The first two seasons were pretty good. Then they decided to start with these mini episodes. There is more advertisement run time followed with the writers speaking about more advertising for their other shows, or rambling on about delays in producing the content, every time, with literally only 2-4 minutes of content. The overall quality of the acting has dropped significantly as well. The main characters talking voice is tolerable, but when there is any emotion added, you won’t want to have headphones in, it’s mirror shattering!

The commander has a great voice when it’s just her regular speaking one. When she goes up an octave it’s like broken glass on a chalkboard. This may have been bad audio engineering or bad direction. Either way it could’ve been fixed if the producer or director listened to it and was honest with themselves. Tragic, because the podcast has a great premise. I wanted to like it but one character made me cringe and turn down the volume repeatedly. If she remained calm and collected she would’ve never needed a shrieking or screaming voice, which is an easy directors note considering she’s the leader of everyone in the story. Many great leaders have composure, which would’ve been a great excuse to use her enjoyable tones instead of those terrible and grinding for audio.

If we are to believe this is a group of people to settle and be an outpost for Earth I think they would be smarter. This lacks any sophistication and intelligence. The story is often delivered through bad writing, massive overacting, screaming and heavy breathing and a dose of profanity. Ugh, this is a real miss I gave it about 8 episodes but the endless screaming and ranting was just too much bear.

There’s not a single production weakness in Marsfall, which is why it’s such a powerful show, & why the scope of what it can do is incredibly vast! Eric, Dan, Sam, Brian, & the entire cast & crew have such a strong vision & the deft hands necessary to carry it out. Marsfall expands what science fiction can be — & not just in audio fiction. If sci-fi adventure or just a great ensemble drama is your thing, give this one shot, & I promise you’ll be hooked.

(TLDR: for the love of god save yourself the time and listed to “Escaping Denver” instead. Acting and story is much better) I listened to almost an entire season thinking I was missing something because it was reviewed highly. But no, it was like listening to child actors who over act by constantly whining and horrible attempts at sarcasm and humor. The writing is so disjointed and awkward, I’m not sure Oscar winning actors could’ve helped. Even if you can suspend reality enough knowing it’s not totally factual, which is fine, I wasn’t expecting Neil deGrasse Tyson level, it’s impossible to dismiss the writing and acting. I tried comparing it to some 1950s radio cheesy show, but it was truly painful to hear. No one traveling internationally would sound or speak like this, ever. With better writing and actors, it may have been better because the premise was good.

I desperately want to love Marsfall. But there’s always something in the way. Voice actors that aren’t reacting in an emotional appropriate way. Mysteries that only compound, and don’t have satisfying answers. The action sequences that don’t have a feeling of stakes or ANY spacial reasoning. The worst is the techno-babble that doesn’t actually work or contradicts itself. When Marsfall is at its best, it truly is art. Engaging and human. However, the hiccups are jarring at best and downright upsetting at worst.

Seasons 1 & 2 were great but just listened to the first three episodes of season 3 and it’s like a completely different show. For the episodes being so short, you would think the episodes would contain more substance. It’s like the writers have no idea where to go with the story and are just trying to fill time (freaking pointless karaoke episode). So sad too. Was really looking forward to this season, but so far been a complete disappointment.

I wanted to like it but the characters were written just so badly. It sounded and felt like the actors went off script at times and couldn’t find their way back. Add to it sophomoric and wildly inappropriate for the moment banter and it earns an unfollow.

I just started listening first 2 episodes I am hooked amazing keep it coming

Yes the intro is cheesy. Yes the voice acting can be shaky at times. But listen if you’re the kind of person who goes to a play and doesn’t like it because it’s not realistic enough, then sure, you won’t like this. But if you add a little suspension of disbelief, then you’ll be fine. If you like EOS10, Wolf 359, the Penumbra Podcast, and can deal with their pseudo-science, then this one’s won’t bother you much either. It’s not hyper realistic, but unless you’re a aerospace engineer, then it won’t bother you. I liked it, I liked the characters, and I cared about them. That’s all you can really ask for in a podcast. Not the best thing I’ve seen ever, but really quite good. It left me satisfied and happy, and the story is plenty interesting.

Mixed bag with more positives thanks negatives. Foly work isn’t the best at times nor is acting but I am enjoying it overall. .

If you’ve listened to really good sci-fi fiction and need something new, give this a listen. There are better podcasts in the same genre, but this isn’t bad.

Intro song is very iconic. What’s with Fboy being upset about the intro song? Also, where’s the conclusion folks. Grumble grumble grumble. Podcast is incredible. Thanks guys.

