Surviving Mars

 PlayStation 4
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 37 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 37
  3. Negative: 9 out of 37
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  1. Spikeygiant
    Mar 16, 2018
    9
    Very relaxing game to play from your couch. The game has some nice twists, with random events occurring after some time paying. Only minus would be that it can punish you to hard in the end game for mistakes made in the beginning.

    The controls are really easy to learn and one of the best setups for ps4 building games in my opinion.
  2. spadePerfect
    Mar 19, 2018
    8
    Sending my first colonists to Mars took me about 1-2 hours and I was surprised by the slow pace of Surviving Mars.
    It takes a little while to get going but I really enjoyed the relaxing music and the steady progress you make.
    I expected Cities Skylines on Mars and got something else - but not in a bad way. What is missing are some more detailed tutorials and a real story scenario, but    Sending my first colonists to Mars took me about 1-2 hours and I was surprised by the slow pace of Surviving Mars.
    It takes a little while to get going but I really enjoyed the relaxing music and the steady progress you make.
    I expected Cities Skylines on Mars and got something else - but not in a bad way.

    What is missing are some more detailed tutorials and a real story scenario, but maybe they'll add this in the future.

    Also: I read negative things regarding the controls but personally I really like them.    … Expand
  3. NerdPoisoning
    Mar 18, 2018
    8
    Pretty challenging even when you start off on easy. I had put 10+ hours into a colony, only to have it come crashing down over a minor resource allocation. A delight to play until there's something you didn't realize was a major concern catches up to you, which is pretty frustrating. I've started about 4 colonies with only 1 coming close to succeeding (don't forget to keep collectingPretty challenging even when you start off on easy. I had put 10+ hours into a colony, only to have it come crashing down over a minor resource allocation. A delight to play until there's something you didn't realize was a major concern catches up to you, which is pretty frustrating. I've started about 4 colonies with only 1 coming close to succeeding (don't forget to keep collecting cement). A tutorial would have been a nice touch, as you end up having to figure the game out on your own. Nonetheless, it's a good sim.… Expand
  4. YLOS
    Jun 27, 2018
    10
    I have been finishing Surviving_Mars 9 mysteries, but now they are 3 more to play: so a total of 12 stories-mysteries to figure out.

    This is an AWESOME, very wise-smart & educative game & goes far beyond what we could expect from a City_Builder_Style & challenges a lot gamers' mind. No doubt, this game is paving the new City_Builder ways. Following a Kotaku's review, I bought it    I have been finishing Surviving_Mars 9 mysteries, but now they are 3 more to play: so a total of 12 stories-mysteries to figure out.

    This is an AWESOME, very wise-smart & educative game & goes far beyond what we could expect from a City_Builder_Style & challenges a lot gamers' mind.

    No doubt, this game is paving the new City_Builder ways.

    Following a Kotaku's review, I bought it to improve my gaming culture & I am extremely happy.
    The rendering on a PS4 Pro is awesome.
    The infinite perspectives, zoom in & out are impressive. We can zoom in to the scale of a colonist's perspective & see awesome landscapes in & outside the colonies, as we were living on Mars.

    I strongly recommend this enlightening game to Kids-Teens & their parents & adults too.
    This game is full of pieces of gold & very educative: they should integrate it in school programs.

    Surviving_Mars is not an endless game as we could generally expect from this kind.
    It integrates no less than 9 excellent ( now 12), various Reflective-Interactive_Stories & hundred of wise quotes.
    It encourages stepping back from Mars over our own specie & improving understanding ourselves, our strenghts & weaknesses & how our society is currently working.

    Settling on Mars requires building outposts & finding a way to be self-sufficient to ensure conditions for human_reproduction & sustainable development.
    Vital thresholds crossed, fascinating stories happen on the red_uncharted_world: facing them is Surviving_Mars' very aim.

    Surviving_Mars' stories are consistent & also for kids. While struggling surviving various hazards we may face issues as:
    - Sharing resources with aliens,
    - Post-Marsian Hive-Mind,
    - MarsGate,
    - AI challenges Humanity,
    - Mysterious spheres & weather changes,
    - Active_shared_dream,
    ...

    As a simple gamer & old SimCity-Fan, I find a kind of Mass_Effect's soul in Surviving_Mars.
    This is probably why I have been enjoying so much this game & have been exploring all the suspense_stories.

    Radios' Soundtracks & Ads are awesome: my favourite: FREE_EARTH_RADIO

    The game is regularly updated.
    I will absolutely offer this MUST HAVE GAME to my teen_nephews.    … Expand
  5. anakaki
    Dec 26, 2018
    1
    The worst tutorial of any game I’ve ever played and that goes for the controls as well.
  6. sohronery
    May 3, 2022
    0
    Never played, guess its a 0.

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  7. tomvs123
    Feb 16, 2019
    7
    If you want a good alien colony city builder, then Surviving Mars is definitely the one you want. It's better in almost every way than the alternatives (specifically Aven Colony).

    To address control system complaints, it's not bad. It's just complex and takes a while to learn. There's always button prompts so you know what buttons do what at all times. It makes almost full use of the    If you want a good alien colony city builder, then Surviving Mars is definitely the one you want. It's better in almost every way than the alternatives (specifically Aven Colony).

    To address control system complaints, it's not bad. It's just complex and takes a while to learn. There's always button prompts so you know what buttons do what at all times. It makes almost full use of the PS4 controller. Buttons vary depending on what menu you're in, so that's where the complexity comes from. About half way through my first playthough, I had no issues with it.

