Sol 0: Mars Colonization (2016)

Developer: Chondrite Games
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Genres: Indie, Simulation, Strategy
Rating: 3.5 of 5, 409 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 13 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A slow-burn strategy game of building a Martian colony from scratch, balancing resource logistics with the quiet tension of surviving a hostile frontier.

strategicmethodicalgroundedresource-managementexpansivetension-buildingchallengingsci-fi

What players say

Players say the game was abandoned after 2017, with no updates or support. It has a fun core but is plagued by random disasters that can destroy hours of progress, clunky controls, and micromanagement that feels needless. Many compare it unfavorably to Planetbase or Surviving Mars, though some enjoy it at the current low price.

Screenshots

More games like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.