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Phoning Home

Phoning Home

Released: 2/7/2017

You play ION, a young exploration unit on a mission to secure natural resources. When you crash-land on an alien planet your ship is almost completely destroyed. Not only do you have to survive in a strange new world full of dangers, but to have even a hope of escape you must find a way to contact your home planet for help. With only your ship’s A.I. for company, you set out to explore your new home. On your journey you encounter ANI, a small, stranded service unit who identifies as female. ANI is the first to admit she’s a bit mad, but she is also a valuable resource, and it soon becomes clear that there will be no escape without her. And so, the two of you begin a journey that neither of you is prepared for, on a planet where even the laws of nature seem not to apply. A journey in which ION and ANI must face the strangest of all possible challenges if they are to have any hope of living to tell their own story.

You play ION, a young exploration unit on a mission to secure natural resources. When you crash-land on an alien planet your ship is almost completely destroyed. Not only do you have to survive in a strange new world full of dangers, but to have even a hope of escape you must find a way to contact your home planet for help. With only your ship’s A.I. for company, you set out to explore your new home. On your journey you encounter ANI, a small, stranded service unit who identifies as female. ANI is the first to admit she’s a bit mad, but she is also a valuable resource, and it soon becomes clear that there will be no escape without her. And so, the two of you begin a journey that neither of you is prepared for, on a planet where even the laws of nature seem not to apply. A journey in which ION and ANI must face the strangest of all possible challenges if they are to have any hope of living to tell their own story.

You play ION, a young exploration unit on a mission to secure natural resources. When you crash-land on an alien planet your ship is almost completely destroyed. Not only do you have to survive in a strange new world full of dangers, but to have even a hope of escape you must find a way to contact your home planet for help. With only your ship’s A.I. for company, you set out to explore your new home. On your journey you encounter ANI, a small, stranded service unit who identifies as female. ANI is the first to admit she’s a bit mad, but she is also a valuable resource, and it soon becomes clear that there will be no escape without her. And so, the two of you begin a journey that neither of you is prepared for, on a planet where even the laws of nature seem not to apply. A journey in which ION and ANI must face the strangest of all possible challenges if they are to have any hope of living to tell their own story.

Critics
68
Steam
69
Metacritic
70

Score Breakdown

67.5

Critic Average

12 reviews

69

Steam User Score

1,073 reviews

70

Metacritic User Score

23 reviews

Disparity Breakdown

Steam Disparity
-1.6
Metacritic Disparity
-2.5
Combined Disparity
-2.1

Average of both sources

Review Timing

1 early (8%)10 launch window (83%)1 late (8%)

Review summary

Updated May 8, 2026

Based on 12 scored critic reviews, critics give this game an average score of 67.5/100. Critics score this game 1.6 points lower than Steam users and 2.5 points lower than Metacritic users.

How these comparisons are calculated
Sources behind this summary(5 recent of 12)+
  1. Josh ThompsonviaHandsome Phantom
    Jul 28, 2017·Late review
    100/100View review
    Steam 69.2/100 · +30.9 ptsMetacritic 70/100 · +30.0 pts
  2. Daniel PaličkaviaSomHráč.sk
    Mar 11, 2017·Launch window
    60/100View review
    Steam 69.2/100 · -9.2 ptsMetacritic 70/100 · -10.0 pts
  3. Nathan SaretzkyviaGameGrin
    Feb 24, 2017·Launch window
    25/100View review
    Steam 69.2/100 · -44.1 ptsMetacritic 70/100 · -45.0 pts
  4. Sirus Gaming StaffviaSirus Gaming
    Feb 24, 2017·Launch window
    70/100View review
    Steam 69.2/100 · +0.8 ptsMetacritic 70/100 · 0.0 pts
  5. Thom ComptonviaCubed3
    Feb 23, 2017·Launch window
    70/100View review
    Steam 69.2/100 · +0.8 ptsMetacritic 70/100 · 0.0 pts