Mars Expedition: Sol 43 (Saturday Review)

It was the first day of our project. It was also the first day on Mars. There were another forty-two days ahead of us, and every day, including today, we were faced with a different mission. These missions were going to get more challenging as we progressed. Our team consisted of a cryptographer, a navigator, a geologist, a mineralogist, a geochemist, a physicist, and even a futurist. So we were hopeful that we would successfully make it through this Mars Expedition: Sol 43 by Sergii Cherkasov and Lina Chykaliuk from Queensell.

The publisher of Mars Expedition: Sol 43, Queensell, describes itself as “a young company, [that] began as a shared dream among friends who loved board games […] dedicated to both classic games and crafting [their] own unique creations.” If you look at their catalogue of games, you see many classic games such as dominoes and backgammon. However, while Queensell‘s focus on classic games is evident and seems to be their main income stream, they have also started to design their own games.

The reason why I say this is because when I first looked at potentially reviewing Mars Expedition: Sol 43, I expected an abstract, competitive two-player game. Yet, as it turns out, it’s a solo logic puzzle that leans more towards structured deduction than conventional gameplay. While you can play it in a competitive two-player mode, the focus really is more on figuring out the puzzle each mission sets. That makes it quite hard for me to review.

Mars Expedition Puzzle

Of course, logic puzzle board games aren’t a new thing. Escape-room style games have been around for a while. I have even reviewed a few myself, such as the Escape Room Puzzles book. However, I never really got on with them.

While many people love games from the EXIT series, I always thought the puzzles in these games were too abstract, too logical. For example, when I played EXIT: The Abandoned Cabin, it was like doing the puzzle section in the Sunday paper. I never felt like we were trying to escape from a murderer or breaking out of a wooden shack.

Now don’t get me wrong. I enjoy doing the crossword with my wife at the weekend. I love the mathematical logic challenge of a KenKen or even a Cell Blocks puzzle. They’re a great way to get your brain cells fired up and keep you mentally fit. In fact, I developed my own logic puzzle game when I first started programming, back in the 80s. Your goal was to solve the puzzle in the fewest steps, and every round, the puzzle got more difficult.

However, when it comes to board games, I want an experience where I can immerse myself in another world. I need a setting, and I need the game to be closely linked to that setting. That’s why I really love the Adventure Games series, for example. When I played Adventure Games: The Dungeon, I felt part of that world. I felt like a real participant in our exploits. It was also really exciting to solve a murder when we played Suspects. I guess these titles are more a type of choose-your-own-adventure style game, rather than a true logic puzzle, but that’s why I enjoy them.

43 Mars Solo Challenges

With that in mind, let me tell you what Mars Expedition: Sol 43 presents in the form of a logic puzzle, when you play the game solo.

So you set up the scenario on the main board, which is the Mars map that is divided into an 8×8 grid. There is a scenario card for each Sol that you’re playing through, which explains what components need to be placed where. It also tells you what the mission is.

Every mission involves you flying your drone over the surface of Mars, going around mountains, dealing with tornadoes, which are an obstacle and a help in equal measures, reaching certain waypoints, and usually eventually returning back to base.

The way the drones move is what makes these logic puzzles so challenging. The first mission, or Sol 1, really is only there to get you to learn how to successfully and effectively steer it. With each Sol, more things are introduced. You meet tornadoes and have to work out how they move, trying to avoid them, because they can push your remote-controlled unmanned vehicle off course. Next, you learn to take advantage of the tornado to help your copter complete its mission.

More and more new elements are introduced as you count up the Sols. Every mission gets harder and harder. You have to think further and further ahead to succeed. However, every time you really just try to work out how to manoeuvre your drone to get to where it needs to go. You count out the spaces, move the tornado along its path, and keep repeating the steps until you eventually find a combination that solves the problem. Then you move on to the next. That’s it.

Competitive Mars Exploration

You can also play Mars Expedition: Sol 43 as a two-player competitive game. In that mode, the game becomes more dynamic. A dice decides the wind direction, which affects movement. Players have cards that can affect the other player or put themselves at an advantage. At the end of the day though, both players try to solve the same logic puzzles as in the solo mode. Trying to find the most effective route for their drones really detracts from the competitive gameplay experience for me.

As you can probably tell, Mars Expedition: Sol 43 isn’t the game for me. I think it works best as a solo or cooperative logical puzzle. I appreciate the challenges the Sol missions create. That’s where the game really shines.

The components are also really well made. Normally, I prefer wooden over plastic components, but the sculpts for the drones and tornadoes in Mars Expedition: Sol 43 look very impressive on the table. The 3D element really lifts the gameplay experience. The cardboard tokens that represent the mountains and other obstacles your drones face on Mars are also really well made. The mountain tokens even contain a bit of information on their backs, making the game a bit more educational.

However, I just can’t see how someone might want to play the game again, once they have solved all 43 solo missions. That’s not unique to Mars Expedition: Sol 43 though. All the Exit games have the same problem. It’s just inherent to logical puzzle games.

So, yes. Personally, I would prefer to learn backgammon and spend money on a nice set from Queensell than buy a copy of Mars Expedition: Sol 43. However, if you love challenging logic puzzles, you might have different mileage with this game.

Useful Links

• Mars Expedition: Sol 43: https://queensell.com/pages/sol43
• Queensell: https://queensell.com/
• BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/413868/mars-expedition-sol43
• Escape Room Puzzles review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/02/01/escape-room-puzzles-saturday-review/
• EXIT game series: https://store.thamesandkosmos.com/collections/exit-the-game
• Adventure Games: The Dungeon review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/06/25/adventure-games-the-dungeon-saturday-review/
• Suspects review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/04/09/suspects-saturday-review/

Videos

Transparency Facts

I feel that this review reflects my own, independent and honest opinion, but the facts below allow you to decide whether you think that I was influenced in any way. Please also read my Ethics Statement for more information.

• I was given a free review copy of this game by the publisher.
• At the time of writing, I have not received financial support from the publisher or anyone working on their behalf.

Audio Version

Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/)

EGLAIR by Alex-Productions | https://onsound.eu/
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Incredulity by Scott Buckley | https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Playlist

These are the songs I listened to while I was writing this review: