It’s almost impossible to classify the genre of Choice Provisions’ PS4 game Tharsis, but after a few playthroughs it won’t matter. You’ll be hooked. Regardless of its mediocre looks, the dice-based adventure is a hit thanks to a ton of decisions, insane difficulty and a story that allows you to connect with the characters.
The first time you play Tharsis, you’ll most likely scoff. It’s not a pretty game by any means. The cut-scenes are mere still drawings and the sound is average at best, but the gameplay, ah, the gameplay. Great in 15-minute bursts and even better for longer sessions, Tharsis is the type of game that would have worked just as well on the Nintendo Entertainment System as it does the PlayStation 4. You can even make the case that it should be on the Vita instead of its big brother. Regardless, it’s the type of game you’ll want to share with your friends, just because there aren’t any other games like it on the system.
Traveling with a team of four astronauts on an expedition to Mars, you’re faced with challenges in the form of objects hitting your ship, a lack of food and overall, stress and emotional issues amongst the crew. While keeping the ship in tip-top condition is your main priority, things like cannabalism and even suicide play a role in every decision you make. And this is where the game gets cool. Every choice is determined my a role of the dice. Sure, luck has a lot more to do with your success than you’d like, but where you position your team on the ship plays an important role as well. Will you protect your commander and let your psychologist die? Will you eat your mechanic if there’s no food left? After the first few levels, Tharis forces you to make decisions like this.
Because of this, even in spite of the mediocre, cliche-laced story, you’ll grow attached to your team. Unlocking different characters as you playthrough as well, Tharsis offers gamers much more replayability than you’d originally think. As a matter of fact, it’s impossible to judge the game until you’ve added a few more characters to your team. Nevertheless, even with more equipped personnel on your ship, the game is rough. The additional Hard Mode is even tougher and is hilarious at times as a few sub-par roles will lead to death.
With its ability to captivate, dual modes and easy to pick up gameplay, Tharsis is a great diversion from your Fallout 4, Destiny and Call of Duty romps. It’s also a perfect game to get non-gamers interested in the PlayStation 4. While it’s never going to completely steal you away from the AAA games on the console, it’s a fun little title that’s able to do some big things with old-school game mechanics.
Pros:
Difficult: You’re going to a die a ton. There’s just no escaping it. The coolest part is it’ll make you come back for more.
Easy to Pick Up: You just repair the ship with rolls of the dice and make choices when they arrive. Anyone can play it.
Captivating: It’s cliched, but you’ll want to advance through the story to see what happens next.
Cons:
Ugly: The game looks like an indie PC game, with simple character models and plain cut-scenes.
Story: There’s nothing sexy about it- it’s as plain as they come.
Final Thoughts:
There aren’t many games like Tharsis and that’s the main reason why you should check it out, but what it’s able to do with so little will keep you playing it. It may not be for everyone and is at times unforgivingly difficult, but it’s a title that has some undeniable charm.
