Deliver Us Mars PS5 Review

Deliver Us Mars PS5 Review – Delivering a sequel

Abandon Earth or save it? That’s the million dollar question asked in Deliver Us Mars when resources on earth have dwindled to such an extent that an energy crisis has forced humans to seek help beyond the blue planet. Isaac Johanson, the catalyst for this games adventure, has his own solutions and decides to explore these options elsewhere, most notably Mars, in which he subsequently goes silent. When she is a lot older, protagonist, Kathy Johanson, Isaac’s youngest (and clearly his favourite) daughter, hears a distress message from her father and when a mission to Mars is arranged, she goes along for the ride, with her main goal being to find him. Her goals are at odds with her other crewmates, which include couple Sarah and Ryan, and her estranged older sister, Claire, which causes tension between the group.

Deliver Us Mars focuses on a narrative-driven approach, which, while engaging, may feel less atmospheric and lonely compared to its predecessor, Deliver Us the Moon. The flashbacks, platforming sections, and solo missions contribute to the story but don’t help to fully replicate the lonely atmosphere that fans of the previous game might expect. Kathy’s backstory is revealed through flashbacks, which also serve as tutorials for the climbing and swimming mechanics used throughout the game. In addition to these, there are platforming sections and puzzles where Kathy must connect lasers to specific points to unlock doors or activate power.

The puzzles in the game, which are basically fancier versions of classic light-reflecting challenges, come across as a bit contrived and repetitive. As well as connecting lasers, you’ll also use splitters and reducers to manage the amount of power required to activate certain points. The first puzzle I encountered left me confused for a while. A splitter was stuck behind a half-open door with two entrances for Kathy’s floating robot companion, AYLA. I initially thought I needed to fully open the door to access the splitter, as it seemed too tall to fit through the narrow gap beneath the door. I then discovered a side entrance for AYLA, which suggested it could slip through, grab the splitter, and bring it out to you through said door. Again though, the splitter appeared too tall to fit through the gap. However, it turns out AYLA can simply slide under the door, retrieve the splitter, and bring it back under the door, which left me feeling exasperated. What was the purpose of having two entrances for your robot? And why was there not a simple way to open the door fully, which would have allowed the splitter to be brought through by Kathy? It made no sense. There are a couple of puzzles like this that don’t seem to follow any logical consistency, and I ended up needing a walkthrough to solve them. AYLA isn’t used very effectively in these sections, and it feels like these puzzles were hastily redesigned with AYLA in mind.

“A strong point of Deliver Us Mars is the voice acting, particularly that of Isaac Johanson.”

The game uses various mechanics and although these elements work well individually, they come together in a way that feels unbalanced overall and some stream-lining could have been used. There are moments where Kathy will survey a scene to determine the best approach; there’s a mix of puzzles, climbing, and platforming; there’s driving sections with a Rover and flashbacks that both tell the story and serve as tutorials. There are also stretches where you’ll be following steps to launch rocket ships, working alongside your companions to ensure a successful launch. Additionally, your robot companion, AYLA, is primarily used for unlocking doors or reconstructing past events, which are displayed as holograms. AYLA must unscramble these holograms with its own puzzles before they can be viewed.

As mentioned, there was potential to make better use of AYLA, particularly for puzzles involving Kathy, but this opportunity feels underutilised. It’s a case of too many ingredients spoiling the broth – some ideas needed abandoning and others needed expanding on. Furthermore, despite attempts to give AYLA some personality through Kathy’s occasional chats with it, AYLA never truly evolves beyond being a mere tool, unlike companions in some other games.

A strong point of the game is the voice acting, particularly that of Isaac Johanson (Neil Newbon). He is a man with the weight of the literal world on his shoulders, and you can sense the immense pressure he’s under through the way his voice and mannerisms are portrayed. The stress he feels in trying to create a better future for his youngest daughter is palpable, as he puts on a brave face despite knowing that things are going wrong. At the same time, he’s juggling a strained relationship with his eldest daughter, Claire, as well as his colleagues. Isaac is a nuanced character, facing tough decisions that make him both sympathetic and flawed. His deep attachment to Kathy drives most of his actions, but this favouritism also leads him to neglect his older daughter, Claire, revealing the complexity of his character. Furthermore, the internal conflict he faces when abandoning his goals, especially after working years to achieve them, adds to his flawed character, revealing the depth of his struggles under pressure.

Deliver Us Mars PS5 Review Summary:

Deliver Us Mars presents an engaging, narrative-driven experience that explores the emotional complexities of its characters, particularly Kathy and her father Isaac Johanson. While the game succeeds in storytelling and offers a variety of mechanics like puzzles, platforming, and rover-driving sections, it sometimes suffers from an imbalance in execution. The puzzles, in particular, can feel repetitive and contrived, and the underutilization of AYLA, the robot companion, detracts from the gameplay. However, the strong voice acting, especially Isaac’s, adds a layer of depth to the narrative, portraying the emotional strain of a father burdened with the responsibility of humanity’s survival, alongside personal family conflicts. The game’s attempt to blend various gameplay elements could have benefited from a more focused approach, but it remains a worthy successor with its own merits.