Deliver us the analysis of Mars; a journey of no return to the red planet

In 2018, KeokeN Interactive surprised sci-fi fans with a heartbreaking space adventure. With a bleak outlook and a suicide mission to the moon, earth’s fate depended on a single astronaut. After a great reception by users, its developers come back with an even deeper narrative by flag. This time, our protagonist has first and last names; Kathy Johnson. Exchanging the Moon for Mars, he will go in search of the ships of the ARCA colony lost on the red planet. Without a doubt, Deliver us Mars is presented as the best candidate to calm the urge to star field.

Kathy’s story

Con Deliver us the Moon, KeokeN presented us with a fantastic story told through the sets, objects and texts that we discovered during our trip to the moon. Of course, our protagonist completely lacked identity; no discernible face, no name. This time, the player has a face with which to identify their astronaut, and of course, a more rounded story.

Kathy Johanson, with the team led by her sister Claire, will have to lead the mission to rescue the ships of the ARCA colony after a mysterious call from the red planet. Stolen by the Outwardian colony with the aim of saving humanity, these ships harbor certain mysteries that we will have to solve, among which is the fate of Isaac, Kathy’s father.

We also notice that the title takes its time from the start, raising a well-worked base for the protagonist by fully penetrating into her past. These dilemmas, added to the problems of the mission itself, serve as a pretext to build the character and give him enough charisma.

We traded the moon for the red planet

One of the things I liked the most Deliver us the Moon it was its ability to mirror (as much as possible) the conditions on the Moon and in space, trying to be as realistic as possible. The moments of weightlessness, the lift-off sequence, the absolute solitude in the middle of the Moon… all of this made the game a round and immersive experience. Con Deliver us Mars The same thing happens, although yes, maybe that intimate experience of being alone in the middle of nowhere gets lost along the way.

At the technical level, continues to show its cards as a game halfway between AA and A, with some image deletions or textures that take time to load. However, I did not encounter any bugs, or at least any serious ones, and I was able to enjoy them without major problems. Graphically, the level of its predecessor is maintained, with great graphics that combine with other less attractive ones, especially when the emphasis is on character modeling.

Even with its flaws, it’s a perfect adventure for space lovers. Beyond Kathy’s plot, the game features visuals worthy of 2001: A Space Odyssey, with gameplay that combines third and first person. The arrival on Mars is simply sensational.

News about Deliver the Moon to us

When it comes to bringing your new experience to us, KeokeN and Frontier Foundry are committed to an all-continuous formula, though it’s not all negative. The gameplay continues to be the same, with new mechanics that favor our movement. Most notable is the climbing, which I expected to be easier, yet I really enjoyed it because it required us to play with both triggers. In this way we hold the triggers to hold with the ice axes, constantly releasing one and holding the other.

This resource is constantly given, just like the Rover for long distances. Similarly, the puzzles continue to be little varied. That it falls into repetition is obvious, but given the aspirations of the studio and the proposal itself, it’s understandable.. All the more so when these moments are well chosen and introduced into the plot.

Most puzzles are also mainly based on two types; unlock holograms with AYLA (our inseparable AI) and solve “Strime” connections. The first is quite simple, just press the “Y” button to take control of AYLA. Facing the hologram of another similar AI, we will move AYLA in different ways to adjust the gears. Regarding Strime’s connections, they are a little more complex, since we will have to divert the energy in the right way to the connection points.

A good surprise in terms of sound

It’s amazing how sound can immerse you in an environment in which it is almost completely lacking. The sound effects are satisfying along the way, but if there’s one companion that complements Kathy’s experiences, it’s the soundtrack. When it comes to space and the loneliness that awaits us on the red planet, background music is more than enough to accompany our unfortunate protagonist.

The soundtrack is provided by the award-winning Sander Van Zanten, and I must say that it is a success. Not only for having achieved the perfect tone for the video game, but for knowing how to choose the ideal moments to introduce his music.

Dubbing is no exception either. This time we have a deeper narrative, with dialogues between characters that unfold even when we move alone, thanks to the permanent connection between them. Good interpretations and a more than correct translation make this section practically perfect. Oh! and although it is not possible to change the size of the subtitles, you can rest assured that the size chosen is the correct one.

A more than worthy space adventure

Deliver us Mars It’s by no means a perfect game. The physics are quite improveable, there’s not a lot of animation variety, and technically it doesn’t come close to what could be a full next-gen console experience. However, the makers know how to build good stories with a space environment that you want to explore and that provides memorable moments for all space fans.

If you’re expecting a spectacular AAA space adventure, I’m sure you won’t find it here. Instead, yesIf you like this type of experience and are able to adapt to what KeokeN offers, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as I do. Of course, looking to the future, there are things to tweak and improve, so I expect greater progress from those in charge.