Surviving Mars Thumbnail

Surviving Mars similar games & best alternatives

Surviving Mars

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Linux • 2018

Related articles

Quick resume

There will be challenges to overcome. Execute your strategy and improve your colony’s chances of survival while unlocking the mysteries of this alien world. Are you ready? Mars is waiting for you.

Global score

84/100

Genres

Simulator, Strategy

Similar games

    Pros

    • Challenging and deep resource management
    • Immersive sci-fi setting
    • Randomized tech trees for replayability
    • Detailed colony and drone management
    • Beautiful graphics and soundtrack

    Cons

    • Steep learning curve and poor tutorial
    • Micromanagement can be tedious
    • Late game can become repetitive
    • Some ai and ui issues
    • Dlc content fragmented and costly

    Analysis

    Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Leadership, Survival, Violence, Strategy. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Violence, Value, Fellowship.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      4

      "Players have significant control over colony building, resource management, and strategic planning, requiring foresight and decision-making."

    • Competence
      4

      "The game challenges players with complex resource logistics, micromanagement, and strategic problem solving, rewarding skillful play."

    • Competition
      -3

      "Focus is on individual colony management and survival rather than competing against other players; some DLC adds AI rivals but not strongly competitive."

    • Continuation
      3

      "Many players report long play sessions and replayability due to randomized tech trees and challenges, though some find late game repetitive."

    • Cooperation
      -4

      "Single-player experience focused on individual management; no multiplayer or cooperative gameplay."

    • Creativity
      3

      "Players design colony layouts, manage dome configurations, and choose tech paths, allowing creative problem solving and customization."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No evidence of exerting control over others; interactions are with environment and AI, not other players."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Immersive sci-fi setting and survival challenge provide a strong escape from real life."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily for intrinsic interest and challenge; no indication of obligation or external pressure."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Randomized tech trees and multiple strategies encourage experimentation and adapting to new conditions."

    • Exploration
      3

      "Exploration of Mars surface, anomalies, and resource locations is a key gameplay element."

    • Expression
      2

      "Some customization in colony design and dome layouts allows personal expression, though cosmetic options are limited."

    • Fantasy
      3

      "Futuristic sci-fi setting with speculative technologies and colonization scenarios, blending realism with imaginative fiction."

    • Fellowship
      -5

      "No social or community features; strictly single-player experience."

    • Growth
      4

      "Players learn complex mechanics, improve management skills, and develop strategies over time."

    • Health
      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related features."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires active management and attention; not suited for passive or background play."

    • Intimacy
      -5

      "No social or emotional relationship building; colonists have traits but no interpersonal player interactions."

    • Leadership
      4

      "Player acts as colony leader, managing resources, people, and strategic decisions."

    • Progression
      4

      "Progression through research, technology unlocks, colony expansion, and resource accumulation."

    • Relaxation
      1

      "Some find the game relaxing and immersive, others find it tense due to survival challenges."

    • Sensation
      2

      "Enjoyable visuals, soundtracks, and atmospheric effects provide moderate sensory stimulation."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social recognition or status systems; focus is on personal colony success."

    • Story
      1

      "Minimal narrative; some missions and mysteries add light story elements but not a strong focus."

    • Strategy
      5

      "Heavy emphasis on strategic planning, resource management, and problem solving."

    • Thrill
      2

      "Some suspense from disasters and survival threats, but overall controlled environment."

    • Value
      0

      "Mixed opinions on value; base game considered good value especially on sale, but DLC pricing criticized."

    • Violence
      -5

      "No combat or destruction focus; gameplay centers on building and maintaining colony."

    • Survival
      5

      "Core gameplay revolves around survival challenges, resource scarcity, and avoiding colony failure."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026