Earth vs Mars is an interesting experiment from Relic Labs, a smaller division within the well-known Relic Entertainment studio, focused on creating more concentrated, innovative titles outside its usual enormous productions. EvM casts you as commanders of Earth’s defense forces facing a catastrophic invasion from Mars. This idea draws strong inspiration from mid-20th-century science-fiction B-movies, laying the foundations for a universe in which stereotypical green aliens and flying saucers drive the action.
The story begins after decades of subtle Martian abductions of humans and animals, now escalating into open warfare for domination of Earth and forcing humanity to resort to desperate survival measures. The narrative backdrop deeply influences the game’s overall tone, balancing serious tactical depth with deliberately exaggerated, humorous dialogue. The final result recalls cult classics, offering refreshing and even bizarre perspectives on an apocalyptic scenario.
Earth vs Mars serves up a series of missions that gradually reveal the true nature of the Martian threat, including grotesque experiments and biological weapons, while introducing a cast of unique commanders, each with distinct personality traits and motivations.
Earth vs Mars stands apart from traditional turn-based strategy through the so-called Splice-O-Tron. This mechanic lets you combine soldiers with genetic material from various animals to create hybrid supersoldiers. The system plays a key role in strategic planning, because every hybrid unit brings specific strengths and weaknesses to the battlefield. These combinations help you, for example, break enemy lines with brute force, perform quick ranged attacks or easily bypass opposing fortifications.
The tactical depth increases as the campaign progresses, forcing you to constantly adapt your army to evolving Martian threats, which range from technologically advanced hovering tanks to terrifying organic entities. Every unit, human or alien, possesses unique abilities that can change the course of battle, while different commanders with specific powers add another layer of complexity, demanding careful resource management and map positioning. The execution is excellent, and if you enjoy mechanics seen in titles such as XCOM or Advance Wars, you will definitely enjoy this title, which adds a unique biological twist.
Outside combat, Earth vs Mars offers a substantial content package that effectively extends the game’s lifespan after the main campaign. The campaign itself is extensive, containing more than 30 handcrafted missions offering around 20 hours of play. Every mission introduces new challenges and environments that prevent the experience from becoming repetitive. If you want a competitive challenge, there is a robust multiplayer mode where you can test your strength against one another.
Map Lab is a fully equipped map editor that gives creative users tools to design their own scenarios and battlefields, which can then be played in VS Mode or against artificial intelligence. Naturally, all maps can easily be shared with the community. These modes, together with the high-score-focused Challenge Mode, provide lasting value and replayability, allowing you to refine your tactics to the fullest in controlled or chaotic conditions.
Technically and aesthetically, the game presents a vivid 3D world that successfully captures the recognizable retro-futuristic style, giving you expressive unit designs that clearly communicate their roles and abilities. Although the graphics may not match the most expensive AAA productions, they are stylized and functional, with clear visual effects that help battlefield readability. The sound design deserves particular attention, especially the full voice acting that brings commanders and units to life, reinforcing the atmosphere through dramatic and often comic lines at key story or battle moments. For a smoother experience that respects your time constraints, Earth vs Mars also includes options to accelerate enemy turns and skip animations.
Earth vs Mars is a solid, charming achievement that manages to find its identity in the turn-based strategy genre. Although it may lack the scale or budget of Relic Entertainment’s main titles, this Relic Labs project shows what can be achieved when a smaller, passionate team receives creative freedom to experiment with established formulas. The combination of a nostalgic tone, innovative unit hybridization and solid strategic foundations makes it an appealing option for genre veterans seeking something different but still familiar.
About the Author
Martin Jovanchevski is an independent games journalist and Founder & Editor at Dev & Play Media. This updated article is an English adaptation of his original review published on itmk.
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