Moons of Madness
A brand new video game out today (Oct. 22) is best described as Mars exploration meets Lovecraftian horror. PC gamers who love science fiction and horror will enjoy "Moons of Madness," published by Funcom and developed by Rock Pocket Games. In late January 2020, the game will also be available for Playstation 4 and XBOX.
Get to know the interior of the game's Martian base and outpost throughout this gallery. Here's a sneak peak at the station's greenhouse. Many plants are grown in this room, and Mars' iconic orange-dust color saturates the backdrop.
The Greenhouse
Researchers at agencies like NASA imagine that sustaining human life on Mars requires growing food in a closed environment. Like many other interior spaces in the game, this greenhouse is inspired by actual Mars-mission planning. But beware the pretty scenery: "Moons of Madness" turns into a dark story filled with monsters and danger.
Living Quarters
A player has a private cabin with personal touches all around the room. There's even a picture frame showing the character's spouse and child. In the foreground there is a bed that folds out, not unlike what is seen in long-distance train cabins.
More Space to Live
The private cabins are built as extensions to the living quarters hub, seen here. The corridors leading out from here take a player to the recreation room and research lab. Keep an eye out for the bulletin board because it reappears later in a creepy way.
The Rec Room
This is the recreation room, where crew members can relax. This game is single-player and there isn't any physical contact with other characters. This room is nevertheless fitted with nice details, like a chess board and some tomato plants.
Places to Sit
Ivan Moen is the producer and creative director on "Moons of Madness." Space.com reached out to Moen to find out what inspired the interior design. "While we try to stay true to realism and hard science, we want to take it one or two steps further to achieve the look and feel that we’re aiming for. It is necessary to take some artistic freedom especially when it comes to lighting, architecture and such," Moen told Space.com in an email.
Comfy Seats
A view of the recreation room from a slightly different angle.
Laboratory
This is a view from up above the laboratory on the Martian base. This research facility holds different types of equipment, in addition to the mainframe and servers for the base. Faulty gear can also be repaired in this room.
Infirmary
A view of the research lab from below. These rooms are all pleasant-looking, just like the start of the video game.
"You control Shane and are given objectives to complete," Moen said. Shane is the avatar of this single-player game. "These objectives start off as what you would expect that an astronaut on Mars would be doing, such as checking on solar panels and maintaining the base’s water supplies. However, things quickly get a bit freaky and your objectives become more about uncovering secrets and surviving threats that appear."
Medicine and Greenery
The infirmary is filled with equipment and medical supplies. Upon a closer took, the walls are covered with dark vines.
Bad Signs
Something terrible has happened here. This view of the infirmary features an ominous dark streak across the floor.
Out on the Surface
The exterior of the base in "Moons of Madness." One pleasing touch in this horror story is the way the game developers interpret the Martian environment. The dust clouds and warm rust colors are comforting.
Solar Panel Outpost
A small outpost sits just outside of the Martian base. It's where solar panel arrays are found. The Red Planet backdrop looks beautiful in this view.
Space to Work and Live
The solar panel outpost contains a working space, small bedroom, supplies and equipment for the crew members.
Source of Power
"You can physically interact with certain objects in the environment, as well as use a wrist device called a biogage to scan things," Moen said. "Scanning will give you information about different things as well as highlight objectives and allow you to remotely access some other devices."
- Moons of Madness, the horror game set in Funcom's The Secret World universe, is out this month
- Mars' Moon Phobos Looks Sweet Enough to Eat in New Images
- From Apollo to Mars: The Evolution of Spacesuits
Follow Doris Elin Urrutia on Twitter @salazar_elin. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
