Aphelion

Aphelion is a small game that hits hard with big emotions by embracing the very best elements of science fiction. It embraces humanity and connection while still showcasing the genre’s love of alien planets and condemnation of evil corporations.

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The Earth has become uninhabitable and it's up to 2 seasoned astronauts to explore a distant planet for the possibility of carrying human life.

Aphelion is an enticing sci-fi adventure that explores humanity’s next home in the stars while telling a touching love story. Some of its gameplay mechanics are underbaked, but the balance between emotional interactions and mysterious intrigue nevertheless makes for an exciting time from start to finish.

Aphelion isn’t a particularly bad game, but its gameplay and story are a little too safe to create an experience that is memorable.

Aphelion is a solid science fiction adventure with a large focus on emotional connection and narrative. Despite some tedious controls and obvious bugs, the journey is worth staying to the very end.

Aphelion may not impress all that much on the gameplay front, with its traversal and stealth sections sometimes marred by its clunky controls, but its story and presentation pick up the slack, making it an enjoyable trek across an alien planet on the whole.

Aphelion is very much a compelling, though mechanically nuts and bolts narrative adventure that embraces linearity and spectacle above all else. Though its embedded dynamic of interpersonal relationships is engaging, the technical flaws, occasional clunkiness and aged-like-milk stealth sections sadly do much to undercut its otherwise impressive qualities.

Aphelion has some excellent moments regarding the story, but is let down by consistently frustrating gameplay where you feel punished for no reason.

Ever since I went to see Project Hail Mary, I’ve been chasing that next great sci-fi fix. The kind that delivers big ideas and memorable characters without talking down to the audience. DONTNOD’s Aphelion seemed to arrive at just the right moment, but does it actually live up to that promise? As you’ll probably gather from the rest of this review, I’m not convinced it quite sticks the landing.

Sci-fi movies have taught us a few things over the years: in space, everyone can hear your explosions, people wearing red always die first, and, if you’re visiting a planet to discover if its inhabitable, you will definitely crash land upon arrival. It’s the latter rule that applies to Aphelion. Here two astronauts – both will-they-won’t-they-enthusiasts – Ariane and Thomas are stranded on the secret 9th planet in our solar system, Persephone. They are there to see if the planet will support human life, but wouldn’t you know it, they are separated and must survive alone before reuniting and un...

Aphelion is a cinematic masterclass in storytelling. From the very beginning, you can tell that every moment of the game will be important. While it can't seem to keep up that same sort of engagement in the moment-to-moment gameplay, it works well enough to keep driving you forward. A short and enticing space-age mystery thriller that can satisfy from a story standpoint, but leaves a little to be desired in terms of gameplay.