We don’t get enough games set in space in my opinion. Aside from the obvious classic Mass Effect and the upcoming Starfield, there isn’t a great deal. I’m absolutely obsessed with space and its deep exploration to the point I’ll sit for hours and watch countless launches from SpaceX and Virgin. The prospect of the undiscovered blows my tiny little brain. When I saw Deliver Us Mars was announced, I fist pumped the air with excitement as I loved Deliver Us The Moon and felt it could have been expanded on. Just a little over three years later and we see KeokeN Interactive return with a new venture and at the time of writing it’s available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Playstation 4|5 and Windows PC.

Introduction

Deliver Us Mars is the sequel to the award-winning Deliver Us The Moon and is a sci-fi adventure that you’ll likely remember forever. Planet Earth is in an uncertain position and the future of the planet is unknown. A group known as Outward has big ambitions to start a colony and new life on Mars. You’ll play out the game as Kathy, a young inexperienced but bustling astronaut who is taught by her father. Sadly we learn that her father joined Ouward and abandoned Kathy and the rest of her family for a new life on Mars.

I don’t want to lean into any heavy spoilers in this review as the storyline is the meat and potato of the game. One thing I will say though is despite what has happened to Kathy, she is determined to save humanity and find out what has happened to her father. It is up to the player to embark on that journey and bring the pieces of the emotional jigsaw together.

Gameplay

Whilst Deliver Us Mars is set on a very linear path, the whole experience is interesting enough for the entirety. The game delivers a narrative and voice-driven story through an interesting and intriguing set of cast. The gameplay loop brings a variation in the tasks you have to perform on your mission to the big red planet. The first few hours are very much absorbing the remarkable story, engaging with the characters, and learning more about Kathy and her father. There was an immediate connection to everyone throughout the game, each person I encountered including AYLA the little robot drone that follows and assists you.

Plenty Of Puzzles

There are plenty of puzzle-solving elements during your time with the game, the majority are simple with a little head scratching here and there. Some puzzles did become a little more tricky and frustrating, especially in the spaceship. That said though, I did like the fact the game doesn’t hold your hand too much. One minute you’ll be helping to restore power to an area of the ship and the next you’ll be outside cutting debris that has wrecked your thrusters. These moments feel massively immersive though and I spent about ten minutes just floating around in space gawping in awe at the surface of Mars.

Satisfying Movement Mechanics

Floating around in zero-G movements is immensely satisfying and sometimes I would forget the objective whilst I just went off exploring. Another gratifying moment was the introduction to using climbing axes in a fashion that would even put Lara Croft to shame. You feel in total control of where these axes bed into a surface. It’s one of those situations where you really have to have the controller in your hands to know what I am talking about, it isn’t just a tap of a button here and there.

Graphics & Audio

The entire presentation of Deliver Us Mars was absolutely outstanding in my eyes. The art design team have done a magnificent job of bringing the atmosphere of space exploration to the controller. Looking out of the spacecraft towards Mars for the first time was a beautiful and memorable moment. The character design is fantastic and I really felt the bond between Kathy and her sister and the undying love for her father. Whilst some facial animations are a little off and some backdrops a little basic, these don’t stand in the way of the game’s excellence. 

I encountered no issues throughout my entire playthrough of the game. No frame drops, no bugs or glitches. Being within the space station environment felt like I was actually part of a working crew, with the weightless and floaty aura of space feeling natural with the Xbox controller. The voice acting is absolutely superb and compliments the solid storyline. You can really feel the tension, broken relationships and lack of trust throughout and I was absolutely consumed as I wanted to keep finding out what would happen next. Sound effects, music and even the almighty thrust and vibration of the rocket launch have been knocked out of the park. You can tell how much hard work and passion have gone into this project.

In Conclusion

Deliver Us Mars is outstanding and easily one of the most memorable games I’ve ever played in terms of its incredible story. Whilst I would recommend playing Deliver us the Moon before cracking on with this one, it isn’t the be-all and end-all if you don’t. With remarkable visuals and exceptional voice acting, it excels from the first game. 

As the title of the game suggests, the entire package absolutely delivers a fantastic sequel with a good 10-15 hours of gameplay. It is well worth its low price point and is a game I’ll never forget. This intense and emotional adventure is a must-buy for anyone who loves a great campaign-based title and I absolutely adored it. I tip my space helmet to KeokeN Interactive and Frontier Foundry on an incredible adventure.