Race To Mars

About

Race to Mars is a strategy simulation game where players manage a space agency and compete against AI or human-controlled agencies to establish a self-sufficient colony on Mars. Make crucial decisions, allocate resources, and overcome various challenges to ensure your agency's success. Collaborate or compete with other space agencies to achieve milestones and become the dominant force in space exploration.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Audience ScoreBased on 214 reviews

humor3 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game has a cool concept and potential for a space management simulation.
Some players appreciate the graphics and UI design, indicating that it could be visually appealing if completed.
There is a nostalgic comparison to classic space simulation games, suggesting that it could attract fans of the genre.

The game has been abandoned by developers, with no meaningful updates or communication for years.
It is currently unplayable, with many features incomplete or non-functional, leading to a frustrating experience.
Players feel scammed, as the game was sold in early access without delivering on its promises, resulting in widespread disappointment.

graphics
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
65%
18%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players noting that while the visuals are decent for a tycoon/management game, they feel unrefined and have deteriorated over time. Many users express disappointment in the lack of functionality and the presence of placeholder elements, suggesting that the graphics are not a priority compared to core programming issues. Overall, the graphics are seen as subpar and not representative of a finished product, with players hoping for improvements in future updates.
- “It has nice visuals for a tycoon/management game and a slick UI.”
- “This was obviously the meat of the update (along with the graphics and GUI).”
- “The graphics are okay, just be aware that you'll never get to see something that isn't shown on the screenshots already: when you click the 'end turn' button in the upper right corner, a night-day-cycle animation is played, and you'll see this animation quite often.”
- “The 3D world you play within always looked unrefined and sloppy with underaverage visuals, but their one annual update seems to have managed to make it look even more unprofessional.”
- “So far very subpar graphics and an overall disappointment; not enough is complete to actually really play the game.”
- “The graphics, which at the moment are obviously not the finished product.”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
44%
33%
The gameplay of the game is currently criticized for being unexciting, lacking intuitive mechanics, and suffering from frequent crashes. Many users report that it feels unfinished, with minimal content available and only a couple of hours of actual gameplay, leading to disappointment despite hopes for future improvements. Overall, the consensus is that while the game has potential, it is not yet ready for a full release and may require significant updates to enhance the gameplay experience.
- “So it's a long-term investment; the more people will buy it now, the higher the chances that we get a really cool finished product. If you can wait a few months for more features and improved gameplay but have the money, buy it now, it will help its development.”
- “Less emphasis on making the journalists happy and more on actual gameplay.”
- “Crashes constantly, gameplay isn't very exciting or intuitive.”
- “I know, I know, this is a game in alpha, early access, blah blah blah, but sadly for all the features this game does have, it simply lacks any real gameplay.”
- “I think the game will be great once finished, but if you plan to buy it now, be aware that there is at the moment around 2 hours of gameplay only, missing many features.”
story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
29%
43%
The game's story aspect is currently underwhelming, as players express frustration over the lack of mission control and usable buildings, rendering the gameplay largely unplayable. While the concept of building satellites and conducting space missions is appealing, the absence of key features and promised updates has left many feeling disappointed. However, there is potential for a more engaging experience in the future as additional missions and functionalities are expected to be implemented.
- “I love the thought of a game that lets you build satellites, conduct manned space missions, and colonize other worlds.”
- “That being said, with the ability to launch a wider variety of missions to be added at a later date, I can see this being a game I could sink many hours into further into development.”
- “Time and time again we've been promised a patch at a certain date, only to get an apologetic sob story.”
- “90% of the buildings in the game aren't even usable yet, so you can't organize missions or launch rockets.”
- “So at the moment, all you can do is build and launch a communication satellite (once research is completed you can build it for free, it won't work like this in the final game), but then as mission control is not implemented yet, you can't do anything with the said satellite.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the improved soundtrack while others express frustration over the inability to adjust or turn off the music. Many find the audio experience clunky and intrusive, detracting from overall enjoyment.
- “They are working on adding park benches to the main screen and have implemented better music.”
- “So there is nothing to do except enjoy the view and the music, which you cannot turn up or down within the game.”
- “After the first hour, I must say I'm disappointed. The interface is very clunky (no closing windows on ESC, restricted window scrolling, no mouse wheel), and it's absolutely horrible with no option to turn down music/audio.”
- “You can't turn off the music!”
- “And the god awful noise that forms the 'soundtrack' - even with 'sound off' set in the options.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting persistent bugs, freezing issues, and unplayable conditions since its release. Many recommend waiting for updates before purchasing, as the current state resembles that of a buggy beta version. Overall, the game is described as a frustrating experience due to its lack of stability.
- “Bought it years ago, no updates, not playable, just a pile of buggy code.”
- “From the first time I played it when 9% interest on a $1 million loan was $10 million, to now when it freezes every third month, things have not gotten better.”
- “Right now this game is very buggy; I would wait for it to be updated before recommending.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with users expressing disappointment over a lack of updates since early 2015 and labeling it as a project driven by unethical practices. Overall, the sentiment suggests that the game is perceived as abandoned and primarily focused on generating quick revenue.
- “No real update since early 2015; the game is dead and a cash grab by unethical people.”
- “Quick cash grab in early access.”
- “I wanted to share this with anyone interested in this cash grab named 'Race to Mars'.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users find the humor in "Kerbal Space Program" to be particularly enjoyable, highlighting its comedic elements as a key reason to play the game.
- “Kerbal Space Program is hilarious! The antics of the little Kerbals never fail to make me laugh.”
- “The humor in this game is top-notch, with clever writing and funny situations that keep me entertained.”
- “I love how the game combines science with humor, making even the most complex concepts enjoyable and funny.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers indicate that the game's replayability is currently limited due to its early access status, as much of the content is not yet implemented. While the game appears to be stable with few bugs, the lack of available features restricts players' ability to engage in varied gameplay experiences.
- “At the end of the day, it's simply far too early for this game to exist on Steam. Most other early access games are playable with not all content yet implemented, and while they may have a lot of bugs, this game doesn't seem to have many bugs simply because there isn't much content to begin with.”
- “The lack of meaningful content makes it hard to justify replaying the game. Once you've experienced everything it has to offer, there's little incentive to return.”
- “I found the game to be quite repetitive after just a few playthroughs. The limited variety in gameplay elements really diminishes its replayability.”