Aphelion

While I had a blast embarking on this journey to Persephone with Ariane and Thomas, I do wish it were on the longer side. Even at seven hours long, there seemed to be room for the narrative to venture to deeper, more interesting places. Who knows, perhaps we’ll see that in the future. For now, though, this is a sci-fi epic well worth your time.

Aphelion tells a gripping story of humanity's last chance for survival on a distant frozen planet through the eyes of 2 astronauts. The adventuring segments aren't as enjoyable as the story but if you're a fan of DON'T NOD games, you won't want to miss this one.

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

Aphelion is a deeply frustrating mix of both brilliant and baffling design: part gorgeous, best-in-class narrative adventure. One boasting cinematic presentation backed by superb lead performances, further enhanced by the year’s most compelling, science-grounded sci‑fi story. But also, part dreary third-person action-adventure, undercutting the pace of its narrative with clunky platforming, tedious stealth and puzzle sections, and Thomas’ oxygen-management nonsense. In the end, this tight narrative adventure is stretched into an over-long slog. Sure, it’s well worth seeing through for the story, but with a sharper gameplay focus, Aphelion could have been essential.

At the end Aphelion devolves into trial-and-error frustration, with the game too often not working the way it taught you it would. There’s some thematic resonance in that—it falls apart just as Montclair and Cross’s mission did, just as the earlier expedition did—but it’s unintentional. Don’t Nod discovers that the edge of the solar system isn’t just farther than its ambitions can go; it’s so far it effectively breaks a game. Yes: Aphelion flies too close to the sun.