MARS 2120 by QUByte Interactive
While Metroidvanias are something of an indie staple lately, it’s definitely the ‘Vania half of the equation that tends to dominate. Many genre entries, while they owe a debt to both franchises, seemingly take much more inspiration from Alucard’s adventures in his father’s castle than Samus Aran’s bounty hunts across the galaxy.
MARS 2120 by Brazilian team QUByte Interactive bucks this trend by wearing the influence of Nintendo‘s sci-fi franchise firmly on its sleeve. The question is, can it stand with the greats?
Dreaming of Mars
The year is, unsurprisingly, 2120. The first human colony on Mars has gone dark, and Sgt. Anna “Thirteen” Charlotte has been dispatched to find out what’s happened. Of course, the answer is that experiments have gone terribly wrong.
MARS 2120’s premise and gameplay are immediately recognizable to anyone familiar with the genre. Storytelling is kept to a minimum, opting for environmental clues and the occasional audio log to explain what happened prior to Anna’s arrival.
You’ll explore differently-themed biomes in search of upgrades that allow you to backtrack to previous areas, and of course, there are enemies and bosses to take down. The gang’s all here.
While it won’t win any points for originality, MARS 2120 does try to shake things up via its gameplay. Unlike Metroid, combat is a hybrid of melee and shooting, with different enemies often requiring different approaches.
Similarly, rather than the usual smattering of upgrades like a double-jump or grapple, Anna gains some genuinely creative abilities spread out across different elemental charges for her suit, like an electromagnetic dome that raises objects.
It’s a game clearly made by devoted genre fans, and the passion for it definitely shines through in the design.
Highway to Mars
Unfortunately, the term that best applies to MARS 2120 is “mixed bag.” For every creative idea like the various abilities, there’s an over-reliance on mechanics that feel a bit undercooked.
The game’s combat exemplifies this, given how big of a focus it is. On the one hand, the melee combat is snappy and responsive, complete with a satisfying combo attack and fast dodges. On the other, the gunplay is decidedly janky and unsatisfying to use, making long-range battles a chore.
Coupled with enemies having tons of attacks that annoyingly send Anna flying, it can go from fun to frustrating at the drop of a hat.
Similarly, the game’s production is mixed. For every cool particle effect and hauntingly pretty music track, there are environmental effects that look genuinely awful.
By far the biggest letdown, though, is the boss battles. They all have genuinely impressive and interesting designs, but the actual fights range from “mindlessly easy and dull” to “controller-snapping frustrating.” It’s disappointing given the effort on display.
The Verdict:
That said, despite all these issues, it’s a credit to MARS 2120 that I kept playing far longer than I expected to. It’s the kind of game that I wouldn’t recommend at full price, but part of me hopes that it merits a sequel that irons out the rough parts.
MARS 2120 is available via the Nintendo Game Store, Sony PlayStation Store, Xbox Live, and Steam.
Watch the trailer for MARS 2120 below:
