Mars Colony:Challenger
- March 4, 2014
- HyperKat Games
"Mars Colony: Challenger" is a real-time strategy game set on the red planet. Assemble and manage a colony, extract resources, and deal with various challenges like dust storms and equipment malfunctions. Your ultimate goal is to establish a self-sufficient colony and ensure the survival of its inhabitants. Confidence: 85%
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and realistic simulation of survival on Mars, capturing the challenges of resource management and base assembly.
- Despite its dated graphics, the game provides an immersive experience that can be engaging for players who enjoy slow-paced, technical gameplay.
- The multiplayer aspect enhances the experience, allowing for cooperative gameplay that can make tasks more enjoyable and less tedious.
- The game feels incomplete, with limited content and a lack of updates from the developer, leading to a sense of abandonment.
- Many players find the user interface clunky and the gameplay repetitive, often involving tedious tasks with little strategic depth.
- Technical issues such as bugs, crashes, and poor sound design detract from the overall experience, making it frustrating for some players.
- graphics56 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered outdated, resembling styles from the early 2000s, with many users noting their crude and basic nature. While some players find the visuals charming and sufficient for a sub-$10 simulation, others feel that the dated graphics detract from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the immersive gameplay and well-designed systems often overshadow the graphical shortcomings for those who appreciate the game's concept.
“Despite the aged graphics, this game is really immersive.”
“The graphics aren't anything special but they're charming and all the systems in your little station are well thought out and important.”
“Of course this game doesn't have AAA graphics but they are more than good enough for a sub $10 simulation, especially if you crank it up to max settings.”
“Absolutely dated graphics, user interface, and more.”
“The only downside (for me at least) is that even though the graphics look like they were made before even Doom 3, the game begins running horribly at around stage 4, making further progression impossible.”
“This game looks like it came out in the early 2000s, not 2014; updating the graphics a bit would really make the game feel more alive.”
- gameplay44 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of experiences, with many players finding it initially engaging but ultimately tedious. While the game features solid mechanics and enjoyable emergent gameplay, particularly in multiplayer settings, it suffers from clunky controls, a lack of dynamic elements, and repetitive tasks that can lead to boredom. The crafting and survival aspects are noted as complex yet frustrating, and the overall experience is marred by outdated graphics and a lack of depth in building mechanics.
“Almost every aspect of the base itself is interactable in some way, and the emergent gameplay coming from environmental hazards, your friend eating all the rations, or perhaps even another player depressurizing the base make it a fun experience.”
“The gameplay itself is solid, and very enjoyable.”
“Also hidden amongst the simplicity of the gameplay is the complexity of survival as you constantly have to check your vital signs, the stats on your farm, your mining operations and your base life support system.”
“It's a borderline recommendation though as the crafting mechanics and rover repairs become tedious quite quickly.”
“Gameplay is boring (and that's considering I expected a slow-paced game).”
“The gameplay is a little dry.”
- story26 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal, consisting of only six missions that serve primarily as tutorials for managing a base and surviving. Players express disappointment over the lack of a deeper narrative and replay value, feeling that after completing the missions, there is little incentive to continue playing. Many hope for future updates or a sequel that could introduce more content and a more engaging storyline.
“The missions start you off getting to know the ropes of the game, before finally trying to manage your base by yourself.”
“The mission in this game is to harness all the equipment you are given to make your habitat self-sufficient. It's easier said than done; you grow food, harvest minerals, and basically survive. This is what I have found so far.”
“Didn't reach the end-game yet, but I hope it remains as entertaining as the missions are.”
“I did like this when I bought it after it released because it seemed like a good concept, but after you realize this has no real story or no story at all, plus no replay value, there's no reason to play or buy this game.”
“You get six missions, and then you're just kind of hanging around with very little to do, except harvest more plants and dig for more ore.”
“In terms of completing missions, the game literally throws you to the deepest end of the pool because you will be confused with what to do.”
