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Sci-fi RPG Mars coming to PS3 and PC, sounds promising photo

A brand new game has been announced for the PlayStation 3 and PC, known simply as Mars. The premise is that people have created a breathable atmosphere on the Red Planet, and the plot is set some 200 years after its colonization.

By the time Mars begins, the planet has had breathable air for 70 years, but has begun to change its orbit, getting closer to the Sun and its radiation. This radiation has led to mutation in some people, and caused a schism between two separate races: "In the destroyed world of Mars, two destinies mingle together. Two beings searching for their identity travel across a broken planet, constantly facing bloody political conflicts which tear the old colonies apart. Often divided, sometimes fighting the same enemies, both are the source of the advent of a new era … "

Not quite as good as Total Recall, which told us that Mars could become home to women with three tits, but it's a good start. 

What sounds like traditional RPG character development is being merged with "rhythmic fights" and classic beat 'em up action in a fresh and original environment. Sounds incredibly promising, and the idea is pretty original and fresh. Developer Spiders Games has posted a load of screenshots and concept art which is viewable in our gallery. The graphics look a little basic, but I imagine this is very early stuff. Hopefully there are more outdoor Mars-like environments too, not just the traditionally gray and dismal interior shots shown thus far.

We'll keep an eye on the game, and will let you know when more information surfaces. Hopefully it turns out to be a good 'un.

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40 comments | showing # 1 to 40
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Takeshi's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 14:45
Takeshi
Sound good to me because I really like the setting. I am a bit picky concerning RPG's though. I can't wait for some actual gameplay.
Procne's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 14:49
Procne
It would be nice to note that the games website states that it will have "4 Player Multiplayer, in an arena mode."

I also hope they get Co-op in, with the two playable characters, it feels like it should have it :)
ArrestedDeveloper's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 14:51
ArrestedDeveloper
Wait a minute, the earth is closer to the sun than mars so wouldn't that mean that we'd all be mutated already?
Black Nexus's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 14:52
Black Nexus
Sounds good,mars and radiation equal a lot of creative freedom.
PappaDukes's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 14:55
PappaDukes
Sweet, any kind of RPG coming to the PS3 is awesome news.

Two thumbs up!
John Johnson's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 14:56
John Johnson
Wait, it's coming to PS3 and PC but not XBox? I was under the impression that PC and XBox games were fairly close together in terms of development, so that if you developed for one, you might as well develop for the other. Are we seeing XBox hardware and disc limitations already?
Togail's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 14:56
Togail
Bullshit Plot alert. How could radiation from the Sun affect Mars that badly when Earth is 65 million miles CLOSER to the Sun than Mars will ever be? I would be more worried about crashing into Earth because of the deteriorating orbit instead of radiation. This already sort of stinks.
zanthox's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 14:58
zanthox
Sweet, I'll have to keep my eye on this one...
mix's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 14:59
mix
I'm with PappaDukes on this one!
Corican's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:00
Corican
Yeah, the setting on Mars makes it one-to-keep-an-eye-on for me.
I too only enjoy certain RPGs. So who knows?
Chronic Logic's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:00
Chronic Logic
I'm getting sick of brown colored games. I hope this game isn't a first person or third person shooter with rpg elements, too many games like that released already. How about a turn based mechanics instead?
woodPecker's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:01
woodPecker
@ArrestedDeveloper
You have to take into account the different atmospheres. Even if they created a breathable atmosphere on Mars it still might not protect from UV's as well as Earth's.

But enough of that. This sounds promising, but you're right Jim, the in game pics don't do anything for me. Hope it is just that they are so early in production. The art reminds me of Fallout in a way.
blu3steel's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:01
blu3steel
Mars magnetic field is much weaker than the earth's. Mars also doesn't have a global magnetic field. Technically Mars wouldn't have to get closer to the sun for people to start being affected by radiation. SCIENCE!
John Johnson's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:02
John Johnson
@ Togail

Bullshit plot? In a video game? This is indeed a sad day for the video game community, and may mark the end of the days when video games made perfect logical sense. All the WALKING MUSHROOM MEN and FLYING TURTLES are probably rolling in their graves.
blu3steel's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:03
blu3steel
@blu3steel: it should be "Mars'"

How dare you forget an apostrophe.
Neverdizzle's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:05
Neverdizzle
@ Togail, perhaps the ozone or ionosphere of the terraformed mars in this game isn't quite beefed up as much as Earths? I don't think its that hard of a sell.
Togail's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:07
Togail
John Johnson: I'd certainly hope so! If a game has a premise and is dead-set on being this serious sort of story, I'd hope that there would be some sort of logical reason behind the events. Saying 'radiation did it!' is a cop out I'm not impressed with. Give me something that both makes sense AND is original. Is that too much to ask for?
blu3steel's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:09
blu3steel
Also, making breathable air on Mars would require a stronger magnetic field, but not necessarily as strong as the Earth's. Therefore if Mars has a strong enough magnetic field to hold some atmosphere, but not as strong as the Earth's, then a deteriorating orbit would cause stronger effects from solar winds and charged particles coming off of the Sun.

