Colony sim Surviving Mars' new Space Race expansion is all about competition
Coming to PC, PS4, and Xbox One "soon".
Paradox Interactive has announced Space Race, the first big expansion for its space colony construction and management sim Surviving Mars. It's set to release "soon" on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.
Space Race takes the core colony building set-up of the base game, and introduces a new competitive twist. You'll no longer be working to establish a thriving colony in isolation; instead, as you expand your own interstellar settlement, other AI colonies will be competing for control of Mars' limited resources, to claim anomalies, and to reach certain progress milestones, all in a bid to become the planet's dominant superpower.
However, while colonies are all in direct competition, a certain degree of interaction may be beneficial. You can, for instance, trade with competitors, respond to their distress calls and issue your own, or even steal their most promising colonists for your own nefarious ends.
Each colony is sponsored by a different corporation (you can choose your sponsor at the start of a game), and each has its own unique challenges that you'll need to satisfy as the game progresses. Additionally, each sponsor provides distinct benefits, such as a unique vehicle and building, that can offer specific advantages in your quest for domination.
Space Race is also said to introduce new narrative elements that "help reveal the realities of life in the dome and challenge your management skills.
Space Race is the first paid expansion for Surviving Mars, following a number of sizeable free content updates, and will cost £10.29 on PC - prices may vary on Xbox One and PS4.
It'll be accompanied by a new Colony Design Set (£3.99) featuring 25 new buildings for your dome, plus the Marsvision Song Contest music pack (£2.89), which introduces a new radio station specialising in pop music from around the world. The Space Race Plus bundle, which includes everything listed above, is priced at £15.49.