Mars First Logistics

About

"Mars First Logistics" is an open-world physics simulation game where players build and pilot their own martian rovers in co-op mode with up to 3 friends. The game features a variety of cargo challenges and an intuitive editor with over 50 parts to choose from. By completing successful deliveries, players help build up the martian settlement with fun new structures. The game boasts delightful visuals, ingenious music, and hilarious moments.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 868 reviews

story26 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

Engaging and creative vehicle building mechanics that encourage experimentation and problem-solving.
Charming art style and soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
Variety of missions and challenges that keep gameplay fresh and interesting.

Driving mechanics can be frustrating due to the terrain and physics, leading to frequent resets.
Limited building options and controls can hinder creativity and make modifications cumbersome.
Some missions can feel repetitive, especially when relying on similar vehicle designs for different tasks.

story
160 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
80%
4%
The story of *Mars First Logistics* revolves around players taking on the role of a rover tasked with transporting various objects across Mars to complete missions, earn money, and build a new home with friends. While the narrative is minimal, it unfolds through the completion of missions that contribute to the development of the Martian landscape, creating a sense of progression and accomplishment. Players appreciate the variety of mission types, though some find certain tasks frustrating, yet the overall gameplay loop remains engaging and encourages creativity in vehicle design.
- “The primary chain of missions paints a little story of helping build a variety of structures.”
- “This great little indie title gives you a range of missions which typically involve transporting an oddly shaped object over increasingly treacherous terrain, making building and problem-solving a very rewarding experience.”
- “The gameplay is great, the missions are cool and feel like they mean something.”
- “The game consists of one type of mission: take something from one place to another.”
- “However, you are expected to abuse the rockets/jets for every single task pretty quickly within the story, literally no other way than abusing this singular mechanic to traverse dozens of mini versions of the rocky mountains and K2 sprinkled across 50 square miles of map for almost every single task/job.”
- “The quests are kind of repetitive at the moment, though.”
graphics
122 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
47%
2%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and unique art style, often described as a blend of cel-shaded and minimalist aesthetics reminiscent of comic books and LEGO designs. While many players appreciate the visuals for their beauty and immersive quality, some note that the simplistic style can occasionally hinder gameplay by making terrain features difficult to discern. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's relaxing atmosphere and engaging mechanics.
- “The graphics are fantastic with a beautiful cel-shaded art style that works so well for the vast Martian landscapes which are constantly changing from hues of purple to red.”
- “The visuals are stunning, and the art style is charming.”
- “Beautifully simple in graphical style and brutally complex beneath.”
- “The graphics may take some getting used to, even though I don't think it's bad, but I'm also not a huge fan of it.”
- “Two big issues: first, the graphics style makes it very difficult to tell what the steepness of the terrain is like, which leads into issue number two, the frustration of constantly falling down hills, valleys, dips, and ledges.”
- “The art style is pretty charming and colorful, I do love it, but I really hate how it makes it difficult to see nearby holes and bumps without awkward use of the camera, which being a physics game can end up in tears pretty fast.”
gameplay
100 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
56%
3%
The gameplay is characterized by a solid vehicle-building mechanic that encourages creativity and experimentation, reminiscent of games like Factorio and Scrap Mechanic. While the core loop of designing and delivering increasingly complex packages is engaging, some players find the driving mechanics and long-distance travel frustrating, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a polished and enjoyable blend of building and physics, though it may feel repetitive or challenging in single-player mode.
- “The core gameplay loop of creating a vehicle able to transport increasingly awkwardly shaped, large, and unwieldy packages is pretty fun, and the fact that most of the time you'll be delivering an object you haven't delivered before adds to the replayability.”
- “The gameplay is great, the missions are cool and feel like they mean something.”
- “The gameplay's a ton of fun, the visuals are awesome, and everything about this game feels super well-crafted.”
- “The gameplay has also just started to feel a little stale to me, at least in singleplayer, so I can't see myself putting that many more hours in.”
- “The biggest issue is the traversal (movement in general) mechanics.”
- “It's a shame because I love the Lego-style building mechanics, but the driving destroyed the fun so badly I wish I could refund the game.”
music
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
31%
4%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its engaging and funky soundtrack, which enhances the overall atmosphere and complements the gameplay. Many players appreciate the dynamic nature of the music, noting that it kicks in at the right moments to elevate the experience, although some express a desire for a larger variety of tracks. Overall, the soundtrack is described as a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “If you enjoy problem solving and building while listening to some rad music, then this game should be good for you.”
- “The music is so good; I'd like to hear it more often though.”
- “The soundtrack fits the game perfectly, creating a whimsical atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.”
- “None of the kojima 2-hour cut scenes and recognizable music.”
- “I wish there was a larger library of music and that it played more consistently.”
- “The music kicks in at the right times, though not a massively memorable soundtrack.”
stability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
38%
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, particularly on the Steam Deck, where it runs smoothly with intuitive controls and minimal bugs. Users report a generally bug-free multiplayer experience and commend the developer's responsiveness to issues, although some minor audio glitches have been noted. Despite being in early access, the game is praised for its performance and content richness.
