In the sci-fi game Offworld Trading Company, the player can lead an interplanetary corporation in a futuristic trade war for control of Mars.

Gameplay

The game mixes resource mining and construction used in real-time strategies with a stronger economic element. The player has to choose a company he or she will control. The other three companies become the player's rivals. They seldom fight outright, and their rivalry is largely economic. However, they can secretly organize acts of sabotage against each other, eliminate resources with underground nukes and hire goons to attack or defend. The main goal of the game is to assume control over all four companies by purchasing their majority stakes and to create a monopoly. If a rival company obtains the majority in the player's corporation, he or she loses the game.

Resources

The game puts a strong emphasis on mining and trading resources. Each level starts with the player scanning the surface of Mars to find resources and build his or her headquarters next to them. Offworld Trading Company has thirteen types of resources. Most of the resources, such as iron, aluminum, and water, can be mined from the Martian soil. Some, like steel, food, and chemicals, are produced from other resources and require special buildings. Each resource has a value that can increase or decrease depending on the demand and supply.