- stability14 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is mixed, with some users reporting significant bugs and issues, while others have experienced a stable gameplay experience without glitches. New players may encounter missing files and troubleshooting challenges, suggesting that stability may vary depending on individual setups and configurations. Overall, the game appears to have a considerable number of bugs that need addressing.
“Very stable, no glitches so far, and the flow of resources seems very refined from what I've played so far.”
“Being a new game, Mars Colony is very buggy.”
“Bought it, played some, this game is a buggy mess.”
“I spent an hour hunting for missing DLLs and troubleshooting info on forums.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is deeply immersive, featuring complex simulation elements related to managing a Martian base's atmosphere and energy systems. While players initially find the setup confusing, many report a growing sense of satisfaction and enjoyment as they learn to create a breathable environment, highlighting the game's unique ability to evoke a rewarding experience through its atmospheric mechanics.
“This is actually starting to become enjoyable; no other game has ever given me a feeling of satisfaction when I finally manage to create a breathable atmosphere in my tin can.”
“The atmosphere in the game is immersive and adds a unique layer to the gameplay experience.”
“There's quite a deep simulation of a Martian base with atmosphere and energy control systems.”
“(I was supposed to set up the atmosphere, pumps, and other gear... but where? I go into the base and there's already gear set up. Where am I supposed to put things? I click on un-set gear and get options to configure it... there's a set button, but it really means set-down. Why can't I get the gear that's here running... and on and on...)”
“No other game has ever given me a feeling of satisfaction when I finally manage to create a breathable atmosphere in my tin can.”
- music6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music aspect of the game has received criticism for its lack of dynamic soundscapes, with many users noting the absence of any in-game music, which contributes to a gloomy atmosphere. Some players suggest that a disco soundtrack could enhance the experience, while others mention that the absence of music is somewhat mitigated by the option to play their own. Overall, the music is seen as a missed opportunity to elevate the gameplay.
“The graphics are not top notch and there is no music (except the ones you played yourself), but then again we have all seen worse.”
“But quite gloomy gameplay without any music or dynamic (recommend the disco soundtrack).”
“But quite gloomy gameplay without any music or dynamic (recommend the disco soundtrack).”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspects of the game, particularly the crafting mechanics and rover repairs, to be tedious and repetitive, which detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the realistic elements and enjoy features like farming and habitat management, the grind can overshadow the game's potential. Overall, it leads to a mixed recommendation.
“It's a borderline recommendation though as the crafting mechanics and rover repairs become tedious quite quickly.”
“It brings in a bit of tedious realism that astronauts might encounter.”
“Despite feeling that the game didn't achieve its full potential, I do enjoy certain concepts of the game like farming and making the compartments livable.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a "cash grab," with users feeling that it appears unfinished and reminiscent of outdated titles from 2001. Many reviewers express regret for not trying the demo before purchasing, indicating a lack of value for the price paid.
“This game really looks like it was developed in 2001, then not finished, and uploaded on Steam for a cash grab. After playing it for 30 minutes, I'm feeling like an idiot for not trying the demo first.”
“- greenlight cash grab”
“- greenlight cash grab”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Many users express disappointment in the game's replayability, citing a lack of story and content that diminishes the incentive to play again. This has led to a consensus that the game offers little reason for continued engagement after the initial experience.
“I did like this when I bought it after it released because it seemed like a good concept, but after you realize this has no real story or no story at all, plus no replay value, there's no reason to play or buy this game.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express a desire for improved optimization, suggesting that while some performance issues may stem from their own hardware, an update focused on optimization would be beneficial. There is a general consensus that future games should prioritize performance enhancements.
“An update providing optimization would be great, or focusing on performance with your next game.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is derived from its poor graphics and comically bad player models, which some players find endearing and indicative of a potentially enjoyable experience despite the flaws.
“The player model is hilariously bad, but there is a good foundation here for something that might actually be a pretty damn good game.”