Terraformers: First Steps on Mars

short fun game do more games like this

I give this a negative review not because there is anything bad about it. It is a simpler shorter version of Terraformers. One could say it is a tutorial for the full game. Just buy the excellent Terraformers and skip this.

Terraformers: First Steps on Mars is a free prologue that gives me a small taste of a much bigger Mars strategy game. I am put in charge of humanity's first attempt at settling Mars, and my job is to explore the planet, find useful resources and start building the foundations of a colony. I like the basic setup because it gives me a clear goal without making things too complicated at the beginning. I am not just placing buildings on an empty map either. I have to think about where I expand, what resources I need and how I can keep my growing population happy. The exploration is probably what I enjoy most. I can send leaders out to discover new areas, and exploring can reveal resource deposits and interesting locations that affect how I develop my settlement. That makes each turn feel useful because I am constantly deciding what information or resource could help me next. The city building also has some nice strategic choices, especially when I am trying to get the most out of the limited resources available. I like that the game makes me think about positioning rather than simply letting me build everything wherever I want. I also like the way the game starts introducing terrafor…

Demos are great! Don't buy the full version of this game - it is a scripted nightmare!! with a rigid plot and needed tech unavailable because of ec0-bullcrap.

so fun tho not so long

I liked this game. It's simple and fun with just the right amount of complexity to keep me invested and entertained. However, based on this demo, I don't think the full game is worth the asking price. I may pick up the full game if it ever goes on sale.