Deliver Us Mars

Developer: KeokeN
Publisher: Frontier Developments PLC
Platforms: Xbox One, Playstation 4, PC, Playstation 5 (Reviewed), Xbox Series X|S
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $29.99 – Available Here

Overview

Deliver Us the Moon was one of those titles that really gained steam from word of mouth, as the hidden gem gained notoriety for its strong storytelling and atmospheric design a few years ago, making it one of the past decade’s most notable digital releases. Fast forward today, and we are headed to Mars with a sequel. Deliver Us Mars dives right back into this narrative, attempting to deliver more interactive storytelling, with a lot of promise expected due to delays and anticipation from fans. Is this new entry out of this world, or does it have trouble getting off the ground? Let’s find out. 

Story 

If you never played Deliver Us the Moon, you are still in the clear to enjoy Deliver Us Mars as the narrative catches most players up on those events that took place as we hunted for a new energy source, but as someone who adores the first title, it is still recommended to get the full impact of what this follow-up brings to the table. This title puts players in the role of Kathy Johanson, a young girl who grows up to take a mission to Mars in order to assist with Earth’s struggle to rebuild, along with her sister and comrades. As we explore and prep for launch, we learn about her strained relationship with her family, great betrayal, and of course this small team’s hunger to finish their mission and save the planet – by any means necessary. 

This tale plays out in multiple ways. The first is through flashback sequences, where you slowly peel back layers of a torn childhood. The other moments are mostly in the present, where Kathy discovers hologram data to decrypt what happened on Mars to her father, as well as the rest of the team that went looking for sustainable resources on the red planet. Without diving into any spoilers, I can say that KeokeN have delivered yet another journey that is not only a fascinating take on in-game interaction, but also just as intense and memorable as the first installment. This narrative takes a ton of twists and turns and manages to bring us into it with a great sense of immersion and urgency, where most will have no trouble powering through quickly as they explore and hunt for answers. There is something special about the way this story is told, and the payoff for those who stay until the end leaves for one of the most satisfying stories in years for any game of this scope. 

Gameplay 

The gameplay for Deliver Us Mars is a little more complicated to speak about. Not because of too many issues, however – but more because the narrative is so intertwined with the game’s design that even though you are fully in control of your character, the story never stops progressing. Players receive the basic tools to get started early on and are equipped with no weapons at their disposal. Instead, you have a laser cutting tool, two pickaxes for climbing, a scanner, and a robot that can assist you with your progression. Instead of fighting enemies, KeokeN have designed this world to be explored, where interactivity is the key to moving forward. 

Most of the time, Kathy will be solving puzzles in a couple of different manners. The first comes by powering rays that generate energy to open doors. Players enter each area with very little explanation of what to do and must look around rooms to find switches that can power doors in order to proceed to the next area. This might sound mundane, but the execution here is outstanding as your radio along with dialogue from Kathy to her robot keep things interesting and involved as you tote beams and cut through obstacles with little hassle.  

The pickaxes bring another layer of gameplay through climbing sequences where the player must traverse up (down, left and right) to get to new areas of the map. This is mostly done by alternating shoulder buttons, but there is some satisfaction to be found as at times, the challenge of focusing on climbing is difficult while the story adds a broad layer of intensity throughout. That said, if any area of gameplay needed polish prior to release, it would be how Kathy controls while climbing. Sometimes the lack of direction or instruction can be frustrating, as the game fails to provide simple instruction that leads to unnecessary delay in moving on. For instance, there is one area where I was stuck for a good bit, just because the game never showed how to jump at a 360 angle while climbing. Sure, it was sorted out eventually by trial and error, but this is one of those rare moments where prompts would have saved a chunk of time – instead of leaving the player alone to sort out basic unexplained mechanics. 

I keep using the word progression during this review as there is such demand for it due to the way the game is designed. It makes this adventure so enchanting but can also test the player’s patience as they work through minor inconsistencies that are just not streamlined to meet the same sense of urgency. Sure, the game is still great, but sometimes I felt the only real challenge was navigating through small gameplay hiccups and odd checkpoints, rather than any actual increase in difficulty based on location. 

Visuals 

This may be the only area of the game that most will have an issue with, as while the environments look outstanding in Deliver Us Mars, the character models do not really have the best coat of paint. Facial animations are almost nonexistent, failing to meet the same level of emotion found in their dialogue. There are also some issues with screen tearing, and parts of the stages failing to generate correctly after reaching a checkpoint and dying. For example, I finished one puzzle with switches, but died immediately after. The game didn’t generate the puzzle as completed but did consider it done as I moved on to the next section. Yeah, not a huge inconvenience, but enough to slightly break immersion due to issues that hopefully will be fixed with future updates. 

Audio

The soundtrack is stunning here. There really are no words to describe the level of atmosphere and tone that the music sets for this experience, as it makes even plain sequences feel important, creating tension and wonder in a game where the player must interact and explore. The voice cast also are phenomenal. I know this isn’t exactly a AAA release, but the performances within make it feel at that level and remain consistent throughout.  

Overall

Deliver Us Mars is a worthy sequel to one of the most underrated gems of the last generation. The storytelling is incredible, with a “water-cooler talk” narrative that may not last a long time but can stick with the player hours after experiencing the moral choices of Kathy and her father. In some ways, I feel Deliver Us Mars is a masterpiece of game design. Despite its small flaws, no digital release has come close to feeling this important due to its amazing take on exploration and interaction with a well-thought-out environment. KeokeN nailed this sequel and hopefully will continue their trek through space, as Deliver Us Mars is a remarkable experience that never lets up until those credits roll. 

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