‘Mars 2030’ Is a Virtual Reality Experience Based on NASA Research

One of the biggest problems with current VR offerings is there are so few games and experiences that warrant multiple visits. They’re cool for an hour or so, but they’re not compelling enough to keep audiences coming back for more. But Mars 2030 might have found a way to get players to stick around. The game simulates 40 square kilometers of Martian landscape, crafted based on NASA’s own satellite readings. There’s very little story, as the game rightly focuses on open world exploration of actual extraterrestrial locations. To enable that exploration, you’re equipped with your feet and a Mars rover that’s fairly close to the one we posted about not too long ago. To fully immerse the player, Mars 2030 includes day/night cycle simulations, realistic weather and gravity, a habitat base that holds close to NASA’s designs, and a score by the London Symphonic Orchestra. Right now, it’s only available on PC, but a Playstation VR release is in the works. Whatever you get it for, the experience will be unlike any you’ve had in VR.