Mars has fascinated astronomers for centuries. As space exploration technology advances, the possibility of visiting and colonizing the red planet becomes more realistic. In 2020, thePerseverance Rover set foot on the planet’s surfacefor the first time, prompting many gaming fans on social media to celebrate by referencing games set on Mars, like theDoomandDestinyfranchises.
As more and more scientific information is gathered from Mars, even more games will inevitably explore what the planet has to offer, like the much-anticipatedStarfieldandDeliver Us Mars.But that’s not to say there aren’t plenty of games set on Mars that stand the test of time and enable gamers to explore the planet to their heart’s content.
7Mass Effect 3
Set in the Milky Way, theMass Effectuniverse has much to thank from Mars. After discovering an alien outpost on the desert planet in the 22nd century, the technology found there enabled human technology to accelerate exponentially.
But it wasn’t until the third game in the originalMass Effecttrilogy that players could finally explore the red planet. InMass Effect 3,gamers take control of Commander Shepardas they are stationed on Mars to figure out a way to defeat an enemy alien race known as Reapers. On Mars, Shepard discovers that an ancient alien weapon can destroy them, but additional support from allies is needed to take full effect.
6Doom
As players dive into the endless killing of demons and monsters inDoom,it’s easy to forget that the first-person shooter is set on Mars and its moons, as well as Hell. In the originalDoom, gamers play as the Doom Slayer, a space marine stationed on Mars to slay demons unleashed from portals to Hell.
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InDoom 3, the action takes place on the red planet for the first time — primarily in the Union Aerospace Corporation (UAC) Mars Research Base and Mars City. The lore ofDoomon Mars is explored much more heavily inDoom (2016)andDoom Eternal, whereDoom’s reboots switch from Hell to Mars and backafter the UAC inadvertently opens portals to the underworld to siphon its energy to use back on Earth.
5Destiny
Set several hundred years in the future,Destinysees players explore the Solar System in an online-only multiplayer as they attempt to save humanity from dark alien forces. Among these enemies inDestinyis the Cabal, a race of bulky aliens occupying Mars with militarist might and wielding enough power to take the entire Solar System at ease.
As well as being an enemy to the player, the Cabal is also at war with another alien race known as the Vex. These sentient androids aim to take over Mars, having already seized control of Mercury, adding an extra foe into the mix while stationed on the red planet.
4Surviving Mars
A spin on the city planning genre,Surviving Marschallenges gamers to start a colony from scratch on the red planet. However, instead of just providing colonists with the basic necessities of water and power,Surviving Marshas the added drama of ensuring there is a constant flow of oxygen and continued access to resources either mined from Mars or delivered periodically from Earth.
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While a lot can go wrong withcity-building gameslikeSim CityandCity Skylines, a lot more can go awry on Mars if players ignore where their resources are going andif they have any funding left to spend.
3Call Of Duty: Infinite Warfare
While some fans weren’t keen on the interplanetary combat thatCall of Duty: Infinite Warfarehad to offer, it certainly refreshed the franchise. As a standalone game,Infinite Warfare’sstory sees a team from the United Nations Space Alliance (UNSA) assigned to take control of an interplanetary weapon being developed by the Settlement Defense Front (SDF) – a government made up of other colonies from across the Solar System that plan on taking it over.
As the story progresses, the UNSA team ends up stranded on the surface of Mars, where they are faced with a faction of the SDF and have to make painful decisions to stop an all-out war. Outside the single-player campaign, gamers can explore what Mars and other planets in the Solar System offer inInfinite Warfare’s multiplayer.
2Far Cry 5: Lost On Mars
Far Cry 5was one of the most ambitious of the series in terms of scope, with one of the franchise’s most extensive mapsto explore that featured breathtaking locations. Like other games in the series, Ubisoft allowedFar Cry 5players to explore more stories in the form of DLC, includingLost on Mars.
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This standalone story follows Nick Rye, a pilot teleported to Mars to save Earth from an alien invasion. He’s given the task by fan-favorite Hurk Drubman, who is now a disembodied head after being torn apart by the Arachnids that inhabit Mars. A welcome break from the dark narrative ofFar Cry 5,Lost on Marsis an unforgettable (albeit brief) adventure.
1Red Faction
The firstRed Factiongame takes place in 2075 and sees players take on the role of Parker, a miner on Mars who leads a revolution against the tyrannical Ultor Corporation. TheRed Factionfranchise spawned three mainline games across multiple platforms, with the latest beingRed Faction: Armageddonin 2011.
Red Faction: Armageddontakes place 100 years after the first. Mars has become inhabitable by this point, so the remaining colonists are forced underground. The story follows Darius Mason, who inadvertently opens a temple that releases a rush of monsters onto the surface of Mars, causing the titular Armageddon to take place. It’s then down to Darius to save the colonists from these previously dormant Martians.
