Surviving Mars: Relaunched

Released

Release Date: November 10, 2025

Strategy, Science Fiction, Economic, Sandbox, Colonization, Remaster/remake, City Builder, Singleplayer

A refreshed and enriched version of the science fiction city builder from 2018, focused on building a colony on Mars. Surviving Mars: Relaunched includes the base game and all of the DLC's, including a brand new Martian Assembly expansion. This version also features smaller improvements, including better graphics.

4.7

Steam

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Ratings

 Videos: 2 

Images: 9 

Biggest new features
Gameplay

In 2018, Haemimont Games studio, known at the time mainly for its role in the development of the Tropico series, released its science fiction city builder titled Surviving Mars. The game was released by Paradox Interactive and eventually received a series of expansions introducing new content. The Surviving Mars: Relaunched described here is its refreshed version, enriched with additional elements and improvements.

Biggest new features

Surviving Mars: Relaunched includes not only the basic version of the game, but also the content of all the add-ons released for it, led by the reworked Below and Beyond and Martian Express. A new expansion - Martian Assembly - was also prepared for the purpose of this edition, and the graphics were refreshed along with some interface improvements.

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Gameplay

In Surviving Mars: Relaunched we watch the events from a bird's eye view.

Constructing a colony

During the game our task is to build a thriving Mars colony from scratch. The entire process is divided into phases and initially involves the need to choose a mission sponsor and a location for the Martian settlement. Next, we need to prepare the ground for its construction, sending remotely controlled rovers and robots to the site. Only after all this is finished we start the first manned mission.

Taking care of the colonists

We must take care of the astronauts colonizing Mars and this takes place on many levels. The crucial role is to satisfy their basic needs and ensure they have access to oxygen, food, and water. This requires the creation of efficiently functioning life support systems. Since they are exposed to external factors (such as sandstorms), regular maintenance and repairs are also necessary.

This is not the end, as the colonists are differentiated in terms of personality and psychophysical condition, reflected by four indicators (physical and mental health, morale, and comfort), which should be maintained at the highest possible level. By taking care of the needs of the colony residents, we make them work more efficiently and settle better in the new environment, and they can even start families and have children (or at least take care of pets, thanks to the Project Laika DLC content).

Developing the colony

The Martian Assembly expansion allows us to influence the lives of colonists also through certain laws. When preparing them, we must navigate between satisfying the desires and needs of citizens, and keeping the colony in one piece. Additionally, the Space Race expansion forces us to compete for resources with other colonies (thanks to the Below & Beyond add-on, we can also search for resources beneath the planet's surface). When our settlement expands, it becomes necessary to use trains, which the Martian Express DLC brings, significantly improving the transport of people and resources.

The culmination of all this are unexpected events, which do not leave the functioning of the Martian colony unaffected. For example, the outbreak of a global conflict on Earth cuts us off from the possibility of calling for reinforcements, while the appearance of strange black cubes of unknown origin requires the initiation of a research mission. However, if we manage to survive all the turmoil and create a thriving colony, the culmination of our efforts will be the terraforming of Mars, introduced in the Green Planet expansion.

Platforms:

PC Windows

PlayStation 5

Xbox Series X/S

Developer: Haemimont Games

Publisher: Paradox Interactive

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Game Series

5GAMES

Surviving Game Series

Features

System Requirements

System Requirements for Surviving Mars: Relaunched Video Game:

PC / Windows

Minimum System Requirements:
Intel Core i5-2500K / AMD Ryzen 3 1300X, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 4 GB GeForce GTX 970 / Radeon RX 470, 10 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit.

Recommended System Requirements:
Intel Core i7-4790K / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 6 GB GeForce GTX 1060 / 8 GB Radeon RX Vega 56, 10 GB HDD, Windows 10/11 64-bit.

Ratings

Game Ratings for Surviving Mars: Relaunched Video Game.

47%

STEAM Score

All Reviews: Mixed (1,474)

STEAM

User Reviews Summary generated by AI

The main pros of the game

Visual Improvements: Many users noted that the graphics have received a facelift, with a more polished look and better color schemes.
New Political System: The addition of a political system was generally well-received, adding depth and replayability to the game. It introduces new mechanics for managing colonists and their needs.
Quality of Life Enhancements: Improvements in the UI and overall gameplay experience were appreciated, making certain tasks easier and more intuitive.
Incorporation of Previous DLCs: The relaunch includes all previous DLCs, which is seen as a good value for new players.
Solid Foundation: For those who are new to the game, it is still considered a great city-building and survival experience.

The main cons of the game

Performance Issues: Despite claims of improved performance, many users experienced worse frame rates and performance drops compared to the original.
Persistent Bugs: Numerous bugs from the original game remain, and new ones have been introduced, making the game feel unfinished. Issues with asteroid mining, citizen AI, and the train system were frequently mentioned.
Underwhelming Content for Returning Players: For players who already owned the original game and its DLCs, the relaunch felt like a cash grab, offering little new content and not enough fixes to justify the price.
High Price Point: Many reviews criticized the price of $40 (or $20 for existing owners) as being too high for what is essentially a remaster with limited improvements.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

Lack of Comprehensive Bug Fixes: Users expected a thorough fixing of known bugs from the original game, particularly those affecting gameplay mechanics, which were not addressed adequately.
Mod Support: The removal of mod support for achievements was a disappointment, as many players relied on mods to enhance their gameplay experience.
Improved Game Speed Options: Players noted that the game speed remains slow, and they wished for built-in options to adjust speed rather than relying on mods.
More Meaningful Content: Some users felt that the new political mechanics lacked depth and that the game could have benefited from more substantial new content rather than just a rework of existing systems.

Summary

Overall, while "Surviving Mars: Relaunched" has its strengths, particularly for newcomers, many longtime fans expressed disappointment over the lack of significant improvements and the persistence of bugs, leading to a mixed reception.

Summary generated on: December 8, 2025

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