Yeah, I'm talking Space Explorers: Red Planet.
Mission Objective: Travel to Point A to B to C to D to...
The Space Explorers series are simple exploration games where the goal is the same (both Lunar Mission and Red Planet): Reach all the indicated spots in the drop zone. While you lack of a radar, the game provides you guidance as they have light beams that reach the sky acting as beacons and they'll only turn off until you reach them and the trophy related to that spot is unlocked. The best strategy to make fast progression through the game is to use them as an indicator for visited places. Although it is a short game, you can decide the pace you want to take in your planetary exploration. You can decide if you want to walk your way or speed things by using your thruster jetpack. However, there's a mechanism to use use it: First you have to press a button to make the astronaut hold the jetpack controls and then take off. It is a little unorthodox and cryptic compared with No Man's Sky. Learning to use the jetpack is not optional since some of the spots are located on the top of the structures and even inside of them, requiring some simple manuevering to fully accomplish your mission.
Leaving Simulation Airspace...
While using the rocket pack, you can change what type of jetpack you want to use, and curiously, you can climb infinitely at the point of revealing the whole area, and even surrounding areas within the "Orange Void" as if the whole planet was some kind of VR Mission. I've tried to reach the one of the areas away from the "game space" and the astronaut dissappeared as if it was a glitch.
Graphically, it manages to add realism in the concept of exploring Mars, the surface and the atmosphere within the planet looks scientifically accurate enough, and the dim light adds even more mystery to the whole area. The music contributes on the desert-desolated landscape enviroment with an Alternative-New Age styled track that borrows elements from 80s-90s New Age artists. David Lanz and Mannheim Steamroller (Fresh Aire) fans will like it.
SPACE CURIOSITIES: TRIVIA PLANET
Last photography of Tech Engineer Sid Phillips 3 minutes before the tragic "Rocket Prank" incident.
- The selectable rocket could be or not a reference to Toy Story.
Short game, but a fun one (when it lasted).
Space Explorers: Red Planet might be a short game, but is quite fun enough for those who want to do some fast, mindless planetary exploration just for killing time while waiting for other game to install on the PlayStation or just waiting for the pizza to arrive.
Another instance of "Good Shovelware" just like its prequel Lunar Mission if you ask me.
Buy, play, get the trophies, uninstall.
The good news is "At least it wasn't trash".