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Sol 0: Mars Colonization

Sol 0: Mars Colonization Game Cover
67%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
story, grinding
67% User Score Based on 297 reviews

Platforms

LinuxPCMac OSWindows
Sol 0: Mars Colonization Game Cover

About

Sol 0: Mars Colonization is a single player strategy game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Chondrite Games and was released on January 15, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Sol 0: Mars Colonization" is a real-time strategy game where players manage a crew to establish a self-sustaining colony on Mars. Overcome challenges such as managing resources, maintaining habitats, and ensuring crew survival, while furthering scientific research and exploring the Martian landscape. The game features a dynamic weather system, day/night cycles, and procedurally generated terrain for a unique experience.

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67%
Audience ScoreBased on 297 reviews
gameplay13 positive mentions
grinding12 negative mentions

  • The game offers a unique and challenging experience of managing a Mars colony, requiring strategic planning and resource management.
  • The graphics and sound design are decent, providing an engaging atmosphere for players.
  • The developer is responsive to community feedback and has shown commitment to improving the game.
  • The tutorial is lacking, failing to adequately teach players the mechanics needed to succeed.
  • There are numerous bugs and AI pathfinding issues that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • The game feels incomplete, with limited content and repetitive gameplay that can become tedious over time.
  • gameplay
    58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by a linear structure and a simplistic approach, which some players find tedious and lacking in depth. While there are engaging elements and a decent amount of content for the price, many reviewers note issues with bugs, poorly implemented mechanics, and a lack of variability that detracts from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, some players appreciate the strategic aspects and the potential for enjoyable gameplay, especially with custom maps and modding possibilities.

    • “There is a good amount of gameplay for the price.”
    • “Great game with interesting ideas and engaging gameplay.”
    • “Sol 0 is a great colony building simulation with enjoyable yet challenging gameplay and plenty of locations to keep you busy with.”
    • “Very linear gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is quite simple; make sure you have food and water supply, build your base, and keep your oxygen and power supply at the required levels.”
    • “What killed this game for me and made it a thumbs down was the fact that the basics/needs/support mechanics force the player to revisit over and over again the worst-designed and least-fun parts of the game.”
  • graphics
    25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the simple and clean aesthetic while others criticize the low production values and lack of detail. Many find the visuals decent and functional, though some report issues with graphical representation and bugs, particularly in resource mining. Overall, while the graphics are not groundbreaking, they are generally considered adequate for gameplay, with a nostalgic feel reminiscent of older building games.

    • “The graphics are simple and clean, but I didn't see any issues during gameplay.”
    • “The graphics are good, and my integrated graphics card handles everything just fine.”
    • “The overall appearance of the game is solid; it’s all high quality, and the graphics don’t cause any issues with actually playing the game.”
    • “Mining resources seems buggy or the graphic representation is inaccurate.”
    • “The game lacks the animation, sound, and graphics to make it feel more alive.”
    • “Below average graphics quality.”
  • story
    25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story aspect is largely criticized for lacking depth and narrative, functioning more as a scenario simulator than a traditional story-driven experience. Players express a desire for a more interconnected campaign with clear objectives and a cohesive storyline, particularly in the context of colonizing Mars. While the mechanics of managing missions and resources are engaging, the absence of a compelling narrative detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Really puts a perspective on what humans will have to face on a Martian conquest mission.”
    • “You are in charge of the first mission to Mars; it’s your job to choose a suitable location on the Martian surface and establish a self-sufficient colony.”
    • “Deciding what to take is possibly the most important part of the game, from a strategy standpoint, as you need to be able to survive on whatever you take up until the next mission.”
    • “It's purely a scenario simulator, so don't expect any kind of story.”
    • “There is no story to be told.”
    • “To have goals and story throughout the games.”
  • grinding
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, primarily due to a clunky interface and the need for constant micromanagement. Many express frustration with slow navigation, resource management issues, and pathing glitches that hinder progress, making the experience feel more like a chore than engaging gameplay. While some appreciate the level of control offered, the overall sentiment leans towards the grind being a significant detractor from enjoyment.

    • “Too much micromanagement required for simple tasks; the interface is tedious to work with (i.e. scrolling map is extremely slow and frustrating, resources view resets back to the default after each launch, you can't queue buildings).”
    • “I really want to like this game, but unfortunately, the mechanics applied to the game make it far more tedious than engaging.”
    • “The interface is very clunky, the rovers require too much micromanagement to be useful, and keeping a good balance of basic resources is too tedious.”
  • stability
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of bugs affecting gameplay, particularly in the Linux version. Players experience significant issues such as glitches in resource mining, pathfinding errors for characters and vehicles, and loss of progress after restarts, leading to a frustrating experience. While some aspects, like the user interface, are praised for their smoothness, the overall consensus is that the game is currently too buggy to be considered playable.

