Ares Inception is a Mars Mission Simulator from the perspective of mission control.

Manage Crew Your first task is selecting astronaut candidates from the latest class of training program graduates. Every crew member arrives with their own strengths, specializations, and limitations — and it's up to you to decide how to develop them. Double down on a candidate's primary discipline to make them an elite specialist, or broaden their training to create versatile crew members ready for the unexpected. When mission assignments come around, you decide who flies. Spread the opportunities evenly, build a dream team, or back your veterans. Your program, your call.

Monitor Mission Progress: Once boots are on the ground, your attention shifts to keeping the mission on track. Through live CCTV feeds and open comms, you'll monitor crew health, morale, and productivity in real time. Managing schedules, redirecting priorities, and responding to the unexpected are daily realities. No two missions unfold the same way, and the decisions that keep your crew focused, safe, and effective can only come from one place — you.

Upgrade Mission Capabilities: Success has its rewards. Meet your mission objectives and you'll unlock promotions, expanded resources, and the opportunity to take on more ambitious operations. Fall short, and public interest in the program begins to wane — along with the funding that comes with it. As your program grows, so does your access to more capable equipment and cutting-edge research, opening the door to missions that were previously out of reach.

Exploration: Every mission location in Ares Inception is grounded in real science. Each site has been selected for its genuine scientific value, drawing on the expertise of planetary scientists and mission planners who have spent careers studying these environments. The terrain, the challenges, and the discoveries reflect the locations that real space agencies have identified as priorities for human and robotic exploration.

Credibility Ares Inception was built from the ground up with authenticity as a guiding principle. A steering committee of advisors — including veterans who have worked with the Canadian Space Agency and NASA on crewed missions to the International Space Station and robotic missions to Mars — has been involved throughout development. Their input shapes everything from mission planning and crew procedures to the science being represented on screen. The goal is to represent these missions faithfully.