Waking Mars

I originally played this game on IOS when it came out and so it was cool to go back and play through it on pc. The game has not been optimized for modern systems however, and you may have to tweak with resolution settings. I also had trouble trying to use a controller so just went with mouse and keyboard which was totally fine. The dialogue is a bit cheesy, but the story is enjoyable enough and I enjoyed uncovering the secrets of Mars. Other than research and exploration, the main gameplay element here is finding the right balance of lifeforms to get as much biomass as possible. It is sort of like a Metroidvania but puzzle oriented as opposed to combat. Pick it up on sale and you'll have a good few hours.

I played this a long time ago. Fantastic game. No combat, the game is about exploration and creating life.

A fun and occasionally-challenging exploration game that focuses on building life, not destroying it, with a cool storyline about alien plants and ecosystems on Mars! I purchased this game originally about 12-13 years ago and found it again on Steam. Definitely worth replaying and the auto-save means I can just stop wherever and pick up later.

One of my all time favorites, so I had to replay it on a steam deck This is not your usual plant and crop farm game, this is building an ecosystem, that lives on its own, and your decisions may change the environment dramatically.

On paper there's a lot to like about Waking Mars, but it never really felt like it was able to transfer out of "early 2010's iPad game" for me. Going from room to room doing similar tasks didn't grab me, and the stiff and unnatural protagonist kept the story ever feeling engaging. Maybe 10 years ago I would have been able to appreciate Waking Mars for what it is, but for now, it was too much of a relic for me.

Gardening on Mars :) Well done indie game, interesting story, fun mechanics and very relaxing atmosphere. Recommened!

Getting 100% was enjoyable, in this simplistic botanicaly themed puzzle platformer. approximate amount of time to 100%: 5-10h ~ Estimated achievement difficulty: 3/10 Minimum number of playthroughs needed: 1 (with 3 endings - load game and chose another). Multiplayer achievements: No Multiplayer. Missable achievements: No. Grinding Achievements: A minor bit. Having to go back to certain rooms to restock on seeds. DLC-Only achievements: No. Time-gated achievements: No. Speed-run achievements: No. RNG-achievements: No. Does difficulty affect achievements: No. Unobtainable/glitched achievements: No. First achievement unlock: Finish research on a single plant 20 minutes in~. Is there a good guide: There's not a good achievement guide but you'll find research guides and video walkthroughs on steam. Notes: * No big red flags when it comes to any of the points above. That's a plus. * You can always go back to any room you've been before. A sort of super chapter select. * This game has a really good "roll credits" to "100%" ratio. By the time you've finished the main story you're almost done with the achievements. That's a plus in my book. * The full price is not worth it but it goes on sale sometimes. Not much else to say, Above 51%, Recommended.