39 Days to Mars
- April 25, 2018
- It's Anecdotal
39 Days to Mars is serviceable, but there isn’t a ton of substance here. Most of the ingenuity and overall appeal can be found in the charming art style and some of the creative cooperative puzzles interwoven nicely into the gameplay.
Get on Steam"39 Days to Mars" is a co-operative puzzle-adventure game where players take on the roles of Victorian-era explorers on a journey to Mars. The game features a variety of charming brainteasers and mini-games that require communication and teamwork to overcome. With a whimsical art style and quirky humor, "39 Days to Mars" is a delightful and challenging experience for players looking for a unique and collaborative adventure.
Reviews
- The game features charming hand-drawn art and a whimsical atmosphere that enhances the cooperative experience.
- Puzzles are creative and require teamwork, making it a fun and engaging game to play with a partner or friend.
- The humor and lighthearted dialogue contribute to an enjoyable and memorable gaming experience.
- The game is very short, typically taking around 1.5 to 2 hours to complete, which some players feel does not justify the price.
- Many puzzles can feel tedious or overly simplistic, with repetitive mini-games like making tea and scones detracting from the overall experience.
- Controls can be frustrating, leading to awkward gameplay moments that hinder the enjoyment of the cooperative mechanics.
- humor16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is widely praised for its quirky charm and witty dialogue, making it a delightful experience for players, especially in cooperative settings. Many reviewers enjoyed the British steampunk atmosphere and found the jokes to be genuinely funny, though some noted that certain repetitive elements, like mini-games, could detract from the overall comedic experience. While the humor is generally well-received, a few critics felt that the reliance on familiar tropes and repetitive gags could become tiresome.
“This game is a delightful puzzle adventure that thrives on its cooperative gameplay and quirky humor.”
“Fantastic couch co-op game, my girlfriend and I were pissing ourselves laughing while playing it.”
“I love the self-humor and the British style.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its charming puzzle mechanics and cooperative elements, offering a fun and humorous experience, though some players found it lacking in challenge and length. While the quirky design and engaging puzzles are praised, repetitive tasks detract from the overall enjoyment, leading to mixed feelings about the game's value for its price.
“This game is a delightful puzzle adventure that thrives on its cooperative gameplay and quirky humor.”
“While the game is relatively short, its unique mechanics and engaging co-op experience offer a memorable journey.”
“The puzzles were engaging and fun, mostly simple, and the game mechanic of basically being really clumsy hands was a good time.”
“The gameplay isn't very challenging, but I feel it's more about the story and its humor.”
“It's $10 for ~2 hours of not the best co-op gameplay.”
“What really kills this game is that, in an effort to pad out the gameplay, you have to perform the 'make tea' or 'make scones' challenge repeatedly.”
- story12 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized by its humor and charm, featuring quirky characters and a fun narrative that enhances the cooperative gameplay experience. While many players appreciate the engaging and well-crafted storyline, some note that it is relatively short and not particularly challenging. Overall, the combination of interesting puzzles and a delightful story makes it a standout in its genre.
“"39 Days to Mars" is an insanely well-built game with love to detail, interesting puzzles, and a great story.”
“The game itself is really interesting; the storyline is fun.”
“The gameplay isn't very challenging, but I feel it's more about the story and its humor.”
“We absolutely loved the cooperative adventure and entirely charming characters/storyline, but found it to be very short indeed.”
“There aren't enough games like this, cooperative puzzle with a story.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a charming hand-drawn art style that enhances its lighthearted atmosphere, complemented by excellent voice acting and music. While the graphics are generally praised for their beauty and cohesion, some players noted that gameplay elements can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a recommended choice for fans of aesthetically pleasing designs.
“The game’s hand-drawn art style and lighthearted dialogue create a charming atmosphere that draws you in.”
“Neat concept and amazing art style, as well as a cute story.”
“+ beautiful hand drawn art style.”
- music7 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, complementing the beautiful hand-drawn graphics and engaging voice acting. Reviewers appreciate the great soundtrack, noting that it contributes significantly to the game's immersive experience, particularly during key moments. Overall, the combination of music, art, and dialogue creates a cohesive and enjoyable environment for players.
“The game has a great atmosphere due to the unity of the art style, the music, and the dialogues.”
“Great voice acting and music!”
“Not only are the art, music, and writing just wonderful - the game itself, with a lovely combination of logic and mild physics puzzles, is an excellent way to spend a session with a friend or partner.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a charming atmosphere enhanced by its hand-drawn art style, lighthearted dialogue, and cohesive integration of music. Reviewers appreciate the immersive quality and the unique British steampunk vibe, which, while not universally appealing, adds to the overall experience.
“The game’s hand-drawn art style and lighthearted dialogue create a charming atmosphere that draws you in.”
“The game has a great atmosphere due to the unity of the art style, the music, and the dialogues.”
“Immersive atmosphere.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is often viewed as tedious and frustrating, with some puzzles lacking clarity and requiring brute force solutions. Players have expressed that the experience can feel more like a chore than an engaging challenge, leading to dissatisfaction, especially in cooperative play.
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
“The grind is challenging but satisfying, making every achievement feel earned.”
“Bought this to play with my wife, but she says 'someone needs to tell them these aren't puzzles, it's just tedious work.' So we didn't make it out of the house.”
“Some of the puzzles are decent enough, some are incredibly tedious, and others are so vague that we ended up just brute forcing our way around them as there was zero explanation to point us towards what we should even be doing.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is considered low due to its short duration and reliance on obscure puzzle design, which detracts from the incentive to replay. Many players feel that once completed, there is little motivation to revisit the game.
“The puzzle design relied too much on 'difficulty through obscurity.' I can't imagine there's much replay value here.”
“I finished it in perhaps 2 hours, and it doesn't seem to have much replay value.”
“It's fairly short and not replayable.”
Critic Reviews
39 Days To Mars
A Lukewarm Cup Of Tea
63%39 Days to Mars Review – A Cup of Warm Sweet Tea
39 Days to Mars is a short but funny and compelling trip from Earth to Mars with you and another person, or you and a pet cat. Designed for couch co-op, it doesn't penalise you for being a misanthrope like myself and offers a good amount of replay value with varied paths to take. It's well worth taking this trip to the red planet.
70%39 Days to Mars Review
39 Days to Mars is serviceable, but there isn’t a ton of substance here. Most of the ingenuity and overall appeal can be found in the charming art style and some of the creative cooperative puzzles interwoven nicely into the gameplay.
64%
