Take On Mars

Take On Mars is a PC sandbox simulation that combines scientific exploration, vehicle operation, survival, and Martian base construction. Bohemia Interactive's current Steam and publisher pages still use the original Take On Mars name; no verified rebrand, definitive replacement edition, free-to-play transition, or separate current storefront title has been identified.

From robotic exploration to human survival

The game begins with a science-driven space program. You command probes, landers, and rovers across Martian terrain, using scientific instruments to investigate locations, gather data, complete objectives, and unlock new technologies. This robotics layer feels closer to a planetary research simulator than a conventional adventure game.

Vehicle operation is built around practical decisions. Equipment selection affects what a mission can accomplish, while damaged components can change how a rover handles. Cameras, robotic arms, wheels, and structural parts are individually simulated, so exploration is not simply a matter of driving toward a waypoint.

The second major part of the campaign follows astronaut Mark Willis after a failed manned mission. The focus shifts to first-person survival, emergency repair work, resource management, habitat construction, and the search for a way to remain alive on an unforgiving planet.

Players move between exploration, research, construction, and maintenance rather than following a single combat loop. Oxygen, power, food production, tools, machines, and shelter all become important as the human mission develops.

Simulation systems that define Take On Mars

Take On Mars is most distinctive when it treats Mars as a collection of interacting systems. Different locations have different gravity conditions, including zero-gravity environments, and vehicle behavior changes when hardware is damaged or detached. The simulation is designed to make equipment condition part of the decision-making rather than a cosmetic detail.

Human missions also use resource extraction, material refinement, and a 3D Printer for habitat construction. Players can establish a power grid, pressurize living areas, operate machines, and use botany to grow crops. The result is a survival structure based on keeping an industrial system functioning.

Martian hazards include sandstorms, extreme weather, radiation exposure, and the general difficulty of working far from support. These threats do not turn the game into an action shooter. Instead, they create interruptions that force players to protect equipment, plan routes, and maintain life-support infrastructure.

The game also includes an in-game Mars Encyclopedia, which provides contextual information about the Red Planet. That educational layer supports the game's scientific identity without replacing its playable systems.

Campaigns, scenarios, and custom content

The bundled content is divided between the Robotics Campaign, the Manned Mission Story Campaign, individual scenarios, training missions, and sandbox survival multiplayer. The two campaign chapters are structurally different, making the game more varied than a standard first-person survival title.

The robotics campaign emphasizes research progression and mission control. You begin with more limited technology, then expand the space program by researching equipment and deploying increasingly capable vehicles. Success comes from completing scientific objectives and choosing the right tools for each expedition.

The manned campaign is more immediate. It places attention on oxygen management, damaged machinery, habitat systems, construction, exploration, and survival decisions. It is not an open-ended colony simulator in the same way as a city builder; the main experience is a sequence of authored situations connected by a survival narrative.

For players who want a broader sandbox, the game includes a 3D scenario editor, Workbench editing tools, Steam Workshop integration, and modding support. These tools can be used to create scenarios, alter terrains, add new content, and develop larger modifications. Community-made missions expand the game beyond its built-in campaigns, although their quality and scope naturally vary.

PC content model and storefront details

The current Steam listing presents Take On Mars as a single paid PC game from Bohemia Interactive, which is both the developer and publisher. The listing identifies single-player and co-op features, along with Steam Achievements, Steam Trading Cards, Steam Workshop, and Family Sharing.

No separate DLC packs, season pass, or free-to-play currency model is listed on the current product page. The main value comes from the two campaign chapters, standalone scenarios, multiplayer sandbox, training content, the editor, and user-created Workshop material.

The game is distributed through Steam on Windows PC. The current storefront language table lists English interface, English full audio, and English subtitles. No wider official localization list is currently advertised for the product page.

Steam distribution means the legitimate PC edition is tied to the Steam ecosystem for ownership and platform features. The listing does not identify a separate publisher launcher or a named anti-cheat system. It also does not prominently advertise a dedicated controller-support feature, so keyboard and mouse should be treated as the safest default for the management-heavy interface.

Who should play Take On Mars?

Take On Mars suits players who enjoy slow-burn exploration, detailed vehicle simulation, scientific objectives, and survival systems that require patience. It is a good fit for people who would rather inspect terrain, repair equipment, research technology, or stabilize a habitat than fight constant enemies.

The game is also appealing to sandbox creators. Its editor and Workbench tools give experienced players a way to build scenarios that go beyond the standard campaign structure. Players who enjoy creating missions may find more long-term value here than those looking only for a tightly directed story.

It is a weaker fit for anyone expecting fast combat, traditional role-playing progression, a conventional city builder, or a relaxed building game with few failure conditions. Take On Mars can be methodical and demanding because its systems often ask you to understand why something failed before trying again.

Related Mars and planetary survival games

Take On Mars differs from colony-management games because you directly operate vehicles and handle field equipment. Players who prefer a larger settlement-management perspective can compare it with Mars colony builders such as Surviving Mars Relaunched, where the emphasis is on domes, colonist needs, production chains, and population survival rather than first-person repair work.

For a more hands-on survival sandbox with base construction and planetary transformation, first-person terraforming survival games like The Planet Crafter provide a useful contrast. Take On Mars is more concerned with scientific missions, realistic equipment behavior, and scenario design, while The Planet Crafter centers on gathering, crafting, and changing an alien environment over time.

The key distinction is control. Take On Mars places you inside the operational chain, from remote probe work to astronaut survival, instead of presenting Mars only as a background for construction or management.

Take On Mars FAQ

Is Take On Mars still the current PC storefront name?

Yes. The current Steam listing and Bohemia Interactive's official game page both use Take On Mars. No verified renamed edition or replacement storefront title has been identified.

What type of game is Take On Mars?

It is a science-fiction sandbox simulation combining planetary exploration, vehicle operation, survival, base construction, and scenario creation. The robotics campaign emphasizes remote scientific missions, while the manned campaign focuses on first-person survival and engineering.

Does Take On Mars have multiplayer?

Yes. The game includes sandbox survival co-op with drop-in and drop-out online multiplayer. Players can work together to extract materials, construct habitats, develop power systems, grow crops, and operate vehicles and machines.

Does the game include mod support?

Yes. Take On Mars includes a 3D scenario editor, Steam Workshop support, and the Workbench editing suite. Players can create scenarios and develop more extensive terrain, add-on, and total-conversion content.

Which languages are supported on PC?

The current Steam language table lists English for the interface, full audio, and subtitles. No broader official localization list is currently shown on the product page.

Is Take On Mars a traditional colony city builder?

No. It includes habitat construction, power management, resource processing, and crop production, but its main identity is a combined robotics and manned-mission simulation. Direct vehicle operation, scientific objectives, equipment damage, and first-person survival are more central than managing a large population.