Take On Mars (2017)

**Take On Mars (2017)** "Take On Mars (2017)" by Bohemia Interactive offers players an unprecedented opportunity to delve into mankind's most ambitious undertaking: the exploration and colonization of the Red Planet. This immersive simulation bypasses the real-world constraints of astronaut training, political debates, and budget cuts, providing immediate gratification with unlimited funding, infinite lives, and instant travel between Earth and Mars. The game presents a compelling dual campaign structure, starting with a Robotics Campaign where players command various rovers, landers, and probes to collect vital scientific data across hundreds of millions of kilometers. This leads into a dramatic Manned Mission Story Campaign, casting players as astronaut Mark Willis, the sole survivor of a failed descent, challenged to engineer their way to survival and a potential return home. Beyond its engaging campaigns, Take On Mars features a robust Sandbox Survival Multiplayer mode, inviting friends to collaboratively establish a human colony on Mars. Players must work together to extract and refine raw materials, utilize 3D printers to construct habitats, develop power grids, manage botany for crop growth, and operate various vehicles to ensure their crew's survival. The game prides itself on advanced simulation, boasting vast Martian terrains based on actual satellite data from famous locations like Victoria and Gale Crater, complete with extreme weather and radiation exposure. With meticulously simulated objects, instruments, and environments – including different gravity strengths, detailed vehicle damage, and additional real-life locations like Earth’s Moon (Apollo 17 site), the International Space Station, and Mars' moon Deimos – Take On Mars offers an authentic experience further expandable through extensive content creation tools and modding support. *** **Why it belongs on the list "Best games by Bohemia Interactive"** "Take On Mars" deserves its place among Bohemia Interactive's best games by exemplifying the studio's renowned commitment to deep simulation, open-world design, and player-driven experiences, albeit in a refreshingly unique setting. While Bohemia Interactive is most famous for its military simulations like the Arma series, Take On Mars brilliantly applies their technical prowess to the realm of space exploration and survival, proving the versatility and power of their engine. The game's advanced physics, detailed environmental simulation based on real satellite data, and meticulous recreation of different celestial bodies and their unique challenges (like varied gravity and radiation) showcase the studio's unwavering dedication to authenticity and realism. Furthermore, Take On Mars aligns perfectly with Bohemia Interactive's philosophy of delivering expansive, multi-faceted gameplay. Its dual campaign structure—ranging from scientific robotic exploration to a gripping manned survival narrative—offers diverse challenges and appeals. The inclusion of a comprehensive sandbox survival multiplayer, which encourages collaborative colony building and resource management, provides immense replayability and fosters a sense of community, a common strength of BI titles. Critically, the robust modding support and content creation tools empower players to extend the game's life and create their own scenarios, firmly cementing Take On Mars as a standout title that expands Bohemia Interactive's impressive simulation legacy far beyond the battlefield.