“Race to Mars” made it through Steam’s Greenlight process for a few good reasons…the main one being that it’s a turn-based simulator that tasks the player with managing their very own space company. This isn’t something I see very often, at least, not to this degree. For those of you who know me, space exploration and science fiction are two topics from which I can’t seem to pull myself away. It goes without saying that I was (and still am) excited to see this idea get the recognition that it deserved. “Race to Mars” will unlock on Steam on March 7, 2014 as an Early Access game, meaning that it is still under development. While a review is obviously not possible at this point, I at least wanted to share my first impressions and some gameplay video of the early builds. Special thanks to CEO Szymon Janus from Intermarum for providing me with a free press copy.
For those of you who are curious about the current and upcoming features, I pulled this list directly from the game’s Early Access page:
(As of 3/6/14)
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FEATURES
- Shape your own path to Mars: satellites or a space station?
- Discover more than two hundred pioneering technologies
- Fight for a larger budget for your space program with the help of your fans and media
- Expand your program: profit from commercial, scientific and military contracts
CURRENT FEATURES
- Main screen from where you manage your New Space company
- System of gaining Prestige points, which show how your company evolves and will enable it to develop further
- Final 3D models of 4 important buildings
- System of day and night
- Almost all features in Administration building: manage staff and buildings, use the bank (take loans or deposit money), view reports, answer first questions from the journalists and build your reputation
- It is possible to build all buildings in the correct order (presented on a tree)
- Answer first questions from the journalists and build your reputation
- Choose contracts at National Space and Air Office
- Build Satellite Program which unlocks development of crucial technologies at Research+Development
- Develop first technologies (almost 100)
- Use technologies to produce components
- Choose components to build your own satellite
- At the Market buy some of the missing stuff, like a rocket, which will launch your satellite to the orbit
- Therefore: FIRST SPACE MISSION available
- Random events affect your company’s evolvement
- University enables Project Managers to improve their skills
- Message box informs about concluding projects etc.
UPCOMING FEATURES
- We plan to constantly add new researches at R+D
- The same goes for new contracts at NSaAO
- More Programs to start
- More options at NSaAO, like selling your own services or asking for funding
- More questions for press conferences
- More random events
- Launch Facilities with the possibility to launch your own rockets
- New GUI, redesigned after a series of tests
- 3D models for remaining buildings
- Achievements
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First Impressions & Preview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzIZRGOSSxQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmMEN2ZRiRU