Terraformers: First Steps on Mars

About

Terraformers: First Steps on Mars is a single player city builder game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Asteroid Lab and was released on October 23, 2021. It received positive reviews from players.

Terraformers: First Steps on Mars is a free standalone version of Terraformers, featuring an exclusive mission taking place before the main game.

Terraformers: First Steps on Mars screenshot

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87%

Audience ScoreBased on 324 reviews

gameplay7 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

Engaging and fun turn-based colony building and terraforming strategy with appealing graphics and sound design.
Intuitive user interface with well-balanced gameplay that combines resource management, exploration, and leader abilities.
Demo provides a compelling taste of the full game with good replay value and a unique card-based system.

Demo limited to 30 turns, creating a feeling of insufficient content and abrupt ending.
Gameplay is heavily influenced by randomness (card draws, leader abilities) which can diminish strategic depth.
Some UI issues and bugs reported, including lack of save functionality and occasional crashes or performance problems.

gameplay
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
67%
10%
The gameplay is generally solid, blending exploration, resource management, and strategic planning, but is limited in depth and variety due to the short 30-35 turn demo format. While mechanics are straightforward and accessible, some resource systems feel repetitive, and the lack of additional features like combat or diplomacy reduces long-term engagement. Overall, it offers a good foundation with unique elements but leaves players wanting more complexity and replayability in the full release.
- “Gameplay harmonizes exploration, resource management, and ensuring your cosmic pioneers' happiness.”
- “It is a very well thought out game with solid mechanics, beautiful graphics, and interesting gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is easy to figure out and I love that, unlike most simulation games, there is an undo button as long as you haven't ended your turn.”
- “The eight different resources in the game barely feel different from one another, having the exact same mechanics to obtain and use.”
- “Like more game modes, biomes, settings and at least one gameplay aspect (like combat, megastructures, rivals+diplomacy or the like)... I don't know how many entities there are in the demo so I don't know if they will suffice, but they might.”
- “The planet-scale gameplay feels like a pale imitation of Per Aspera, and the city-scale gameplay is much more satisfying in Surviving Mars.”
graphics
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
21%
10%
The graphics receive consistent praise for their captivating artwork, immersive visuals, and smooth performance even on older hardware, effectively enhancing the game's atmosphere and theme. While generally simple and occasionally pixelated on larger screens, the visuals are well-designed, dynamic, and thoughtfully complement gameplay progression. Some users note the graphics as a strong positive, though a few mention simplicity or desire for more distinct building designs.
- “The artwork and visuals draw you in!”
- “Another great feature are the graphics - the background images change as you develop your settlement and as the planet terraforms.”
- “It is a very well thought out game with solid mechanics, beautiful graphics and interesting gameplay.”
- “Buildings need more distinct artwork representing their purpose.”
- “Planetary base graphics are a bit simple and pixelated on a bigger screen, yet I have a good feeling it would make for a great few very chilled hours of playing.”
- “Graphic 9”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
The story is engaging and well-designed, with changing leaders each having unique backgrounds, though some users desire more depth and content. The prologue mission offers a gripping plot that keeps players invested, enhanced by fitting music and strategic elements, but currently there is limited variety as only one mission is available. Overall, it sets a promising foundation with hope for expanded narrative and missions in the full game.
- “A very well designed story, keeping you locked into what might unfold next within the leaderships.”
- “Even though this was a demo game, it was very engrossing and I wanted to keep playing when the mission ended.”
- “Good game and nice story.”
- “I guess I wanted to see more story and depth... I'm not sure it's needed for a strategy like this though, but I personally felt the lack of it daunting.”
- “Without looking at the bona fides of Asteroid Lab/Goblinz, the character storylines are so modern euro-socialist.”
- “Very good, tactical game with a lot of abilities to do, but not much content and only one mission you can do, hope there will be more missions and levels.”
music
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
38%
The music is consistently praised for being atmospheric, well-balanced, and enhancing the game's mood without overpowering it. It effectively shifts in intensity to match story moments, creating an immersive and pleasant auditory experience that complements the visuals. Overall, the soundtrack stands out as a key highlight of the game.
- “This demo is a peek into a pretty game with a beautiful soundtrack.”
