Surviving Mars: Below and Beyond is a strategy and simulation game focused on colony management on the red planet. Players oversee the growth of a settlement while expanding operations into new environments both beneath the surface and out into space.
Gameplay
The core loop centers on resource management, infrastructure development, and long-term planning in a harsh Martian setting. Colonists require oxygen, water, food, and power, while buildings demand steady supplies of metals and concrete. The addition of underground exploration introduces new building options tailored to caves and lava tubes, allowing bases to form in sheltered locations that protect against surface hazards. Special underground structures complement standard ones, though the risk of cave-ins requires careful placement and monitoring to avoid widespread damage.
Asteroid mining extends operations beyond Mars itself. Players construct rocket-propelled facilities to extract exotic minerals and data samples from passing asteroids. These outposts operate on a temporary basis, as the celestial bodies continue their trajectory and eventually move out of reach. Research plays a central role, with dedicated trees that progressively unlock new buildings, vehicles, upgrades, and access to additional sites for expansion.
Game Modes
The experience unfolds through a single-player campaign structure built around repeated colony starts on randomized maps. Different sponsor choices and unpredictable events shape each run, encouraging adaptation in how resources are gathered and risks are balanced. The recon and expansion research paths further differentiate playthroughs by opening distinct routes for underground tunneling or asteroid operations, allowing players to emphasize exploration or resource extraction depending on priorities.
Key Mechanics and Systems
Underground colonization integrates with surface operations through shared logistics and specialized construction. Players must weigh the benefits of protected environments against the structural vulnerabilities unique to subsurface sites. Asteroid visits demand efficient setup and extraction before departure windows close, adding time-sensitive decision making to the management layer. The research system branches in ways that reward focused investment in either reconnaissance or territorial growth, directly affecting available tools and locations.
Is It Worth Playing?
This expansion suits players who enjoy detailed colony simulation with layered expansion options. The reworked integration in the relaunched edition of the base game addresses earlier technical concerns, making the underground and asteroid features more reliable for long sessions. Those drawn to strategic depth in resource chains, risk assessment, and progressive unlocks will find consistent engagement across multiple attempts. Availability on PC supports the simulation focus without additional hardware demands beyond standard requirements for the title.
