Terraformer Expedition to Mars

About

In "Terraformer Expedition to Mars" , players embark on a mission to survive, explore, and terraform Mars. The game is a hard science-based 3D simulation, which challenges players to create their own light, heat, water, air, and food in the first phase. As players progress, they explore the Martian landscape to locate other ships and uncover the truth behind their crash-landing. The final and most challenging phase involves transforming the barren planet into a new home for humanity using constructed tools, machinery, and Earth-born bacteria and plant life.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Terraformer Expedition to Mars screenshot

34%

Audience ScoreBased on 32 reviews

humor2 positive mentions

stability12 negative mentions

The game has a unique and ambitious concept centered around terraforming Mars, which many players find intriguing.
There is potential for fun gameplay, especially for fans of survival and crafting genres, as it challenges players to think critically about resource management.
Some players appreciate the immersive experience and the community support available for those willing to engage with the game's challenges.

The game is plagued by frequent crashes and bugs, making it nearly unplayable for many users.
It has been criticized for being unfinished and abandoned by the developers, with little to no updates or support since its release.
The graphics and user interface are considered outdated and clunky, detracting from the overall experience.

stability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of frequent crashes, bugs, and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay. Many users describe it as a "bug-ridden mess," suggesting that it feels more like a late alpha than a polished product. While some players see potential in the game, the overall consensus is that its current state is frustratingly unstable and incomplete.
- “Cannot recommend, classic game which was forced through EA and released in a very buggy and incomplete state.”
- “It is buggy and crashes at least 2 times every hour, and considering my PC can run The Witcher 3 on max graphics at 4K with 60fps, I'd say it's definitely the game.”
- “This 'game' is horribly buggy and updates are extremely rare.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The graphics of the game have been widely criticized for being outdated and of low quality, often compared to titles from the late 1990s. Many users report significant bugs and crashes, further detracting from the visual experience. While some acknowledge that the dated graphics do not hinder gameplay, the overall consensus is that they fall far below modern standards.
- “Graphics look a bit dated, but this doesn't cause any problems and there is more than enough content to play with.”
- “The graphics remind me of a sort of Source engine game such as Half-Life or Portal.”
- “Graphics: for a large voxel, i.e.”
- “The graphic quality is on par with Minecraft.”
- “Graphics are horrid; pricing is completely inappropriate.”
- “Graphics got a call from 1998 and it was laughing. Models and textures are both really lacking in quality, let alone animations; a lot of actions even lack animations.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The gameplay features a unique terraforming experience with a fully destructible environment, allowing players to create their own worlds, distinct from Minecraft. However, it suffers from significant bugs and inconsistent mechanics, particularly in the digging function, which can hinder the overall experience and make parts of the game feel unplayable.
- “Very good game even though it's still very buggy. It has the potential to be an awesome original game; it is not a Minecraft clone. It is a terraforming game through and through, with gameplay that allows a fully destructible environment. Anything can be destroyed, collected, and used to help you make your own Earth or perhaps your own planet with an entirely different atmosphere from Earth and Mars.”
- “Gameplay: for 3 arcs in this game, the first two are relatively quick, and the third part is just waiting.”
- “Basic mechanics such as digging work only sporadically, making the game nearly unplayable.”
- “Gameplay looks like it has the elements to be there and to be a game in its own right.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is derived from its outdated graphics and animations, leading to unintentionally funny moments, such as characters reacting bizarrely to terrain or glitches. Players find amusement in the game's technical shortcomings, which often result in comical situations.
- “Why, that's when you hit terrain funny, or the edge of such, or the game just gets a wild hair up its ass, and decides that you aren't touching ground.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The story aspect of the game is currently underdeveloped, with players noting a lack of clear guidance on advancing technology and mission objectives. While the crafting system functions adequately, it lacks intuitive design and engaging narrative elements, suggesting that further refinement and integration of story-driven missions could enhance the overall experience.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviews indicate that the game's optimization is lacking, with players suggesting that there are better-performing alternatives available at a more reasonable price, particularly for those interested in survival, terraforming, or Mars-themed gameplay.
- “I'm sorry, but if you enjoy survival, terraforming, or Mars-themed games, there are better options available that are more reasonably priced for their performance.”
- “The optimization in this game is severely lacking, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.”
- “Despite the interesting concept, the poor optimization makes it nearly unplayable on lower-end systems.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect frustrating due to frequent crashes and the lack of autosave, which exacerbates the tedium of early dungeon crawling, especially for those more interested in terraforming.
- “Constant crashes and no autosave make this an exercise in frustration. Annoyingly, if you're more interested in the terraforming aspect, there's no way to avoid a fairly tedious dungeon crawl early on.”
- “The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
- “I found myself spending hours on monotonous tasks that didn't feel rewarding, which really dampened my enjoyment.”
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is noted for its immersive quality, enhancing the player's experience by incorporating thematic elements, such as the haunting song of the respirator's people, which adds depth to the atmosphere. However, the constant fear of glitches can detract from this immersive experience.
- “When you are constantly living in fear of the 'falling' glitch, that's something to be said for a game that tries to be so immersive that it plays you the song of your respirator's people.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express that the emotional aspect of the game can be unpredictable, often leading to moments of frustration or surprise when the gameplay mechanics behave unexpectedly. This unpredictability can evoke strong feelings, whether positive or negative, contributing to a unique emotional experience.