Mars Attracts Is a Sharp, Funny Park-Management Sim

First Impressions — Mars Attracts

Reviewed on PC.Score: 7.5/10

I’ve spent half my life on city-builders and sims. The golden era for me runs from SimCity 2000 and SimCity 4 through Caesar III, Pharaoh, Zeus: Master of Olympus, Tropico, Anno 1404, Banished, and into modern staples like Cities: Skylines. Mars Attracts first impressions are influenced greatly by this love for simulation games. Then Frostpunk knocked me off the path—I bounced off its tone and never fully came back.

Last year changed that. Tomas Sala’s Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles – Evolution reminded me there’s still room for strange, systemic, hand-crafted ideas (I spoke with Tomas about that here: interview). A long conversation with Željko Kos about Pompeii: The Legacy pulled me further back toward the genre’s roots (feature: GOTW; interview: full Q&A).

Now I’ve put 10 hours into Mars Attracts. I made some epic decisions, a few sad ones, and—yes—one restart after ignoring the tutorial. Mistake. Once I actually followed it, the loop clicked: abducting and housing humans from different eras; tuning habitats to personalities; juggling rides, amenities, and staff; and keeping the Martian guests spending while the “exhibits” don’t riot. It’s gleefully mean, mechanically coherent, and—most importantly—fun.

Gameplay — Native 32:9 (5120×1440)

What surprised me

The premise isn’t just a gag. Captive traits matter, enclosure layouts matter, and the park-sim side actually pushes back. There’s real management pressure under the comedy, with hilarious little moments that make it hard not to like.

Easter Egg: “Dating Sim” Tease (Dev Clip)

Creative Director Paul Froggatt hints at a tiny dating-sim-style Easter egg tucked into Mars Attracts. Quick tease below:

Mars Attracts

Release: September 15, 2025 (Early Access)

Genre: Theme Park Management, Strategy, Simulation

Developer / Publisher: Outlier Games / Outlier Games

Platforms: PC — Steam (wishlist/buy)

Rough edges?

It’s Early Access, so expect a few bumps while systems expand. My one big lesson: don’t skip the tutorial. The game reads clearer once you let its logic teach you pacing and flow.

Verdict (so far)

Mars Attracts lands in that rare space of being clever and playful. Compared to the heavy, dramatic tone of many modern city-builders, this is lighter, sharper, and honestly more enjoyable for me. It’s up there with the better entries of its kind—and I’m having more fun than I did with Frostpunk. Recommended. Worth the tag for the hours I’m getting out of it, and easy to keep playing.

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