Everything we know about Deliver Us Mars

There was a time when mankind could only dream of what lied beyond the stars. Now, decades past the triumphs and waning of the Space Race, we continue to wonder about how life would be like outside Earth. This applies to video games as well, which provide a perfect vessel for exploring the reaches of space beyond our current grasp. Enter Deliver Us Mars, which takes us to the fourth planet of the Solar System.

The sequel to the acclaimed story-driven sci-fi adventure Deliver Us the Moon, the game is the latest endeavor from developer KeokeN Interactive and publisher Frontier Foundry. Set 10 years after the events of the first game, Deliver Us Mars takes its spacefaring survival adventure to the red planet. With a new protagonist and a whole other world to explore, the game promises more mind-bending puzzles and sci-fi exploration.

Originally set to launch this September, KeokeN later announced that the game would be delayed to February 2, 2023. So while we wait to head back into space, here’s everything we know about Deliver Us Mars so far!

Back to the stars in Deliver Us Mars

Deliver Us Mars was announced in March 2022 as the follow-up to Deliver Us the Moon. Set 10 years after the events of the first game, the sequel centers around a brand new character and, as the title suggests, a trip to the red planet. Originally slated for September 2022, it was later pushed back to February 2023 to add more polish.

You play as Kathy Johanson, daughter of Isaac from Moon who has crash landed on Mars. She’s there as part of Mission Opera, an initiative to recover the ARKs — technology that could revive Earth, which is near-dead from lack of resources in this universe. On the surface of Mars, you encounter a friendly ASE drone who assists you in uncovering what’s happened on the planet, as well as finding a way home.

Just as with Moon, the game balances both a story of saving humanity and a personal story for our protagonist. Kathy is on Mars for personal reasons as well as trying to fulfill her overall mission. With humanity’s survival in her hands, it’s certainly a stressful mission. Yet if her long-lost father’s fate is truly tied to the red planet, then she’ll risk anything to be there.

KeokeN aimed to go beyond the scope of the original game by choosing a brand new setting for this adventure. While the story of Moon definitively ended, Mars expands on details and characters that were only briefly mentioned. It’s less the next chapter in the Deliver Us franchise than it is another journey entirely. Of course, how the two stories will interact (if at all) is something we don’t know quite yet.

To boldly go…

When humanity has already explored the moon in the Deliver Us universe, it makes sense that Mars would be the next logical step. Its relative closeness to Earth and high chance of life sustainability has made it a prime candidate in the real world for humanity’s next home.

For the team at KeokeN Interactive, it also represents a chance to go far beyond what was imagined possible. The environment on Mars is harsh and uncompromising, and that means that navigating it will be a challenge for the player. The game strongly emphasizes the new traversal, with Kathy’s trusty climbing axes helping her ascend to new heights.

The landscape of Mars is varied, as you’ll explore vast canyons, icy traverses, and abandoned space stations. It’s also a mental hellscape, with the developers teasing brain-busting puzzles that will require the player to notice small details and think logically. The game’s physics-based puzzles require you to interact with specific objects to open doors or clear obstacles.

All of this comes through an immersive, realistic sci-fi simulation. Deliver Us the Moon received praise for its accurate and in-depth portrayal of space travel, from how the builds of its bases to how astronauts move in space and on the moon. Mars continues that trend, as KeokeN has worked with space administrations around the globe to help ensure the simulation is as real as possible.

And Moon fans, rejoice: there’s another in-depth launch sequence planned, and the developers believe it’s even grander this time.

Is there life on Mars?

Despite its harsh environment, you never quite feel alone on Mars in the game. That’s due to both the friendly ASE companion by your side and the actors playing the astronauts. With actors like Ellise Chappell (Poldark, Young Wallander) and Neil Newbon (Resident Evil Village, Detroit: Become Human) at the helm and an emotional story to tell, Deliver Us Mars should be nothing if not investing.

KeokeN approached its story in similar ways to a film, evident in both its narrative progression and its cutscene construction. The animators and voice actors approached the motion-capture with a filmlike approach in mind. The developers captured the camera movements for every cutscene by hand, for example, giving each scene a less artificial look.

The end result is shaping up to be a game that is cinematic in its tone and scale. With music designed to swell up and down, the story and gameplay will feel appropriately epic and enthralling.

When and where can you play Deliver Us Mars?

Deliver Us Mars is developed by KeokeN Interactive and published by Frontier Foundry. It releases for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The game costs $29.99 USD and will launch on February 2, 2023.

Pre-orders are available now via the PlayStation Store, the Microsoft Store, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.