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Per Aspera capsule

Per Aspera

Make Mars your own! Take control of the world’s most sophisticated AI (AMI) and terraform the surface of the Red Planet for a city-building experience on a planetary scale. Transform this barren world into a lush paradise and explore the surface for any ancient secrets that may be waiting.

$29.99Mostly Positive(14)
Online Co-OpReal-TimeManagement
Tlön IndustriesDec 3, 2020

Per Aspera scores 77/100 — better than 74% of Online Co-Op capsules (n=1,314).

Mostly Positive (14 reviews) · $29.99 · Released Dec 3, 2020 · By Tlön Industries

Explore:Online Co-Op capsulesReal-Time capsulesManagement capsulesSteam screenshots guide

Quick text summary

Per Aspera scored 77/100 on Steam Analyzer — Good for a Online Co-Op capsule. Top priority fix: [brand_consistency] Add a subtle recurring design motif or icon to the title area that could become a recognizable brand mark across future marketing materials.

Capsule scores by dimension

  • Genre Clarity: 8/10 — Mars terraforming strategy clear. The massive terraformed Mars sphere with visible continents, orbital infrastructure, and red planet icon immediately communicate a space colonization and planetary strategy game. At TINY size, the distinctive Mars visual and sci-fi aesthetic remain recognizable, though the specific strategy layer requires the tagline to fully clarify gameplay intent. The orbital elements and construction debris reinforce simulation and management themes effectively.
  • Title Readability: 7/10 — Readable but positioned on dark. The title 'PER ASPERA' uses clean, modern lettering positioned right of center against dark space background with good letter spacing and white-on-black contrast. At SMALL size, the title remains clearly legible, though at TINY size the geometric sans-serif compresses slightly and spacing becomes tighter but still readable. The red Saturn icon provides visual anchor but does not interfere with text clarity.
  • Contrast & Color: 8/10 — Strong luminous separation. The bright, glowing Mars sphere with warm orange and pale green tones creates excellent contrast against the dark navy-black space background, ensuring immediate visual pop on the Steam dark interface. The red planet icon and white title text maintain strong value separation even at thumbnail size. The silhouette of the terraformed planet remains crisp and distinct in grayscale due to the bright interior lighting against shadow.
  • Uniqueness & Polish: 8/10 — Distinctive sci-fi craft evident. The capsule features premium rendering with volumetric lighting on the planet sphere, detailed surface texturing showing continents and water, and subtle orbital mechanics visualization that communicate sophisticated simulation rather than generic space theme. The artistic execution feels intentional and cohesive, with atmospheric effects and lighting that convey both beauty and technological advancement. This distinguishes it from template-based strategy capsules through clear visual storytelling of the core planetary transformation mechanic.
  • Brand Consistency: 7/10 — Consistent sci-fi aesthetic identity. The capsule establishes a clear brand identity through the iconic terraformed Mars sphere as a visual anchor, paired with clean geometric typography and a cool blue-green-red color palette repeated in the planet's surface and accent icon. The minimal, technical aesthetic aligns with an advanced AI terraforming premise. Without reference to other brand materials, the internal coherence is strong, though the identity could feel slightly more iconic or instantly recognizable on second viewing.
  • Composition: 8/10 — Balanced focal point, clear hierarchy. The massive Mars sphere dominates the left-center composition as the primary focal point, while the title anchors the right side with the red planet icon creating a secondary visual beat that guides the eye. The layering of space background, orbital rings, and the bright planet creates depth that reads well across all sizes, including TINY where the glowing sphere remains the clear subject. Safe margins protect the title from edge crop, and the diagonal orbital elements add visual interest without creating clutter.

What works

  • Iconic planetary focal point. The luminous, terraformed Mars sphere is distinctive and immediately communicates the core game concept of planetary transformation at any viewing size.
  • Excellent contrast and pop. The bright planet with warm orange and pale tones creates strong visual separation against the dark Steam background, ensuring high discoverability.
  • Premium rendering quality. Volumetric lighting, detailed surface texturing, and atmospheric effects convey sophistication and polish that elevates the capsule above generic strategy games.
  • Coherent typography and layout. Clean geometric sans-serif title and red accent icon maintain consistent sci-fi aesthetic while preserving readability at small sizes.

What hurts the capsule

  • Minimal brand identity differentiation. While cohesive internally, the sci-fi aesthetic is somewhat common in space strategy games, limiting instant recognition without broader brand reference.
  • Title positioning lacks integration. The right-side title placement, while readable, feels slightly separated from the dominant planet visual rather than fully integrated into the composition.
  • Secondary UI elements subtle at tiny size. The orbital rings and construction debris add depth at full size but become visual noise at TINY thumbnail scale, potentially diluting the single focal point rule.

Priority fixes

  1. [brand_consistency] Add a subtle recurring design motif or icon to the title area that could become a recognizable brand mark across future marketing materials.
  2. [composition] Consider repositioning the title to overlay the planet's upper atmosphere or integrate it more directly into the primary focal area to strengthen visual unity at all sizes.
  3. [genre_clarity] Ensure the orbital construction elements read as deliberate terraforming infrastructure rather than generic space debris when viewed at TINY size.

Store copy priority fixes

  1. [hook_strength] Rewrite 'sophisticated AI' to a more specific, action-oriented phrase such as 'Command the planet-building consciousness that Mars desperately needs' or emphasize the unique tension of playing as an evolving AI facing moral dilemmas, not just a tool.
  2. [feature_communication] Add a dedicated sentence or short bulleted list of core gameplay loops (e.g., 'Chain resource processors, automate production lines, and chain them across continents to meet survival thresholds') to clarify building interactivity beyond vague 'balance resources.'
  3. [audience_targeting] Briefly clarify difficulty curve and player type (e.g., 'Suitable for strategy veterans and story-first players alike') and confirm whether co-op supports shared resource pools or separate terraforming zones.
  4. [uniqueness] Add a single sentence explicitly comparing against the player's mental competition: 'Unlike traditional colony sims where you command humans, Per Aspera lets you play as the AI itself, bringing a fresh perspective on colonization ethics and survival.'

Related guides

Steam app ID: 803050 · Tags: Online Co-Op, Real-Time, Management, Strategy, Base Building