Tharsis

70%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,980 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • replayability
Tharsis Game Cover
A turn based strategy that actually employs strategy, Tharsis is a rougelike you’ll want to keep coming back to.
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"Tharsis" is a single-player horror turn-based strategy game that takes you on a harrowing journey to Mars. As the commander of humanity's first mission to the red planet, you must navigate through a series of disasters, food shortages, and moral dilemmas while uncovering an intriguing story. With its masterful game mechanics, splendid visuals, sensational soundtrack, and high replayability, Tharsis provides a unique and often hilarious experience that will test your strategic skills and ability to maintain your sanity in the unforgiving expanse of space.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Wii
  • Wii U
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

70%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,980 reviews
story109 positive mentions
stability11 negative mentions
  • Challenging gameplay that requires strategic planning and resource management.
  • Unique blend of dice mechanics and survival elements, creating a tense atmosphere.
  • Decent replayability with different crew members and missions to unlock.
  • Heavy reliance on RNG can lead to frustrating and unfair outcomes.
  • Short overall gameplay experience, with many players feeling it lacks depth.
  • Difficult even on 'Easy' mode, which may deter casual players.
  • story566 mentions

    The story in "Tharsis" is generally viewed as shallow and repetitive, with many players expressing disappointment over its lack of depth and variety. While the atmosphere and voice acting are praised for enhancing the experience, the narrative often feels cliched and predictable, leading to a sense of monotony after multiple playthroughs. Despite the intriguing premise of a space mission gone awry, the execution leaves much to be desired, with many players wishing for a more complex and engaging storyline.

    • “The story line and voice acting are well done and add to the creepy atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere and story of the game really set you up for an immersive experience.”
    • “The story is interesting enough the first time through and it gives you enough replayability in the game (across various difficulties) and characters to unlock to make the purchase price worth it.”
    • “The story is basically nonexistent, but gives you a basic framework for the gameplay.”
    • “The entire game feels like a comedy of errors that would be appropriate in Kerbal Space Program, but not at all what a real space mission would be like.”
    • “The main game at first appears to feature something of a story, but it ends up being just a shallow bit of window-dressing.”
  • gameplay531 mentions

    The gameplay of Tharsis is primarily centered around a dice-rolling mechanic that emphasizes risk management and strategic decision-making, offering a blend of board game elements in a digital format. While many players find the mechanics engaging and the tension high, the heavy reliance on RNG can lead to frustration, as outcomes often feel beyond the player's control. Overall, the game provides a unique experience with potential for replayability, but its short length and steep learning curve may deter some players.

    • “The gameplay loop itself is interesting, and you can get really into planning how best to deal with problems as they occur.”
    • “The gameplay is fun and strategic, simple enough to draw you in but with enough depth and nuance that you can second guess your choices for hours.”
    • “The dice-based gameplay is fun; RNG is balanced by your choices of where and how to use the dice to beat the challenges and to get the bonuses.”
    • “The gameplay loop is fine, but the game delivers on little else, and it leaves an overall disappointing feeling.”
    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay is more frustrating than anything as random events demolish your ship and crew constantly and repetitively.”
    • “The game feels too mechanical for the drama it tries to build up.”
  • replayability166 mentions

    The reviews on replayability are mixed, with some players praising the game for its high replay value due to randomization, unlockable characters, and various difficulty levels, while others criticize it for being short and lacking substantial content after initial playthroughs. Many players noted that the game's design, akin to a board game, allows for different strategies and experiences, but some felt that once the game is completed, the incentive to replay diminishes significantly. Overall, while there are elements that enhance replayability, such as challenge missions and RNG mechanics, the game's longevity may depend on individual player preferences and tolerance for repetition.

    • “That's an incredible amount of replayability!”
    • “The replay value is probably the best part of this game.”
    • “There is loads of replay value in the main game and there are also a dozen or so missions that again have plenty of replay value, I would estimate that I will get a good 30+ hours of play out of this program and probably a lot more than that.”
    • “This leaves no replayability for me, which for a rogue-like, is the one thing a game truly needs.”
    • “Beware, this game is very short; it has some standalone missions, but other than that, it has utterly low replayability.”
    • “The unfortunate part is that once the game is beaten, it loses a fair amount of replay value.”
  • music160 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and engaging quality, with many reviewers highlighting the outstanding soundtrack by Weval as a standout feature. While some noted a lack of variety, the overall composition is described as catchy, immersive, and well-suited to the game's themes, enhancing the gameplay experience. However, a few players found the music repetitive or mismatched with the game's tone, suggesting that personal preferences may vary.

    • “The music is great, the story is intriguing, and the soundtrack complements the gameplay perfectly.”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing and sets a theme for the game, creating a strong emotional connection to the crew.”
    • “The finely tuned challenge, the vividly dark theme, and the perfectly appropriate and masterfully produced soundtrack make for an immersive experience.”
    • “The soundtrack is quite basic as well.”
    • “Sadly, the music is a little annoying and doesn't fit the whole gameplay.”
    • “Being a person who is irritated by repetitive music, I play many video games with the music turned off.”
  • graphics159 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with many users praising the art style, atmosphere, and overall visual presentation as charming and fitting for the gameplay. However, some players have noted issues with graphical bugs, particularly on certain systems, and a disconnect between character models and the rest of the visuals. While the graphics are not groundbreaking, they are considered adequate and contribute positively to the game's aesthetic and immersive experience.

