Lost in space, found in retro charm: revisiting mars: war logs
Before Spider crafted the critically acclaimed GreedFall, they delivered Mars: War Logs, a 2013 RPG that often gets lost in the shuffle. While it’s far from a flawless gem, a recent playthrough reveals a surprisingly compelling, if rough-around-the-edges, experience—one that lays the groundwork for Spider’s later successes and offers a nostalgic blast of 1980s sci-fi B-movie aesthetics.
A martian wasteland steeped in style
Forget sterile, futuristic visions of the Red Planet. Mars: War Logs throws you into a gritty, industrial-cyberpunk world ravaged by a solar cataclysm two centuries prior. Water is the new gold, and survival is a daily struggle in a landscape of scrap metal and oxidized machinery. You play as Roy Temperance, a prisoner seeking escape from a brutal penal colony, and the game’s atmosphere, more than anything, is its initial draw. It’s a deliberate homage to films like Mad Max, but with a darker, more oppressive tone.
The narrative revolves around uncovering the truth behind the planet’s stagnation, a truth far more grounded than mystical forces—a consequence of that devastating cataclysm. The writing isn't high literature, but it's effective in establishing the game's bleak, desperate setting.
Bioware’s shadow, spider’s experiment
Mars: War Logs makes no attempt to hide its ambition: it’s a clear attempt to emulate the narrative-driven RPG formula pioneered by Bioware, particularly Mass Effect. There’s a dialogue system that impacts your reputation, companions to recruit, and a skill tree divided into combat, stealth, and technomancy—the game’s most original concept. Technomancy, a form of electrical manipulation allowing Roy to charge weapons or unleash energy blasts, adds a unique tactical layer to combat.
However, the execution isn’t always seamless. The combat, while intending to be fluid and visually engaging, feels clunky and somewhat unresponsive. It draws inspiration from the Batman: Arkham series, but falls short of that title’s polished action. Where Arkham is a beat-'em-up with open-world elements, Mars: War Logs is an ARPG struggling to integrate those elements.
Crafting and character customization stand out
Despite its shortcomings, Mars: War Logs features several clever design choices. The crafting system, for example, is far more engaging than the typical RPG fare. Unlike games where upgrades are merely statistical adjustments hidden in menus, here, every piece of equipment you craft visibly alters your character’s appearance. Adding armor plates, spikes, or reinforcements to your gear not only enhances your strength but also changes your look, reinforcing the theme of survival and resourcefulness.
The technical presentation is dated, with stiff animations and somewhat linear environments. The voice acting, originally problematic, was reportedly re-recorded after launch, a testament to Spider’s commitment to improvement. The game can be completed in a relatively short timeframe, but at a mere $0.99 during Steam sales, it offers a solid RPG experience within a world brimming with personality and a glimpse into the evolution of a studio that would later deliver GreedFall and Steelrising. It’s a brave design exercise, compensating for budgetary constraints with a cohesive art direction and surprisingly deep role-playing mechanics.
Like those low-budget '80s sci-fi flicks, Mars: War Logs is a guilty pleasure if you know what you're getting into—a quirky, imperfect, but ultimately endearing addition to any gamer's library.