Build your own space agency in Mars Horizon 2's upcoming alpha test

A brand new trailer for Mars Horizon 2: The Search for Life debuted during the PC Gaming Show, revealing that an alpha test for the space agency management simulator is, fittingly, on the horizon.

Expanding on its 2020 predecessor, Mars Horizon 2: The Search for Life lets you build space bases, design rockets, manage staff, and put together missions to find evidence of life on other planets.

As the head of Mission Control, you'll be across every aspect of the space mission. As well as researching biosignatures and anomalies to answer sweeping existential questions, you’re also responsible for any pesky explosions or rogue woodpeckers ruining a hard-fought launch. As you expand into the great unknown and upgrade your outfit, It falls to you to make critical narrative decisions that will decide the fate of your endeavors.

Mars Horizon 2 does look the part, seeming much like a higher-fidelity version of Kerbal Space Program (though with fewer green aliens pulling terrified faces). "The art team is looking to balance style and authenticity, to faithfully represent all of the incredible vehicles used in space exploration," Auroch Digital technical artist Joe McPhee says in the PC Gaming Show trailer.

Auroch Digital assures that it won’t just look the part, too, with content producer Britt Francis saying, "The design team has consulted with many space industry professionals to make sure the gameplay reflects how it feels to be on the frontline of exciting interplanetary discoveries."

You'll be able to see how Mars Horizon 2 compares to the first game and its competition when the alpha test is released later this year. To sign up for access, you should go to the Mars Horizon 2 website, where you can register your interest. The full release of Mars Horizon 2: The Search for Life is coming to PC in 2024, so, in the meantime, you can drop it on your Steam wishlist to get updates on the game’s progress.