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Aphelion

Aphelion

Released: 4/28/2026

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. 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. Explore the surreal beauty of Persephone, a vast frozen world shaped by deadly weather and ever-changing terrain. Armed only with your explorational tools – pathfinder, oxygen tank, grappling hook, and more – you must face the unknown, traverse treacherous terrain, and gather clues about the strange, reality-bending phenomenon threatening your existence. Ariane must persevere and push forward to save Thomas. Her Pathfinder tool helps her find the way through the shifting expanse. She faces desperate swings over dark chasms and tricky climbs up melting ice – risking her life with every step. Thomas, injured in the crash, must rely on ingenuity and observation, piecing together what surrounds him to survive. As both characters explore and investigate, they will uncover secrets and clues as to the planet’s strange conditions and what caused the crash of their ship. You are not alone. There is a hostile lifeform stalking you. Avoid detection in tense, thrilling stealth sequences; use the environment to your advantage, and stay one step ahead of whatever hunts you. Explore Persephone and complete the mission, all while trying to survive in the terrifying presence of an unknown enemy. Helpless on the edge of the solar system, the Hope-01 crew faces a brutal new world and the echoes of a complicated past. Ariane Montclair and Thomas Cross share a deep connection, a relationship left unresolved by the demands of their careers and their mission. Facing overwhelming odds, their fractured bond becomes a lifeline as they grasp in the dark for one another. Key Features: Grounded sci-fi exploration: a realistic depiction of near-future space exploration Dual-perspective survival: experience both Thomas’s resourceful investigation and Ariane’s high stakes parkour gameplay Cinematic third-person action: gripping traversal mechanics, with grappling, sliding, and momentum-driven movement Tense stealth encounters: face an alien threat in tense and exciting stealth-based sequences An emotional core: two astronauts bound by a complicated past, fighting to find each other A game in collaboration with:

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. 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. Explore the surreal beauty of Persephone, a vast frozen world shaped by deadly weather and ever-changing terrain. Armed only with your explorational tools – pathfinder, oxygen tank, grappling hook, and more – you must face the unknown, traverse treacherous terrain, and gather clues about the strange, reality-bending phenomenon threatening your existence. Ariane must persevere and push forward to save Thomas. Her Pathfinder tool helps her find the way through the shifting expanse. She faces desperate swings over dark chasms and tricky climbs up melting ice – risking her life with every step. Thomas, injured in the crash, must rely on ingenuity and observation, piecing together what surrounds him to survive. As both characters explore and investigate, they will uncover secrets and clues as to the planet’s strange conditions and what caused the crash of their ship. You are not alone. There is a hostile lifeform stalking you. Avoid detection in tense, thrilling stealth sequences; use the environment to your advantage, and stay one step ahead of whatever hunts you. Explore Persephone and complete the mission, all while trying to survive in the terrifying presence of an unknown enemy. Helpless on the edge of the solar system, the Hope-01 crew faces a brutal new world and the echoes of a complicated past. Ariane Montclair and Thomas Cross share a deep connection, a relationship left unresolved by the demands of their careers and their mission. Facing overwhelming odds, their fractured bond becomes a lifeline as they grasp in the dark for one another. Key Features: Grounded sci-fi exploration: a realistic depiction of near-future space exploration Dual-perspective survival: experience both Thomas’s resourceful investigation and Ariane’s high stakes parkour gameplay Cinematic third-person action: gripping traversal mechanics, with grappling, sliding, and momentum-driven movement Tense stealth encounters: face an alien threat in tense and exciting stealth-based sequences An emotional core: two astronauts bound by a complicated past, fighting to find each other A game in collaboration with:

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. 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. Explore the surreal beauty of Persephone, a vast frozen world shaped by deadly weather and ever-changing terrain. Armed only with your explorational tools – pathfinder, oxygen tank, grappling hook, and more – you must face the unknown, traverse treacherous terrain, and gather clues about the strange, reality-bending phenomenon threatening your existence. Ariane must persevere and push forward to save Thomas. Her Pathfinder tool helps her find the way through the shifting expanse. She faces desperate swings over dark chasms and tricky climbs up melting ice – risking her life with every step. Thomas, injured in the crash, must rely on ingenuity and observation, piecing together what surrounds him to survive. As both characters explore and investigate, they will uncover secrets and clues as to the planet’s strange conditions and what caused the crash of their ship. You are not alone. There is a hostile lifeform stalking you. Avoid detection in tense, thrilling stealth sequences; use the environment to your advantage, and stay one step ahead of whatever hunts you. Explore Persephone and complete the mission, all while trying to survive in the terrifying presence of an unknown enemy. Helpless on the edge of the solar system, the Hope-01 crew faces a brutal new world and the echoes of a complicated past. Ariane Montclair and Thomas Cross share a deep connection, a relationship left unresolved by the demands of their careers and their mission. Facing overwhelming odds, their fractured bond becomes a lifeline as they grasp in the dark for one another. Key Features: Grounded sci-fi exploration: a realistic depiction of near-future space exploration Dual-perspective survival: experience both Thomas’s resourceful investigation and Ariane’s high stakes parkour gameplay Cinematic third-person action: gripping traversal mechanics, with grappling, sliding, and momentum-driven movement Tense stealth encounters: face an alien threat in tense and exciting stealth-based sequences An emotional core: two astronauts bound by a complicated past, fighting to find each other A game in collaboration with:

Critics
69
Steam
65
Metacritic
43

Score Breakdown

68.7

Critic Average

54 reviews

65

Steam User Score

354 reviews

43

Metacritic User Score

134 reviews

Disparity Breakdown

Steam Disparity
+3.7
Metacritic Disparity
+25.6
Combined Disparity
+14.7

Average of both sources

Review Timing

54 launch window (100%)0 late (0%)

Review summary

Updated Oct 19, 2026

Based on 54 scored critic reviews, critics give this game an average score of 68.7/100. Critics score this game 3.7 points higher than Steam users and 25.6 points higher than Metacritic users.

How these comparisons are calculated
Sources behind this summary(5 recent of 54)+
  1. Rob KershawviaJump Dash Roll
    May 11, 2026·Launch window
    60/100View review
    Steam 65.0/100 · -5.0 ptsMetacritic 43/100 · +17.0 pts
  2. Softpedia StaffviaSoftpedia
    May 11, 2026·Launch window
    70/100View review
    Steam 65.0/100 · +5.0 ptsMetacritic 43/100 · +27.0 pts
  3. Varun KarunakarviaGamingBolt
    May 6, 2026·Launch window
    70/100View review
    Steam 65.0/100 · +5.0 ptsMetacritic 43/100 · +27.0 pts
  4. Dan JacksonviaGamer Social Club
    May 6, 2026·Launch window
    65/100View review
    Steam 65.0/100 · +0.0 ptsMetacritic 43/100 · +22.0 pts
  5. Christophe PhilipsviaPragalicious
    May 5, 2026·Launch window
    70/100View review
    Steam 65.0/100 · +5.0 ptsMetacritic 43/100 · +27.0 pts