“Deliver Us Mars” encapsulates an explosive future scenario: in the last third of our century, Earth’s resources will be depleted and humanity will search for new habitats in space. Like its predecessor Deliver Us The Moon, Dutch studio KeokeN tells this story in a mix of walking and puzzle adventure.
Environmental message and family drama
The action begins 10 years after the events of the first part. Earth is still on the brink of ecological collapse. Young engineer Kathy sets out with a team to Mars to uncover the mystery of the missing expedition there. She also has a very personal interest in the journey: somewhere on Mars, her father, who abruptly left her family a few years ago, is also missing. What Cathy finds next on Mars will not only change her beloved father’s view, but perhaps the future of humanity as well.
(Photo: Hiace Online)
KeokeN tells a whole new story with “Deliver Us Mars”. Only the predecessor scenario has been taken over, the heroine of the first part only exists as a supporting character. Instead of telling a story that boils down to game mechanics and atmosphere, the focus is now on family drama. The question of why the father disappeared or the mystery surrounding him is curiously linked to the game’s environmental message.
Frustration-free game
Cathy has to repair the spacecraft with a cutting torch in space, run from one research station to another on Mars or take a ride on a Mars rover to drive through desert-like landscapes. Her little flying robot is always there. However, it can fly through air vents and open doors. Cathy rarely jumps from platform to platform, climbs walls, or monitors oxygen. But this is not much of a challenge.
On the other hand, the puzzles are challenging. Cathy sometimes comes into a room that needs two keys to activate it first. To do this, she must align the power packs. This seems simple at first, but one ray is often not enough. Therefore, the packet must be amplified or forwarded with a device. Sometimes individual devices are hidden or in remote places that only Kathy’s little robot can access. Apart from these puzzle segments, he also has to decode holograms. To do this, he flies around the hologram and brings the individual parts together from the correct perspective.
Technically outdated
The demanding in terms of content can not keep up with the visual implementation. Facial expressions and gestures are especially on the outdated PS3 level. They seem harsh and unrealistic and constantly bring us back to boring reality during confrontation sessions. Additionally, there is vibration in the outdoor lanes on our PS5. A few moody moments of Cathy floating in space or gazing into the sunlight on Mars can only mask that disappointment a bit. On the other hand, the German dubbing is excellent. Even if we add the indie bonus, “Deliver Us Mars” doesn’t technically make for a good number.
Too bad the puzzles rarely pop up in the nearly 8 hour gameplay. They could have distracted a bit from the technical and visual implementation, which lags current games by years.
Conclusion
KeokeN Interactive’s Deliver Us Mars delivers a sci-fi thriller with an environmental message, but disappoints with an outdated execution both technically and visually. Especially in terms of the emotional drama between father and daughter, players have to turn a blind eye to the harsh and poorly detailed facial expressions of individual characters. On the other hand, the streamlined game principle provides just the right mix of frustration and ambition, just like the previous one. We would have liked to see more clever puzzles in the game. Therefore, Deliver Us Mars is just a game for purist science fiction fans who are not distracted by the alien projectile.
Deliver Us Mars has been released for Windows, PS4/5 and Xbox One/Series. It costs about 30 euros. USK of 16. We played through the PS5 version for our test.
(Doha)