Alright, listen up! There's a new game on the horizon that's caught my attention, and it's called Mars Tactics. From what I've seen so far, it looks like a pretty interesting take on the turn-based strategy genre.

Suits vs. Revolutionaries

What's cool about Mars Tactics is the whole faction dynamic. It's not your typical fantasy or sci-fi trope; instead, you're choosing between Capital – the established, powerful corporation – and Labor, the underdog revolutionaries fighting for a better life. I think that is actually pretty dope. The Capital starts off strong, but they're reliant on Earth for resources, while Labor can craft their own gear and has a morale boost because, well, they're fighting the good fight, in theory.

And it doesn't stop there! You can mess with governmental policies to further differentiate your faction. Want to implement Universal Basic Income and use robot workers without upsetting your human employees? Go for it! Feeling dystopian? You can establish a police state or embrace neoliberalism. It's all about tailoring your approach to the Martian landscape and your strategic goals. Fermentation research? Never thought I'd see that, but if ideology isn't enough, maybe some liquid courage will do the trick!

Gameplay and Combat

The battles themselves take place on a cuboid Mars, which you can deform with explosives, which seems pretty cool. You need to capture resource hubs, build railways, and secure air support to dominate the planet. Think XCOM with a touch of Gears Tactics, but on Mars. You can suppress enemies, carve trenches with explosives, and even toss ammo between squadmates. Plus, you can capture enemies, interrogate them for intel, and then hold them for ransom. I always like to do that.

The gun customization is also pretty wild. There's a grid editor where you can tweak scopes, stocks, calibers, and receivers to create the perfect weapon for your troops. I bet that is pretty interesting.

Now, I should mention that my excitement is based on trailers and press releases, so take it with a grain of salt. I'm really hoping for a demo to get a better feel for the game, and I'm secretly hoping for a Total Recall-inspired endgame with underground terraformers. But please, no Arnie death scenes. The developers are Takibi Games, and the publishers are Hooded Horse, who seem to have a knack for picking good strategy games. It's set to release in early access in May 2026. I'll keep you posted.