- “This game works well on the Steam Deck; multiplayer is basically bug-free. The latest update was a solid improvement, and the building system is pretty intuitive.”
- “Even though it's listed as early access, it runs great and is full of content.”
- “Even in this early access state, it's already really fun, challenging, and most importantly, pretty bug-free (and this is impressive for a physics-style game!).”
- “This turns the long distance travel into a lottery where you try to line up rocket engines on your little buggy and ballistic-missile yourself somewhere close to the goal.”
- “I'm having a few issues with audio glitches, but have to make a point of saying how the developer has been fully engaged with trying to diagnose the source of the problem.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of absurdity and creativity, often resulting in hilarious moments during multiplayer gameplay, such as unexpected vehicle failures and quirky delivery challenges. While some players find certain aspects frustrating, the overall experience is described as charming and filled with delightful "a-ha!" moments, showcasing a clever balance of fun and challenge. The game's humor is appreciated for its subtlety and clever engineering puzzles rather than relying on random antics.
- “The multiplayer allows for creative teamwork-based solutions, and some surprisingly funny moments.”
- “Building a vehicle that is fit for the job is thrilling and hilarious; you will cheer when it succeeds and laugh when it awkwardly tumbles into a chasm, but it never frustrates.”
- “I was expecting it to be a very fun game, but it's been a while since I've had so many funny 'a-ha!' moments in a video game.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
38%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its unique blend of funky music, retro pop soundtrack, and engaging visuals, creating a vibrant and immersive experience. Players appreciate the world-building elements and the way the music enhances the overall vibe, particularly during gameplay moments. The combination of cell-shaded environments and well-timed synth beats contributes to a relaxed yet dynamic atmosphere that resonates with users.
- “I like it very much, special atmosphere and good genre mix with its own character.”
- “The atmosphere is well done with the items you deliver being novel and doing some world building.”
- “The game world has a nice atmosphere, complemented by a fitting retro pop soundtrack.”
- “The atmosphere is well done, with the items you deliver being novel and contributing to world-building.”
- “The music is also terrific, coming in at just the right times but leaving space to feel the Martian atmosphere.”
- “While the game has potential, the atmosphere feels flat and lacks the immersive quality I was hoping for.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
29%
29%
The game's optimization is highly praised, with users noting exceptional performance, smooth gameplay, and minimal loading times. The physics, particularly in collisions and interactions, are considered top-notch, contributing to an overall seamless experience. However, some players expressed frustration over the lack of customization options for PC controls.
- “Probably the best physics in the genre when it comes to collisions, ropes, co-op interactions, performance, even waves on the water.”
- “Performance: 5/5, smooth and responsive, little-to-no loading, easy to run.”
- “Everything from the art style, graphics quality, performance, physics, and learning curve are pretty much as good as it can be.”
- “Performance/stability: one time I had a part clip into another part and I probably deserved it, that's the only bug I've hit so far.”
- “Like almost every modern game, it's purely optimized for game controllers and doesn't even give me the option to customize it for PC.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
83%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly after extended playtime, as it can lead to a loss of interest and unclear progression paths. While building vehicles is enjoyable and the challenges are seen as creative, the cumbersome controls and the need to rebuild entire contraptions for minor adjustments contribute to a sense of tedium. Overall, the balance between fun and frustration in grinding remains a point of contention among users.
- “The challenges are creative, not grindy.”
- “Grinding in this game feels rewarding and engaging.”
- “I love how the grind leads to meaningful progression and new experiences.”
- “I sincerely look forward to the development for the game, as once I hit the 8-hour mark, I've lost some interest and am unsure how to progress without grinding excessively.”
- “I get the fun is in your own ineptitude and learning curve, but having really poor controls and almost no idea where I'm driving to took it from laughter to tedious frustration and quitting.”
- “If your grapple arm needs to be put onto the back of your contraption, you need to rebuild the entire thing from scratch, which is quite tedious.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game offers significant replayability through its engaging core gameplay of building vehicles for unique delivery challenges, with players frequently encountering new objects to transport. Even in early access, the inclusion of randomized side quests and various build restrictions enhances replay value, ensuring a diverse and continually fresh experience.
- “The core gameplay loop of creating a vehicle able to transport increasingly awkwardly shaped, large, and unwieldy packages is pretty fun, and the fact that most of the time you'll be delivering an object you haven't delivered before adds to the replayability.”
- “It's not even finished, and yet it's already a fully fledged game that gives you masses of replayability by trying different builds.”
- “Might get some mission replayability having challenges to only use a certain number of parts, or total cost of parts, or part restrictions like no rockets/wheels/etc.”
- “As early access, I have finished the 'main campaign' as is for now, but there is plenty of replayability with constantly generated side quests with randomized items and destinations to keep things interesting.”
- “The core gameplay loop of creating a vehicle able to transport increasingly awkwardly shaped, large, and unwieldy packages is pretty fun, and the fact that most of the time you'll be delivering an object you haven't delivered before adds to some replayability.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players often find themselves forming a deep emotional attachment to their creations, experiencing a sense of empathy as they navigate challenges. This connection can evoke a range of feelings, highlighting the game's ability to resonate with those who grapple with their own emotional complexities.
- “If you're an overly emotional person, you may find yourself growing attached to your little creation as it stumbles and crawls through another ditch it's stuck in.”
- “I have spent my last several years attempting to simplify my emotional state by trying to force down my tendency to desire things... to want things... to enjoy things.”