Surviving Mars is free-to-keep on Steam for a limited time

surviving mars below and beyond — (Image credit: Surviving Mars/Paradox Interactive)

Surviving Mars, the colony building sim about surviving on Mars, is free-to-keep on Steam right now. In this age of constant free game giveaways, it can sometimes feel like too much work to open the Steam client, search a game title and then click 'Add to Account'. But you can do it. I believe in you. Besides, Fraser loved it: "Surviving Mars is a lot of hard work, but managing a burgeoning colony never stops being compelling," he wrote in his review.

The offer lasts until September 8, and is well worth taking advantage of unless you already grabbed it free on the Epic Games Store a couple of years ago. Still, you could always own it twice.

It's a wise time for Paradox Interactive to give away the base game, because Surviving Mars' new Below & Beyond expansion released today. That lets you explore under the surface of Mars, boring tunnels, setting up underground bases, and hoping against hope that nothing collapses. It also introduces heaps of new buildings and resources, and looks quite cool.

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.