Explore the Solar System's edges in management sim Mars Horizon 2: The Search For Life
The space sequel is coming sometime in 2024
2020’s Mars Horizon was a space flight management game where you were in charge of constructing bases, building rockets, and leading missions into the black abyss. Nate (RPS in peace) liked it quite a bit for its “masterfully crafted strategic dilemmas,” despite his findom relationship with the game. Now Mars Horizon is getting an expanded sequel, taking us to the outer reaches of the Solar System. Mars Horizon 2: The Search For Life is releasing sometime in 2024 on PC.
Mars Horizon 2 puts players in charge of a space agency that desperately races toward discoveries with the angst of a Cold War scientist. But, instead of sprinting toward the moon, your agency is now racing to discover the first signs of alien life. Your interplanetary missions will have you investigate other planets, collect anomalies, and discover biosignatures for extraterrestrials.
While deep space travel is all well and fun, you’ll still need to do some managing in this management game, who woulda thought? Everything is in your hands, from building the rockets to the tough choices that can impact the rest of your adventure. My favourite thing in management games is to oversee a group of staff, mainly because the parasocial dynamics are a good laugh. That’s still intact in Mars Horizon 2 as you’ll be hiring, firing, and training a team of experts. Although, come to think of it, how do you fire an employee working in space?
We might just get an answer to that question as developer Auroch Digital are working with real-life space experts for authenticity. Studio director Tomas Rawlings says the team’s goal is to “accurately portray the pioneering science used to seek life within the Solar System." He elaborates by saying, “every facet of every feature in the game is underpinned by meticulous research.”
We’ll need to orbit around the sun a few more times before we get our hands on Mars Horizon 2: The Search For Life, but you can wishlist the game on Steam while waiting. The original Mars Horizon is also available for £15/$20/€20.