strong point is combat, as there are few things less enjoyable than seeing the feats, armaments and mods you pick in action. The lack of enemy variety can make combat a bit tedious, but that's not a deal breaker. Some things in it can be frustrating, but they're easily dealt with.

    The music is also good, as it's a nicely done techno soundtrack that really works it combat. I can't really remember it much in other places, because I wasn't really listening for it, but when it does appear it does a good job of setting the tone of things. I never once felt that it was out of place.

    On the whole, it's a game with a strong start that slowly lets itself down. I don't regret buying the game, but I'm pretty sure I won't be playing it again in the near future.    … Expand
  30. Musbayn
    May 8, 2013
    9
    The best RPG I have played in recent years. It has all what I look for in this genre: good argument, exciting atmosphere, charismatic characters and a deep combat system. Highly recommended, believe me!
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Awards & Rankings

77
#77 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
97
#97 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 28 out of 32
  3. Negative: 3 out of 32
  1. GameStar
    Aug 6, 2013
    59
    What remains is a fatal vortex of wasted opportunities.
  2. LevelUp
    Aug 5, 2013
    62
    Quotation forthcoming.
    Read full review
  3. Riot Pixels
    Jul 23, 2013
    44
    Amongst the many sins of Mars: War Logs, the total lack of originality is the worst one.
    Read full review
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