PCGame

Waking Mars

Puzzle adventure about growing alien ecosystems in caves beneath Mars

Tiger Style · Released Dec 13, 2012

ActionAdventureIndie

Reviews
Very Positive
89% of 655
Recent reviews
Not enough recent
Players
1
daily peak, Oct 31, 2026
Steam Deck
Playable
Last update on Steam
Unknown
no patch notes on Steam
Minimum PC
OpenGL 3.0
0.5 GB RAM · 0.4 GB disk
Full requirements

Metacritic: 79/100 (critic reviews)

What is Waking Mars?

This single-player sci-fi puzzle adventure takes place in an open-ended network of Martian caverns, where a cave-in traps your first-contact mission. You navigate by jetpack, study alien life, cultivate species to feed other organisms, control infestations, and investigate mysterious signals and ruins.

For you if...

  • +you prefer patient observation and environmental problem-solving
  • +you enjoy science fiction centered on research and discovery

Not for you if...

  • −you want combat to be the main activity

What players say

89% of 655 reviews are positive

Players praise the ecosystem puzzles and voice acting. Reactions to the story are mixed: some appreciate its connection to exploration, while others find the characters and narrative forgettable.

Screenshots and trailer

Waking Mars screenshot 1

Waking Mars system requirements

Minimum: OpenGL 3.0, 0.5 GB RAM, 0.4 GB of disk space.

As published by the developer.

Can my PC run Waking Mars?

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Minimum

OS
Windows XP
Processor
x86-compatible, 2-Ghz or faster
Graphics
OpenGL 3.0, or OpenGL 2.1 with framebuffer extensions
Memory
512 MB RAM
Storage
400 MB HD space

Does Waking Mars have co-op or multiplayer?

No: single-player only, no multiplayer modes declared.

Does Waking Mars run on Steam Deck?

Playable Playable: it runs on Steam Deck with some adjustments.

  • Default controller config not fully functional
  • Sometimes shows mouse, keyboard or non-Deck controller icons
  • Some in-game text is small and may be hard to read
  • Default graphics settings perform well on Steam Deck

PC version details

DRM
None declared on Steam
Controller
Full controller support
Platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux
Achievements
17
Steam features
Cloud saves, Family Sharing
Languages
Full audio: English.

Does Waking Mars use AI-generated content?

No AI-generated content is disclosed on the game's Steam page.

Self-reported by the developer under Steam rules: it covers AI content that ships in the game, not tools used to make it. Steam page checked on Oct 27, 2026. How to filter AI games on Steam

Tags

1 DLC available.

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