    • “I find the user interface first-class, easy to use, and smooth with no glitches or crashes to report.”
    • “The game is way too buggy (at least in the Linux version).”
    • “I really like the idea; however, at this time, the game is buggy as hell.”
    • “I wanted to like this game, but it's too buggy to really be playable at this point.”
  • replayability
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed, with some players finding it enjoyable but ultimately limited after a few sessions, while others express frustration due to bugs that detract from the experience. Many reviewers note that once the initial content is explored, the incentive to replay diminishes significantly, leading to a consensus of low replay value despite some fun elements.

    • “Overall a lot of fun, and I can see tons of replay value already.”
    • “Very cool idea implemented very well, but oddly once you've gone through it once it's not terribly replayable.”
    • “The replay value of the game is quite low; after maybe two or three games, I can see myself not playing it again.”
    • “Overall, I think it's a decent game for the price, but replayability could be the problem once you've done all that you can in your square of allotted space.”
    • “Very cool idea implemented very well, but oddly, once you've gone through it once, it's not terribly replayable.”
  • music
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with users appreciating the soundtrack and sound effects for their fitting ambiance, reminiscent of 90s building games. While some describe the music as cheesy EDM, it effectively enhances the overall experience, providing a relaxing backdrop despite the game's other shortcomings.

    • “This is a game I sit down with while listening to some jazz music to relax after work for an hour or two.”
    • “The soundtrack and sound effects are good and fit well with the game.”
    • “Dying colonists sound like breaking machinery, cryotanks sound like a battalion of infantry marching around inside, and the soundtrack has a section that will, on first hearing it, make you panic and wonder what's happening until you realize it's just part of the ambient track.”
    • “Nothing about the game is spectacular; the graphics, the cheesy EDM space music, and the quality of the science fiction are all very so-so, but the developer is clearly an amazing chef to have made such a good dish out of these meager ingredients.”
    • “The music and graphics make it feel like an old 90's building game.”
  • atmosphere
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in the game is intricately developed, showcasing the critical role it plays in sustaining life and the consequences of its loss, such as the evaporation of water and the dangers posed by solar particles. Players experience a dynamic environment where the survival of life forms is directly tied to the presence and maintenance of atmospheric conditions, enhancing the overall immersive experience.

    • “Both planets developed atmospheres and oceans. We know for a fact that on at least one of them, life evolved from this organic soupy goodness—life which eventually advanced to the point where it learned to play computer games and read reviews. Isn't evolution grand!”
    • “Without this magnetic force field, those dangerous particles from the sun will start to blow away a planet's atmosphere. If you're a life form that's gotten into the habit of breathing, then this is going to be a pretty big deal for you.”
    • “Our little brother started to die; its atmosphere slowly blew away, lost to space. Its water evaporated away with it, and what little was left froze into the ground.”
    • “Like a ruptured hallway in the near vacuum of Mars' atmosphere.”
  • humor
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding it hilarious and entertaining, particularly if they have a quirky sense of humor. While there are some glitches due to its early access status, they don't detract significantly from the overall comedic experience, highlighted by amusing visuals and situations, such as a ship design that humorously resembles a white dildo.

    • “Yeah, it's hilarious, I love it.”
    • “It's in early access with a few glitches, but nothing that will make you jump from a high building. I have one funny point: when you go to launch ship number two, does the picture look like a white dildo? :D LOL”
    • “Sure, if you're nuts, have a sense of humor, and $4 to burn.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with users noting that performance can be inconsistent and not always smooth. Some players have experienced issues that affect gameplay, suggesting that further improvements are needed for a more stable experience.

    • “The system info and performance report feature is incredibly helpful for optimizing gameplay.”
    • “I appreciate how the game allows for various optimization settings to enhance performance.”
    • “The optimization tools provided make it easy to tailor the game experience to my system's capabilities.”
  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a strong emotional response to the game, particularly feeling heartbreak when their astronauts die despite having the necessary resources for survival, highlighting a disconnect between player intent and game mechanics due to bugs and pathing issues.

    • “It was heartbreaking to see my astronauts die when they had all the resources to save themselves, but the game pathing didn't let that happen.”
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76h Median play time
51h Average play time
2-100h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Sol 0: Mars Colonization is a strategy game with science fiction theme.

Sol 0: Mars Colonization is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 51 hours playing Sol 0: Mars Colonization.

Sol 0: Mars Colonization was released on January 15, 2016.

Sol 0: Mars Colonization was developed by Chondrite Games.

Sol 0: Mars Colonization has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

Sol 0: Mars Colonization is a single player game.

Similar games include Planetbase, Surviving Mars, Surviving the Aftermath, Take On Mars, Endzone: A World Apart and others.