It’s a good premise but that’s where it ends. As others have pointed out, the acting is high school drama level. The writing is even worse. A podcast needs great dialogue and descriptive writing, this has neither. Much of the dialogue consists of grunts, groans, and when sentences are actually strung together they’re rife with platitudes and bad jokes. The characters are poorly written with actions and motives that are outright unbelievable and at odds with the story. And lastly, the sound design is grating on the nerves. I’m constantly lowering the volume to avoid being deafened by sirens and turning up the volume to hear whispered dialogue. And those innumerable sirens, do they really need to be there? Maybe they think it helps create a realistic world, but nothing about this podcast is realistic so why attempt realism if it only serves to annoy the audience? I forced my way to episode 8 in hopes it would get better, but it only gets worse.

She sounds like she’s 12. And the script has her alternating from strong commander to the little girl who lives down the street. I can’t get past the first 10 min.

The worst intro song on the entire World Wide Web. If one was to obtain a pair if air pod pros the last thing they want to hear come out of those beautiful white pearls is the screeching, ear bending, stupid, horrible random noises you people call an intro song. Shame on you. I will fast forward. Thank you.

While this isn’t my FAVORITE podcast, it’s interesting enough to hold my attention. Most of the acting is decent, though there are definitely some less-than-stellar actors. The things I find most irritating are some of the sound effects (I’ll never understand why some producers think it’s awesome to hone in on people eating and slurping) and the theme song, which doesn’t match the show at all (sounds like it belongs in Frankenstein). Some of the sci fi tropes are overdone, but it’s worth a listen.

I really am enjoying the story, even though the timeline seems off (I’m in season 2, so I’m assuming they’ll fix that sooner or later). The only real issue I have with this is that they really drag certain parts out unnecessarily. It really detracts from the story, takes me out of the situation, and is just annoying. No spoilers: one situation where a woman is screaming about her arm being broken. And running. For 5-10 minutes. It feels like it’s trying to fill time rather than be a plot point. This entire situation could be conveyed in 2 minutes and not drag on the storyline. Another point is where they’re playing classical music, an entire song by itself. The music is nice enough, but this again feels like time filler rather than trying to make a plot point. It pulls you right out of the story, and had me searching for the button to fast forward. The acting is decent, the plot keeps me hooked, but PLEASE keep it moving.

Keep your expectations low and it passes the time fairly well enough. I think it’s typically rated higher than it deserves due to the lack of quality sci-fi podcasts in general so it’s all relative. The storyline is decent but everything else about the production, acting, writing, etc is high school drama club level at best. A touch above meh. (It beats scrolling through Netflix for a half-hour though...)

It kinda starts out “meh” but it gets really really intense. I’m listening to it a second time because I liked it so much. The voice acting isn’t bad at all, maybe the other reviewers just didn’t give it long enough to realize that’s just how the character they dislike is supposed to be. It honestly reminds me a lot of like cutscenes in Starcraft II.

This should be a 1 Star just because of the amplified drinking sounds directly into your ears. The over exaggerate gulping sounds is nearly unbearable. Great story though

I want to like it more, but lackluster writing, subpar acting, and lack of any noticeable concrete knowledge of key elements the story relies on leave this drama sitting solely in the middle ground. The story is compelling enough and the characters aren’t terrible, but overall it lacks polish in key areas that could really make it something more than just “okay.”

Some of the worst writing and worst acting o have ever had the displeasure of experiencing. I’m not sure who paid the other reviewers but this is bad. The jokes are juvenile and fall flat, the acting is middle school play levels of bad and the writing reeks of “I saw an episode of Star Trek once.” I could barely stomach one episode before realizing I don’t hate myself enough to listen to more. Whatever the others are smoking to like this isn’t worth it.

Terrible acting. I tried to listen several times because the story was ok. But I couldn’t take the third rate acting.

Simply drivel. Uninspiring, poorly written drivel.

This is a great, well written sci-fi story; but it is also so much more. The characters are intricate, including the artificial intelligence. The sound design, music, and acting is top notch.

This show rocks. I need more.

Too annoying to listen to. Try Mars audiobook instead

I was on the fence for the first episode but as I continued listening I got sucked in by the third or fourth. The music got a lot better by the third and fourth episode as well. Great story and great acting!! It’s lovely to find yet another great sci-fi audio drama!

The histrionic acting really detracted from the story. The performances were really uneven and anoying. The AI portrayal was innacurate. I gave it a try for a season a half and gave up on listening to the rest.

I love this podcast. The story is engaging and the acting and sound really makes you feel like your in the story. Awesome work guys!!!!!

