Deliver Us Mars (Xbox Series X|S)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Release Date (NA): February 2, 2023
- Release Date (EU): February 2, 2023
- Publisher: Frontier Foundry
- Developer: KeokeN Interactive
- Genres: Adventure, puzzle
- Also For: Computer, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One
Game Features:
Deliver Us Mars picks up ten years after the events of Deliver Us the Moon, where the Moon-derived short-term fix for Earth’s climate change-related woes are stretched thin. However, the solution to those woes might lie in the technology residing in the stolen ARK vessels. In an attempt to retrieve the latter and bolster humanity’s survival, a crew of four astronauts, including young Kathy Johanson, set out to Mars aboard the Zephyr.
Stellar voice acting performance
After completing Deliver Us the Moon, I was drawn to the game’s original plot and was curious to see what developer KeokeN Interactive concocted with the sequel. Deliver Us Mars’ plot is also an original one that deals with complex relationships and decisions. The development team further wove this plot to link the events of the first instalment, where these shape the motivations of the sequel’s main cast. This makes a playthrough of the first title something of a must to better get your bearings.
Although limited, Deliver Us Mars’ cast have compelling arcs as they deal with internal and external conflicts as the game segues through past and present events. Sarah Baker’s former conflicts with the Council, and the repercussions of Isaac Johanson’s past actions on the Zephyr crew are all brought to life by the excellent voice acting, which is a highlight of the game.
Crash landing the gameplay
Unfortunately, the original plot and compelling voice acting were where the game stood out for me. I was hoping that developer KeokeN would have improved on the formula of Deliver Us the Moon’s gameplay with Deliver Us Mars. Sure, like the former, the new instalment is original in that it merges different mechanics from first-person as well as third-person exploration, puzzle solving, vehicle control and remote control of a drone.
However, the issue of lack of proper direction persists. In Deliver Us the Moon, I often felt the lack of proper aims to be frustrating as it led to aimlessly wandering sequences. Such sequences perpetuates in Deliver Us Mars, even if there is a welcome accessibility feature that indicates where to go next as well as having protagonist Kathy quip in with some hints. But that’s not always the case and some puzzle solving is left to good ‘ol trial and error.
Then there’s the recurring need to decrypt holograms to piece together the plot that are thrown at you without a proper tutorial. Their decryption involves a jigsaw-like mechanic with un-intuitive controls.
To top it off, there’s the new gameplay mechanic of using a pickaxe to climb. This could have been the gameplay’s highlight, except that in practice it is a tedious chore. This involves successively pressing LT and RT across walls and cliffs while aiming with the left stick. The execution is incredibly tedious and is far from what I'd call fun. The developers might have been focusing too much on "realism" and using the new mechanic as a form of challenge - and I’m sure that it’ll appeal to some - but the experience was more frustrating than engaging for me.
Regarding tedious gameplay, Deliver Us Mars brings back laser cutting but this time, it’s for longer sessions that require more precise aiming.
The end result of the gameplay made me think that it’s been cobbled up together without much thought given to how players would experience it; which ends up feeling poorly executed.
On a final note, I’m not sure if it’s because I’m playing the Xbox Series S version but the graphics, especially the character’s textures, often look dated. KeokeN Interactive does hit the right notes when it comes to detailed environments, spacesuits and vehicles but the characters are often a call-back to PS3-era titles. But I’ve played other titles on the Serie S such as Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3 that do look gorgeous, so I don’t think it’s solely a hardware issue.
It doesn’t deliver Mars
The original plot and compelling voice acting don’t save Deliver Us Mars’ crash-landing of gameplay. You’d think that the tedious mechanics, un-intuitive puzzles and unclear directions from the first game would have been ironed out but they are somehow intensified in the sequel. While it might appeal to some for it’s apparent “realism” or challenge, it’s far from what I’d call fun.
Deliver Us Mars | Launch Trailer
Verdict
- Compelling voice acting
- Original plot
- Some accessibility feature that somewhat redeem the tedium
- Unintuitive puzzles
- Frustrating gameplay aspects
- Recurring unclear directions
- Dated character textures on Xbox Series S