- “In fact, the soundtrack is so impressive that my viewer--yes, I only have one--and I both remarked how the music steals the show.”
- “Music also well balanced; it's changing at the right moments of the story and not annoying (like in many other games of this kind).”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
28%
29%
Replayability opinions are mixed, with some praising the game's strategic depth and multiple decision paths that encourage repeated play, while others feel the content is currently limited for long-term engagement. Overall, the game offers moderate to high replay value, especially as players experiment with resource management and planning. Many are hopeful that future updates will enhance mechanics and further boost replayability.
- “Pretty cool overall, with the graphics and sound engagingly casual, but there is a lot of replay value as a single decision is not necessarily catastrophic and encourages you to plan effectively.”
- “The game has loads of replay value as you try to figure out how to spread the resource and gain support of the people.”
- “Replayability is high.”
- “There's not enough content for prolonged immersion or any replay value.”
- “Definitely wishing for mechanics that will deepen the game and add to replayability.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere aspect is praised for its detailed and diverse management system, encompassing heat, oxygen, temperature, and ocean levels that add depth to terraforming gameplay. Additionally, the atmospheric background music effectively enhances the immersive experience, making players feel truly present on Mars.
- “Heat, O2, atmosphere, and oceans are all represented here, but the way they are manipulated is a refreshing change from previous titles.”
- “From the incorporation of plans for future oceanic levels, seeding bacteria and shrub plants, trees and animal populations to managing the atmospheric conditions of the planet.”
- “Also a big fan of the background music; it really creates an atmosphere, like you're on Mars.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Stability reviews are mixed, with some users experiencing bugs such as screen size issues and occasional freezing when interacting with the leader, while others find the game polished, glitch-free, and stable.
- “Buggy in screen size handling.”
- “I read in the reviews for the main game that it was buggy but I thought 'that's their computer, it won't happen on mine!'”
- “Found it buggy, sometimes when I click on the leader it freezes, so I had to quit.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game currently lacks effective monetization strategies, missing potential revenue from microtransactions like selling better cards or resources. It could benefit from a free-to-play model, especially if adapted to simpler 2D versions on mobile or web platforms.
- “Frankly, the devs missed out on an opportunity to make it a braindead mobile game instead, and earn ten times as much by selling better cards or more resources through microtransactions.”
- “Overall, this game is okay though it would probably work better in a simpler 2D version in a web browser or on a mobile phone (would need some free-to-play monetization though).”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is considered somewhat tedious, particularly due to resource shortages that hinder city building. While the game is visually appealing, the turn-based mechanics contribute to a slow and repetitive experience for some players.
- “Got somewhat tedious as I couldn't get enough food to build much in the cities.”
- “It is pretty, but I dislike turn-based games as they are tedious.”
- “Like Surviving Mars but less tedious.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Optimization receives mixed feedback, with some users experiencing poor performance, while others report smooth gameplay even on older hardware, indicating variability depending on the system and player expertise.
- “If you are good at games leveraging resource management and pipeline optimizations, then give this a try.”
- “And since I've encountered zero bugs and performance issues on my 8-year-old PC, I'm wishlisting the full version.”
- “I don't know why, but performance optimization is awful.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is subtle and self-reflective, often stemming from players recognizing and joking about their own decision-making flaws within the game's narrative. This creates an amusing, relatable experience that adds charm to gameplay.

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2h Median play time

2h Average play time

1-2h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Terraformers: First Steps on Mars is a city builder game with science fiction theme.

Terraformers: First Steps on Mars is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 2 hours playing Terraformers: First Steps on Mars.

Terraformers: First Steps on Mars was released on October 23, 2021.

Terraformers: First Steps on Mars was developed by Asteroid Lab.

Terraformers: First Steps on Mars has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked Terraformers: First Steps on Mars for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

Terraformers: First Steps on Mars is a single player game.

Similar games include Terraformers, Surviving Mars, Slipways, Aven Colony, Cardboard Town and others.

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