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Mixed or average reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: By 2060, Earth will be uninhabitable. The discovery of a 9th planet - Persephone - at the edge of the solar system, is humanity's best hope. The European Space Agency is dispatching the Hope 01 scientific mission, consisting of 2 of their accomplished astronauts, Ariane and Thomas. TheirBy 2060, Earth will be uninhabitable. The discovery of a 9th planet - Persephone - at the edge of the solar system, is humanity's best hope. The European Space Agency is dispatching the Hope 01 scientific mission, consisting of 2 of their accomplished astronauts, Ariane and Thomas. Their mission: to survey the planet and determine whether humanity can prosper anew here.

    Your adventure begins in chaos, as the crash landing of their ship scatters them across the planet, launching them on a desperate quest to find one another.
    Aphelion is a cinematic third-person action-adventure set on the planet Persephone, an uncharted, frozen world. Stranded and isolated, you must survive the truly unknown, find each other, and complete the mission. Traverse stunning alien landscapes, avoid lurking threats, and discover the haunting secrets buried beneath the ice.
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 20
  2. Negative: 2 out of 20
  1. Apr 28, 2026
    85
    Aphelion does well in both providing a good story with emotional pull, while also providing an experience that differs from the studio's previous works. The investigative portions may feel light, but they also provide a nice break from the stealth and climbing sections. The investigation, stealth, and climbing make the game feel more involved than what some may expect for a genre that can border on being walking simulators or Western versions of the visual novel. The presentation is great, and the runtime feels just right, making Aphelion an experience that's well worth checking out.
  2. Apr 28, 2026
    85
    Aphelion is a thoroughly enjoyable sci-fi adventure of loss, desperation, survival, and importantly, hope. Despite a few very late-game wobbles, this is one mission for humanity you should undertake.
  3. May 18, 2026
    80
    Aphelion is a heartfelt, visually striking sci-fi adventure built around Ariane and Thomas’ fractured relationship and the hostile beauty of Persephone. Its stealth and survival mechanics are accessible rather than demanding, and some dialogue overexplains key emotions, but the atmosphere, performances, and character-driven story make it an easy recommendation for players who value narrative over mechanical depth.
  4. Apr 28, 2026
    70
    Aphelion is far from the next classic Don’t Nod game, but fans of the studio will likely have a good enough time with it. The concept and narrative execution are strong here, but so much of it is bogged down by gameplay segments that made me wish I could skip like a cutscene.
  5. Apr 28, 2026
    60
    An experience that I don’t think even DON’T NOD fans will enjoy, firmly in the “play it and forget it” category, and if it’s remembered at all, it’ll only be for its ending.
  6. Apr 28, 2026
    60
    Aphelion turned out to be one of those games that I really wanted to love, but unfortunately started to dislike more as time progressed. DON'T NOD's marvelous UE5 showcase and its excellent Interstellar-like soundtrack can only do so much to disguise the flawed climbing and stealth gameplay mechanics.
  7. Apr 28, 2026
    40
    Narratively dry, mechanically unrefined, and entirely devoid of surprises—Aphelion fails to live up to the high standards set by previous Don’t Nod hits.

See all 21 Critic Reviews