In this Deliver Us Mars Starter Guide, we'll detail the basic mechanics and story of this narrative adventure and puzzle game to help you get started!
Quicklinks: Deliver Us Mars Starter Guide | F.A.Q.
Deliver Us Mars Starter Guide
Deliver Us Mars begins with a short cutscene and then puts you in the proverbial shoes of a young Kathy Johanson, a woman who will eventually become the youngest astronaut in the WSA.
The Prologue introduces you to basic game mechanics and sets up the story -- don't expect it to teach you all of the things you'll need to know just yet. (Fortunately, it's a fairly short experience overall.)
As soon as you start the game in your room, go over to the toy chest by the window and pick up the comic book "Moonman Bundle Vol.1." It's not obvious now, but this is your first Collectible. Don't worry if you missed it the first time you played through the game -- your Collectibles progress is saved even if you go back to an earlier Chapter, so you can always replay the Prologue and pick up the comic.
You'll have a short introduction to the controls and then you'll go snorkeling with your older sister. As soon as you jump into the water, you'll transition to a new location: a station on the moon.
An important note: at any time, you can press "T" to see what your Objectives are. You can also go into the game's options and make it so the objective is always on the screen if you wish.
Waking Up on the Moon
Your dad wakes you up from a pod. You're confused, but he clearly seems panicked. Your first objective is to find your teddy bear "Moonbear" -- you can find it underneath the table to your left. You'll have to crawl under the table to get to it.
Once you've rescued your teddy bear, your dad will say that he needs your help. You'll have to push a button on the opposite side of the room. Push the button, and then follow your dad down a corridor. You'll avoid some people who are searching for you, and then you'll have to climb up into a vent to retrieve another A.S.E. robot nicknamed "ASE."
After retrieving the A.S.E., your dad will pick you up and start running through the corridors. You'll come to a stop in a control room. Your dad will start working with the computer. Your sister will start asking you to open the door behind him. You can choose whether or not to push the button; it doesn't really matter either way.
Eventually, your dad starts running towards the rocket. Your character Kathy trips and falls, and the two of you end up separated. The Prologue Ends, and we jump into Chapter 1.
Cutting, Collectibles, and Controlling AYLA
Chapter 1 of Deliver Us Mars opens with Kathy as an adult in a WSA uniform, standing on top of a massive satellite dish. You'll be introduced to several new mechanics in this chapter.
The first is the Cutting Laser. This can be used to cut away debris or open up new paths. You'll use it several times throughout the first Chapter as you solve puzzles and explore. Solving puzzles is a big part of progressing through Deliver Us Mars.
The second concept is Collectibles. There are objects you can interact with throughout the game that will teach you more about its world; these are all listed in your Astrotool (the computer on your wrist). You can find out more about them in our Collectibles Guide, and you can find specific locations in our guides for each Chapter.
The third and final mechanic introduced in Chapter 1 is controlled AYLA, your A.S.E. robot companion. AYLA can fly, which means it can travel up to places you can't reach as a human. AYLA also has the ability to interface with certain computers and decrypt Holograms.
Chapter 1 has a few puzzles to explore and some Collectibles to find. You can read more about them in our Chapter 1 Puzzles and Collectibles Guide.
Moving in Space
Once you get to Chapter 2, you'll progress to outer space. This introduces three new mechanics.
The first is moving about in zero gravity. You'll be able to move in any direction and you can rotate your orientation with Q and E.
The second new mechanic is Oxygen. When you're doing an EVA, your Oxygen meter will start to deplete. This effectively serves as a timer for moving from place to place or completing Puzzles -- make sure to keep an eye on it. If your Oxygen runs out, you'll die and you'll have to start over from a checkpoint.
Finally, the tail end of Chapter 2 introduces you to Climbing in a flashback. Climbing is used once you're a little ways into the game; you use two Climbing Axes to move along surfaces.
As with Chapter 1, there are plenty of Puzzles to explore and Collectibles to find; you can get details on Puzzle solutions and Collectible locations in our Chapter 2 Puzzles and Collectibles Guide.
Onward to Mars
You now have a good grasp of the basic mechanics of Deliver Us Mars. The meat of this game is about exploring the world, solving Puzzles, and finding Collectibles. Click the link below to dive into our Chapter 1 Puzzles and Collectibles Guide and you can follow it while you play if you get stuck. Have fun!
Starter Guide | Chapter 1 Puzzles and Collectibles >
F.A.Q.
What is Deliver Us Mars?
Deliver Us Mars is a narrative sci-fi puzzle game where you travel to Mars so you can recover advanced technology to save the earth from ecological disaster.
Is Deliver Us Mars Multiplayer?
No, Deliver Us Mars is not multiplayer.
Where is the Deliver Us Mars Save File?
We haven't yet found the location for the Deliver Us Mars save file.
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One of my earliest memories is playing Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System. I've had a controller in my hand since I was 4 and I… More about Robert N