YEAH!
Demtor's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:10
Demtor
Cool, toss some blood and exp around and I'm game.
worldeater's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:12
worldeater
Who cares about the technical details and trivial things like scientific fact... yeah. I like the setting. I do hope this is an rpg first, and shooter second. But those screenshots of the the game are not exactly impressive. I remain optimistic...
Togail's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:15
Togail
Worldeater: I get rather uppity about science fiction, I like seeing it done right. Here's hoping it's good.
Jim Sterling's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:16
Jim Sterling
I love the conversation.
pascuz46's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:26
pascuz46
I am also perplexed by the fact that it is comming out for the ps3 and PC and apparently not the 360. Jim are you sure you didn't make a typo? Kidding. UT3 came out for ps3 first and the 360 came later but with some more stuff, maybe that's what will happen with this. Anyways the game looks interesting, I look forward to seeing more.
blu3steel's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:27
blu3steel
Of course making a global magnetic field on mars would require figuring out what's in the core and if it isn't some sort of metal, iron/nickel perhaps, then we'd have to fill it up and heat it up consistently. Or we could fill the whole center of Mars with giant electromagnets, but then we'd run into the problem of powering them. But it's the future so anything goes.
John Johnson's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:32
John Johnson
I mean, I'd just be in shock if they didn't manage to fiction up some reason or another why things are the way they are. Maybe Earth is just completely screwed too.

What I'm saying is sometimes you have to suspend your disbelief substantially for the sake of game playability. Take Fallout 3. We have solid evidence (Chernobyl) that radiation doesn't produce huge mutant creatures, it just kills off creatures with genetic mutations because they're undesirable for mating or unprepared to live in their natural environment. Sooo.... that doesn't make any fucking sense at all. But I'd rather shoot giant scorpions than deer.
IronPikeman's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:35
IronPikeman
Why the fuck is his Egyptian sword soooo fucking long?
Also: The Earth sucks so gawd was all like "Eat shit bastards" and blew it up so that they could make a game on mars. Wikipedia told me so...
Monodi's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:42
Monodi
Vincent from FFVII confirmed
AgentMOO's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:43
AgentMOO
Are there tornadoes on mars?
Shin Ra's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 15:50
Shin Ra
yeah i ll get the game if he puts a shirt on.... though that red-cape does sort of make him look like part of W40k Mechanicum which is awesome cause ive always wanted to play an adept. Praises to the Omnissiah!
Ballistic's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 16:01
Ballistic
@Togail,
I think Mars doesn't have a magnetic radiation barrier around it, unlike our own Earth. Mars' iron core is long since solidified, so it shouldn't be capable of producing anything to protect against radiation.

I think this sounds like just the kind of story I'm interested, cause I love the martian chronicles and other classic science fiction, but "rhythmic fights" does not sound good to me. We'll see though.
Maurice Tan's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 16:06
Maurice Tan
Well, plot or no plot, it could be fun as long as it's not total shite!

How's that for logic.
hitnrun's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 16:46
hitnrun
@pascuz46: yeah, I agree that's sort of weird. Usually the 360 gets the console exclusives because of either the fat sacks of MS cash or the devs being lazy and the 360 having the larger base and more widely accessible architecture.

As for the plot, come on. Almost all scifi game plots - all scifi in general - is bullshit. A decaying orbit causing mutation from increased radiation would put this game above 85% of Star Trek episodes. In fact, if you take the comic-book view of radiation effects, what happens to Mars is not only possible but downright mathematically predictable, given Mars' lighter atmosphere. Of course, the life would have to come from somewhere first, presumably Earth.
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 17:25
Holyetheline
I hope the footage looks as good as it sounds!
Wexx's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 18:02
Wexx
Seems interesting. Can't wait for more details.
Gyrael's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2009 20:25
Gyrael
Wow this actually looks really awesome. Will we be seeing this anytime soon?
loki d20's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/11/2009 09:34
loki d20
PC but not 360? Weird, but whatever.

Game looks interesting. Right off the top of my head the only thing I have a problem with is that it's probably going to be a fairly sparse setting with only main hubs of population, and even then fairly limited. I wish someone did an RPG that really had a thriving population of people and places rather than a few hubs with a few people in them.

Would be sweet if we could played a character from either side (radiated and non-radiated). Would be even sweeter if the combat was similar to that of God Hand (just not as complex...).
Riegel88's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/11/2009 22:39
Riegel88
I don't care of all this science crap about us being closer and it not.
As long as its fun I'm happy.
And finally! A (hopefully) good/fun action-rpg on the PS3
suncrashesdown's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/12/2009 02:07
suncrashesdown
GIVE DA PEOPLE DER AIR COHAAGEN!

Sounds cool to me.
Sexualchocolate's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/12/2009 10:37
Sexualchocolate
I'm thinking this game will be too big for a DVD and the dev didn't want to pay M$ their "multi-disc-bastard-tax".

Time's a changing.
B-Radicate's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/15/2009 16:07
B-Radicate
Any quality original IPs available for the PS3 are good in my book. Sounds kinda neat. I'll hafta keep an eye on it.
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