Aphelion Review

For years, Don't Nod has developed story-driven games that are quite emotive. Life is Strange and Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden are two new games that are still in the works. They have always been caught between big-budget movies and simple gaming mechanics that promote character drama, rather than using it.

Aphelion is a different kind of game for the corporation. You have to stay alive, explore, and solve a riddle on a strange planet, just like in a sci-fi action-adventure. It seems like a mix of Don't Nod's story strengths and an effort to leverage game mechanics that require a lot of movement, like Tomb Raider or Death Stranding.

The narrative of how the game was released is fascinating because it was released so quietly.

According to different reports and impressions, Aphelion wasn't heavily promoted, even though it had a big idea. Some people even think that the release date being pushed back from later 2026 to earlier April may be due to changes within Dontnod, which may be allocating resources to other projects, such as rumored agreements with big IP holders like Netflix.

No matter whether that rumor is true or not, the game feels surprisingly small for a sci-fi idea that makes it sound huge, mysterious, and full of new things to find. Aphelion is based on a well-known plot: Earth is dying due to a catastrophic climate collapse, and people must look for a new home among the stars.

Two scientists, Arianna and Thomas, are sent by the Hope01 mission to the faraway, frozen planet Pesphanany, which is thought to have the potential to support life. The setting leans right away into well-known sci-fi ground. A place far away. A task of desperation. An Earth that is broken. Things go wrong almost right away, of course. When the ship crashes, the two main characters are split, and staying alive becomes the most important thing right away.

After that, the story is told from two points of view, alternating between Ariana and Thomas as they try to get back together and find out what's going on in the world. There's also a thin emotional line that runs through them, like unresolved stress or hints of love. But it never goes beyond implication. Early on, the crew arrives after others.

Aliens killed the previous colonists, according to damaged logs and environmental accounts from another voyage to Pesphanany. This is when the tale should get intriguing. Many game reviews agree that the story is simple. Finding now uses logs. Tension is replaced by exposition. And big reveals often feel like they're there to speed up the story instead of making it more mysterious.

Don't Nod's writing of characters is still strong at times, but Ariana and Thomas's relationship never really feels grounded emotionally.

Their goals are still only vaguely described, and the broader effects of humanity's end or the moral implications of past actions are also not fully explored. This makes for a story with a strong idea at the beginning, but that becomes predictable as it goes on. Moment-to-moment gameplay in Aphelion is mostly about moving around and getting around in the world.

Ariana does most of the actual exploring, like climbing cliffs and ice walls, using a grappling hook, and navigating collapsing areas. Because he was hurt in the crash, Thomas plays a slower, more survival-focused game. Traversal is the main strategy. Moving like in a movie is a big part of the game.

You have to squeeze through small gaps, swing across ledges, balance on narrow paths, and time your moves. The unstable environment, with ice cracking under your feet, cliffs falling apart, and sudden weather changes threatening progress, is meant to create stress. At its best, this makes you feel very vulnerable. The planet itself seems hostile; it's almost alive in its reaction to your presence.

But people have a wide variety of perspectives regarding how to carry out the plan. My experience with the light-input-based traversal method was that it was both realistic and theatrical, whilst others found it overly mechanical. Climbing appears to be a solo contest because the trails are clearly designated and there is almost no risk of failing unless you neglect to pay attention to the time signal.

Most of the segments include climbing surfaces that look the same, nicknamed "mountain wall after mountain wall," and interact similarly. Thomas's parts give mechanical variation. His oxygen system forces players to obtain refills and navigate the globe, making things more urgent. He also communicates with extraterrestrial energy waves using an EMS tool, which adds a bit of light puzzle-solving and exploration.

These phases are more intriguing because they break the monotony and relieve resource strain.

The Nemesis is the most famous type of enemy. It is an alien lifeform that hunts players by sound instead of sight. Many people think that the first fights with the Nemesis are some of the best parts of the game. It is essential to conceal oneself; every sound is significant, and every action is prepared. There is a significant increase in stress due to the clicking sound effects and the random patrol patterns.

As players understand more about what the AI can't accomplish, they become far less afraid. It's too easy to miss encounters because of environmental obstacles and tricks that get in the way, and the AI often behaves strangely, detecting players even when they are still or well-hidden. The stealth base isn't as strong because it isn't always the same.

At first, the tense survival aspect is scary, but as time goes on, it becomes a problem that can be expected. The puzzles are also rather easy to figure out. The EMS frequency tool makes the interface a little more difficult, but most of the "puzzles" are just simple activities like turning on the environment or following clear instructions.

Many critics think that "resourceful investigation" is more like reading through logs that offer you answers than truly finding them yourself. There isn't a standard XP system, so there isn't a progression tree or skill evolution. Instead, progress is mostly controlled by the story, and some changes are linked to tools for managing oxygen or getting around.

This makes it feel even more like the gameplay's main purpose is to help the story move along, not to change automatically. Aphelion has many different looks. On the one hand, it gives us times of real beauty. Aliens' storms light up the sky, frozen wastelands stretch to the horizon, and abandoned buildings stand out against the harsh environments.

A lot of the time, character animation is seen as a skill. Ariana and Thomas are easily animated, and it looks like they can walk, climb, and jump without any problems. But environmental uniformity isn't always the same. Some parts are said to feel rich and atmospheric, while others are described as repetitive or poorly planned. Much of the game takes place on icy hills or on flat, boring terrain.

There may also be technical issues from time to time. It may be difficult to concentrate for a brief period due to visual flaws such as low-resolution flashlight shadows or random animation issues; however, these issues are not severe enough to prevent the game from being played. The sound design is one thing everyone who has played Aphelion has praised.

The game's sound is beautiful, cinematic, and emotional.

This strong modern sci-fi figure makes you feel like you're in a space epic. Occasional references to famous, tragic science fiction films enhance the game's grandeur and isolation. Environmental sound works just as well. Sounds of ice breaking underfoot, wind tunnels in the distance, and the echoing sounds of strange places all help to immerse you.

The sound design for Nemesis is especially noteworthy. It's clicking makes some of the most exciting parts of the game, directional sound cues, and unpredictable closeness. Many reviewers, even those who didn't like how the game played, agree that Aphelion sounds a lot better than it does.

In the end, Aphelion is a game about contrasts. It has a strong concept. It has a captivating vibe. Immersion is a goal of both its traversal systems and stealth features. Still, the same problems show up from different angles: repetition, a story with little to no payoff, and uneven game depth. A lot of people have said that the game feels like it was meant to be bigger.

The finished result is so much less complicated than it could have been that it loses some of its potential complexity. This may result from modifications to the development process, resource transfers, or even design constraints. Some individuals believe the story is good but not particularly intriguing, and that the science-fiction concept is not used to its fullest potential.

If there is one constant thing, it is that Aphelion is not a terrible game; rather, it is quite uneven, which is incredibly frustrating. It has brilliant moments from time to time, especially at the beginning, in the atmosphere, and in the sound design, but it too often falls back into repetition and mechanical simplicity.

There is still something here worth seeing for people who like the way Don't Nod tells stories, especially on subscription sites. Aphelion may not feel like a fully realized vision to those hoping for a deep, evolving sci-fi exploration experience. In its place, it can have the impression of being a possible prototype of something more substantial. In the end, the journey is lovely to look at and sometimes thrilling to play, but it's hard to fall completely in love with it.