Mars - Review Roundup #4

Well seems we have more reviews for Mars War Logs.

Nzgamer- 6.0/10

The annoying thing about Mars: WL is that Spiders have tried to do everything at once instead of delivering a smaller, more polished game. Everything feels half done. Environments look as though they were made at the start of the 360's life cycle, NPCs stand about in what seems like suspended animation, one of the main voices just wasn’t cast well, and the combat system is so clumsy and unresponsive that restarts and frustration are all but guaranteed. What makes all this so annoying is that the game has so much promise, and if there had been a bigger budget, or a smaller concept, it could have been something quite fantastic.

GamesReviews- 6.5/10

War Logs is very close to being a game that’s worthwhile, and a lot about it does work. The $20 price point certainly makes it more approachable, but the up-and-down storytelling, boring voice-acting and cluttered gameplay make it less appealing. It’s a good effort, though, and I’m more than interested in Spiders’ future projects.

ZTGD- 6.0/10

Mars: War Logs is one of the most confusing names for a game in recent memory. I don’t know how many times I have said it wrong. I mention this because it is a tell-tale description for the game. War Logs is a sci-fi RPG that never seems to get its feet on the ground in any area, but still retains enough good ideas to keep it afloat. This ten hour adventure is full of excellent concepts and the occasional moment of brilliance, all locked behind its mediocre exterior. It is the kind of game I wanted to love, the more I played it.

GamepPlanet- 4.5/10

It’s unfair to compare a small downloadable title with similar triple-A productions, but what can be said is that perhaps in crafting such an ambitious title, Spiders Studio simply bit off more than it could chew. While some aspects of Mars: War Logs are outstanding by any measure, it stumbles on the finer points of storytelling, character development, and overall polish. Perhaps more time or a larger budget would have made the difference here.

Mars: War Logs has big ambitions, but it feels like it was rushed out the door – perhaps due to budgetary constraints. The makings of an impressive game are here, unfortunately it just doesn't hold together particularly well.

Ups 

Excellent graphics, sound, and score. Meaningful decisions and dialogue lead to distinct endings.

Downs

There are camera issues, glitches, and a general lack of polish. The voice acting is terrible and the story predictable. Combat becomes frustrating quickly.