Surviving Mars

Part-survival game, part-Elon Musk simulator

- Fraser Brown

Mars, our dusty red neighbour, is in vogue at the moment, which might explain why Haemimont Games is leaving the banana republics of Tropico behind and heading off-world. Surviving Mars is a city-builder with a survival bent, where managing colonists’ sanity is as important as keeping their habitable domes in tiptop shape.

Despite a lighthearted announcement trailer, Haemimont CEO Gabriel Dobrev is quick to distance Surviving Mars from the studio’s jocular Caribbean property. “This is not Tropico,” he emphasises. Though it’s inspired by sci-fi and retro-futurism – most keenly felt in the habitats that evoke a ’60s take on colonising the stars – it’s taking a more grounded, serious approach to city-building.

“Our initial inspiration was from old-school movies,” he clarifies. “So it was a retro-future style. But we had to make it more practical. What we went for is reminiscent of those things, but at the same time it’s a modern take on them.”