Deliver Us Mars - Two Minute Review!

Title: Deliver Us Mars
Summary Sequel to the award-winning Deliver Us The Moon, Deliver Us Mars is an atmospheric sci-fi adventure offering an immersive astronaut experience. Explore new frontiers on a suspense-fuelled, high-stakes mission to recover the ARK colony ships stolen by the mysterious Outward.
Initial Release Date: Feb 2, 2023
Rated T for Teen
Developer: KeokeN Interactive
Publisher: Frontier Foundry
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series S/X, PC, Xbox One, PS4
Genres: Adventure
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Deliver Us Mars is a third-person platform puzzler that follows the story of Kathy, a young astronaut who joins a mission to Mars to rescue her father and discover the fate of advanced colony ships stolen by a rebel group. The game serves as a sequel to "Deliver Us The Moon", taking place a decade after the events of its predecessor, but it is not essential to have played the previous game before this.
There is a lot of variety in the gameplay, but not all elements work well. While platforming is competent, the rock climbing requires serious co-ordination, and feels temperamental at times. The occasional weightless and driving sections lack excitement. The launch-sequence minigames, where you adjust dials while sitting, add nothing to the overall experience.
The are two distinct categories of puzzles. Hologram puzzles require orientation of a camera in 3D space to align elements, while the more typical puzzles require redirecting energy beams between points. Both types however get repetitive and boring by the end of the game, which is not helped by finicky controls and required precision.
The story is highly emotional, but it is also shallow and predictable from an early stage, and undermined by overuse of melodrama and clichés. The story is largely delivered through flashbacks and cutscenes, but the acting is decent. None of the characters however are likeable, with the protagonist in particular neither believable nor relatable. The singular ending too will leave many unsatisfied.
In summary, the game feels overly ambitious and lacks the charm of "Deliver us the moon". The core elements of the story and puzzles are lacking, but despite all the negatives, there is still enough variety in the game to keep you entertained for the 8 hours it takes to complete, but it's not an essential experience.
Overall, I give this game 59 percent

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