    The game is about managing a start-up colony on Mars and is more relevant to current human technology than similar games. In the main game mode, where you can pick one of 6 stories (or have one randomly chosen for you), you'll start out with a rocket from earth with drones and

    prefab buildings to prepare for the first human colonists, who will primarily live in domes. You mine resources, set up your dome, add building inside the dome, and make sure there's electricity, food, and water for your incoming colonists.

    You'll then progress through various stages of resource gathering, research, manufacturing, and expansions (bigger domes) until you've completed the story. At that point, you can continue on forever with that colony if you'd like.

    I've played through 2 of the 6 stories and they're good. One dealt with discovering an alien technology and the other dealt with a corporation on Earth that wanted to weaponize Mars. For each, I had to make decisions with real consequences for my colony. Also, each had special technology and buildings specific to that story.

    There's also a free mode, where you can play without threats, and a challenge mode, where you can set a number of game options and challenges to better adjust the difficulty.

    In the main game mode, you choose your difficulty through choosing a sponsor and site. Better sponsors provide more funding (for more resources from Earth), and various sites on Mars have different levels of resources and threats, such as dust storms, meteors, and cold snaps. Depending on the options you choose, you can make the game very easy or nearly impossible.

    Resource management is great. There's a set number of resources on a site, and you can find more through scanning and research. At first, you'll need to expand your colony in the direction of resources you need most. All resources are important, and are used to make robotics, make buildings, and maintain buildings. Choosing between saving resources to maintain your solar panels and spending them all on a new structure is something you'll constantly need to be thinking about.

    The technology system is also great. There's a lot to research and you can generally pick which ones you want without going in a tree-like fashion. You do have to discover technologies first, by researching sites on Mars or by sending expeditions. The best technologies also solve the limited resource problem, so you'll be able to play forever, if you research those technologies

    Managing colonists is also great. They each have various flaws, perks, and specializations, which you can manage, to some extent. You will choose colonists from Earth from a pool of applicants, and for your first few colonist transports, you'll only want the best, and the game lets you filter colonists by their stats. But eventually, you'll need to pick some with undesirable traits, or new people will be born with undesirable traits. You can manage those with schools (for kids) or though medical research. Specializations, such as scientists, engineers, and botanists, also give your colonists a boost in certain jobs. You'll pick and choose these at first, but you can make colleges later, where colonists can learn a specialization.

    The micro management balance in this game is great. It's not too micro. For example, your drones generally do everything automatically, such as repairing buildings and transporting resources. You just have to make sure they're in range and have the resources they need (you can set spots where they store resources). Colonists will also work where their specialization is needed and will go to college to get a specific specialization if there's open jobs that need that specialization. You'll rarely encounter dumb AI moments, which will give you more time to focus on more important things.

    After playing through through two stories (which took about 70 hours), I'm pretty much done with the game. There is a lot of variety in a single playthrough, but subsequent playthroughs feel a little too similar, even with the story differences. And of course, you'll be able to get much more out of the game if you want to try all of the challenges or fill an entire site with a colony.

    This is a great great game, and I'd confidently say it's currently the best alien colony management game on PS4.    … Expand
  8. guywithknife
    Jul 20, 2018
    10
    I’ve got many many hours of enjoyment out of this game and I’m still having a lot of fun with it. Its by far the best strategy game I’ve played on PS4 (and definitely the best controlling one). Its also incredibly deep with a lot of replay value. It does have a steep learning curve and the tutorials aren’t necessarily enough to get going, but a five minute youtube session got me up toI’ve got many many hours of enjoyment out of this game and I’m still having a lot of fun with it. Its by far the best strategy game I’ve played on PS4 (and definitely the best controlling one). Its also incredibly deep with a lot of replay value. It does have a steep learning curve and the tutorials aren’t necessarily enough to get going, but a five minute youtube session got me up to speed faster than following a boring tutorial ever could and I was able to jump right in. Excellent game, highly recommended if you like simulation/strategy games. Visually the game looks great (and you can zoom quite close and watch your little guys run around their business), sound and music is decent, controls are fantastic for a complex sim game and the gameplay is open ended, deep, and most importantly fun.… Expand
  9. harrybetts
    Jul 27, 2019
    8
    Takes a few hours and maybe a few tries to really get into it, but once you do it’s a brilliant game with such fine details, another great game from Paradox
  10. 18Xq8Rtutehc
    Aug 5, 2020
    3
    Surviving Mars falls into the same problems that most strategy games do on console: horrible controls, interface optmized for PC, long, painful loading screens. Do yourself a favor and play this on PC instead. Or get Civ6 instead.
  11. bloodyrebals
    Aug 23, 2021
    7
    I love the game. it's just most of the time I save the game it crashes and deletes my save.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Worth Playing
    Aug 24, 2018
    70
    A vast array of technology makes room for endless infrastructure combinations with a wonderful level of detail. A lack of content really brings down the game a few notches because the gameplay begins to feel repetitive after a while. Although the title has a lot of awesome details with science fiction flair, it doesn't bring any new surprises after a single playthrough. Whether players are seeking a challenging simulation or a chill Martian sandbox, Surviving Mars is a title that is worth a try.
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  2. Jeuxvideo.com
    Jun 23, 2018
    65
    Surviving Mars surely doesn't lack charm and depth. Dedicated gamers will be pleased to establish a massive colony. Others will probably look for a more structured and organized game.
    Read full review
  3. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    May 9, 2018
    70
    There's a phenomenal level of detail, and it's incredibly satisfying to see everything come together. It's just a shame there isn't more guidance. [May 2018, p.79]
See all critic reviews »