His is a fantastic series. Fun character studies mixed with interesting stories makes this a great listen. I only wish the series skipped the terrible intro music.

I made the mistake of listening to Marsfall as my first fiction podcast. Everything else falls flat

Had it not been for the soundtrack of this series I would have rated it 4 stars. Throughout the series the musical score seems to combat the emotional narrative of the scenes, during dramatic moments the musical score may be upbeat and lively, or a weird selection of synthesizer music or beats makes it hard to listen to the narrations. It’s distracting and frustrating. I think there’s a huge opportunity to improve this series by taking a more non-invasive and traditional approach to the score, lending to the tension and drama by finding accompanying sounds that enhance the story, not fight it. The sound effects are fine, it’s just the musical composition. Other than that, I like it, but it has a impactful negative effect.

There is something strange and wonderful happening in this show. Not only is it a true stand out sci-fi audio drama (there are only a few that come close) but this Martian survival story travels in uncanny directions. Mysteries within mysteries and vicious conspiracies abound, not to mention a really fresh take on A.I... Put Marsfall at the top of your list.

Where to begin!? The overacting? The cheesy attempts at banter? The poor job of clearly communicating what is going on at any given moment? The self conscious and stilted swearing? Perhaps the bad science - a ship in space doesn’t coast to a stop when the engines are shut off, it just stops accelerating. Really cringe inducing and bad all the way around.

This podcast had me going through so many emotions in every episode I was spinning in circles! It is an awesome story and pulls you into the world and makes you want to be right there with the characters! I am enthralled and can’t wait to hear more!! ❤️

Just finished Season 2 -well done Marsfall cast and crew!!! Thoroughly captivated by the stories. The sound effects and music not only enhanced the visual interpretation and experience but captured the emotions beautifully. Well done!

All around one of the best structured, written, and executed audio fiction stories out there. The writing, acting, and production are top quality and creates this deeply immersive environment. I’m so invested in these characters now!

I am constantly on the hunt for new podcast and this is one is my top 5. Fantastic voice acting and great storyline. Always leaves me wanting more. Getting everyone in my office to listen it. Highly recommend!

Legitimately, the world building and sound design in this series are stellar. I love the whole cast, and the constantly shifting narratives that teach us about the Mars colonists. ANDI will always have my ❤️

I listen to alot of podcasts. I heard about Marsfall when binging another wonderful podcast. I was hooked by the first two episodes, but by episode seven I knew that I needed to listen more. The characters and story draw you in and the way the story is told through several perspectives lends to the mystery and character of the story. If you are looking for a great time and intense character interaction listen and Welcome to Mars.

The space doggy needs more air time.

Really enjoying it. Fresh take on Mars colonization.

I love the story, but I really think the music could use a little work. Now I understand what you were trying to do with the pipe organ, but it’s the Dubstep That feels out of place. And this music does not need to be playing during heavy dialogue moments. Now if there is a chase scene then you can utilize that. Being an audio drama Producer myself I have learned over the years that it is all about the feel and the atmosphere you’re going for, and when we are dealing with an active soundscape The music needs to be dialed back or nonexistent at all. An active soundscape is when there is a lot of outside noise, or if there is heavy dialogue. For chase scenes then you can add the fun dubstep because it adds to the excitement also another thing if you feel you have to use Music for the heavy dialogue moments sometimes orchestral elements fit better with the atmosphere. Especially if tensions are high. I hope this is helpful and useful to you for future stories and if you would like I can help with anything you might need sound wise.

I met the Marsfall creators at PodCon, and promised to leave a review once I’d binged my way through the series. Sound effects and scoring are top notch, and although some character development scenes are predictable, there’s enough to the overall intrigue of the larger story to make this a great listen! (Listen to the DSRA podcast episode interviewing the Marsfall creators and cast- it really enhances the experience!)

This sci-fi audio drama is absolutely spectacular! It is amazing produced and edited. Hats off to the folie artist—the sound effects are believable and fit in perfectly. I will be binging this podcast and supporting it on patreon for sure! I’m so glad to have discovered this gem at PodCon!

This is the podcast I didn’t know I was missing. The storyline is engaging from the first episode. I can’t recommend it enough.

I was looking for some Sci-fi after Wolf 359, and this one did the trick. Great writing and sound quality. The characters are becoming more and more intriguing.

This show is amazing!!! It has such a brilliant cast and crew with spectacular music and soundscape! It feels as if I'm there!?! The characters have so much debth to them and I want to know more about everything and everyone. I have so many questions and I can't wait to go on the journey to discover the hidden truths that are on Mars!