    • “The visuals are gorgeous, and I just love the way they represented the ship and dice rolls.”
    • “The graphics are really well made and the soundtrack...oh boy, is marvelous.”
    • “Good art and graphics, voice acting is a nice addition, the repair and crew ability mechanics are awesome and I loved how the dice are used to fuel your actions.”
    • “The game does not work with newer processors; it crashes almost immediately due to a bug in the graphics engine.”
    • “The bug itself was fixed long ago, but the game has not been recompiled with the new graphics engine; yet it is still for sale.”
    • “The graphics are poor but adequate for the genre.”
  • atmosphere64 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its immersive and eerie qualities, enhanced by a compelling soundtrack and strong voice acting. Players appreciate the grim, tense environment that effectively conveys a sense of desperation and constant threat, particularly in its sci-fi setting. While the gameplay mechanics sometimes feel disconnected from the atmosphere, the overall aesthetic and thematic elements create a captivating experience that resonates with players.

    • “The atmosphere and story of the game really set you up for an immersive experience.”
    • “It features a fantastic soundtrack and story which produces a uniquely eerie atmosphere and builds the tension as you roll, hoping for the perfect numbers so you can just survive one more turn.”
    • “That combined with the music, and the way they present their story leads to an atmosphere that is thick, heavy, brooding, and tense.”
    • “The game loop in itself is pleasant, but it goes stale quite fast, with the gameplay not fully fitting the grim atmosphere the game tries to build up.”
    • “However, there is at least a decent attempt to create atmosphere and tension, to transport you to a lonely spaceship in the middle of nowhere where you can experience the constant war of attrition against failing systems and failing health.”
    • “I get that they wanted to create an atmosphere of constant threat, but you have nothing to prevent it; everything depends on dice rolls, and player skill is not required.”
  • humor18 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its dark and morbid undertones, often eliciting laughter from players despite the challenging and sometimes frustrating gameplay. Users appreciate the ironic and absurd labels in the score screen, as well as the humorous commentary that emerges from the game's stress mechanics, which add a layer of levity to the otherwise tense experience. Overall, the humor is a defining feature that enhances replayability and makes the game's harsh realities more palatable for those who can embrace its comedic elements.

    • “It's harsh, unforgiving, gorgeous, and darkly humorous.”
    • “The dice are going to go badly and horrible things are going to happen and then you're going to laugh about it and start again because it is all kind of funny.”
    • “Your crew starts to make hilariously incredibad life choices once they go over the edge, complete with colorful commentary.”
    • “I wanted to like this game; I really did, but the odds are so stacked against you that it's not funny.”
    • “The attempts at humor feel forced and often fall flat, making the experience more frustrating than entertaining.”
    • “I expected a lighthearted experience, but the jokes are stale and the comedic timing is off.”
  • stability14 mentions

    The stability of the game is mixed, with some players reporting a smooth experience free of glitches, while others encounter significant bugs, including freezing issues and unskippable voiceovers. Recent patches have exacerbated these problems for some users, leading to frustration and making the game unplayable on certain systems. Overall, while some find it mechanically sound, many highlight its instability and lack of quality of life features.

    • “The game runs as it is designed to with no glitches.”
    • “It is mechanically sound and bug-free.”
    • “The game itself looks and runs great!”
    • “This game is missing a lot of 'quality of life' features and is just plain buggy.”
    • “There's also a massive glitch that if you place the dice before they all stop rolling, it glitches and freezes.”
    • “So bug-ridden it is unplayable on iMac 27 from 2013!”
  • grinding11 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, with many expressing that unlocking characters and completing tasks often feels overly repetitive and punishing. While some appreciate the challenge, the grind required to achieve certain goals can detract from the overall enjoyment, making the experience feel boring rather than rewarding.

    • “However, it quickly becomes tediously annoying.”
    • “Unlocking the hidden characters is kind of tedious.”
    • “The last unlockable character requires a giant leap in plays (about 3 times as many as I did) and is too grindy to be enticing, although it is the best character.”
  • optimization9 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some users noting significant issues, particularly for a visual novel, while others find it enjoyable despite minor unoptimized elements. While the visuals are generally praised for their polish, players on Mac are advised to wait for further optimization before playing. Overall, the game offers fun optimization tasks but may not perform optimally for all users.

    • “For me, it is quite enjoyable - I like optimization tasks, but this game is not for everybody.”
    • “Counting odds, prediction, and optimization leads to victory.”
    • “This is a game about risk management and optimization.”
    • “Worst optimization ever, especially for a visual novel.”
    • “The game could do with some graphics optimization.”
    • “If you own a Mac, wait until this game is optimized to run on the Mac.”
  • emotional7 mentions

    Players report a deeply emotional experience, highlighting the game's music, sound effects, and graphics as key elements that evoke feelings of loneliness and determination. The emotional journey is described as both rewarding and infuriating, with moments of despair contrasting with a sense of achievement, making it a uniquely impactful experience. Overall, the game successfully elicits a wide range of emotions, from hopelessness to pride.

    • “No other game made me feel this lonely and hopeless in the cold, uncaring vastness of space.”
    • “The OST makes for a stark contrast between being lost emotionally and being determined, setting a special mood for the game.”
    • “This game made me feel like I had done something great.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Reviews indicate that while the lead designer excels in ship design, the character development is notably lacking, suggesting a disconnect between the designer's inspirations and the execution of character depth and growth.

    • “It's interesting that the lead designer goes on ad nauseum about his design inspirations, because he succeeded in ship design, and failed horribly in character design.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

65% average critic score

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Play time

6hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
4-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 22 analyzed playthroughs

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