Aphelion

"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;s most compelling, science-grounded sci‑fi story. But also, part dreary …"

"Aphelion has a heartfelt story that is well-acted and paced. It falls apart with unfinished gameplay and too many bugs to ignore."

"A worthwhile sci-fi story that is marred by questionable gameplay. One would expect more from Don&s;t Nod."

"Aphelion is a beautifully created game by Dontnod and while it&s;s gameplay has its issues, the narrative is pure sci-fi perfection"

"After an initially positive impression, Aphelion fails to achieve liftoff. Shallow and outdated climbing mechanics, coupled with an abundance of boring stealth sections, make the narrative the only hope for this mission. However, with a lack of compelling characters or …"

"Aphelion treads familiar waters for anyone who has played an action adventure game in a post-Uncharted world. But its emotional and grounded narrative about the search for hope is potent enough to look past many shortcomings."

"Aphelion does well in both providing a good story with emotional pull, while also providing an experience that differs from the studio&s;s previous works. The investigative portions may feel light, but they also provide a nice break from the stealth …"

"As a complete package, Aphelion mostly lands, especially when it comes to the story. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you engaged, and it’s one of those games whose story cleverly combines a variety of emotions. You …"

"Despite being so seemingly narrative focused, Aphelion really feels like it boils down to "nothing happens, the end".The cast gives some great performances and the score is great to listen to, but even they can&s;t save the dull, meticulous gameplay …"

"A bit more space horror, a greater context about the state of humanity, or a focus on some of the reflective existential themes that usually accompany the science fiction genre would have strengthened the story."

"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 …"

"Aphelion is a solid science fiction adventure with a large focus on emotional connection and narrative. Despite some tedious controls and obvious bugs, the journey is worth staying to the very end."

"Aphelion is a cinematic adventure that tells a dramatic tale about two astronauts’ passion and commitment to one another and the mission. Although its gameplay is conventional and follows in the footsteps of its inspirations, the design amplifies the sense …"

"Aphelion is very much a compelling, though mechanically nuts and bolts narrative adventure that embraces linearity and spectacle above all else. Though its embedded dynamic of interpersonal relationships is engaging, the technical flaws, occasional clunkiness and aged-like-milk stealth sections sadly …"

"Aphelion is a narrative science-fiction game that places a strong emphasis on atmosphere, exploration, and the mystery surrounding Persephone. Thanks to its stunning art direction, highly effective environmental storytelling, and clever concepts involving electromagnetic waves, the game manages to hold …"

"DON’T NOD took a massive gamble by ditching combat, and it completely pays off. Aphelion hooks you through the raw panic of climbing frozen walls, babysitting your oxygen tanks, and tricking a blind, sound-tracking creature using your visor gear. The …"

"Aphelion isn&s;t a particularly bad game, but its gameplay and story are a little too safe to create an experience that is memorable."

"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 …"

"Aphelion tells a gripping story of humanity&s;s last chance for survival on a distant frozen planet through the eyes of 2 astronauts. The adventuring segments aren&s;t as enjoyable as the story but if you&s;re a fan of DON&s;T NOD games, …"

"It&s;s hard to hide our disappointment with Aphelion, which stands as the very definition of an average game. While there&s;s nothing fundamentally bad or failed about Don&s;t Nod&s;s title, there&s;s still plenty of room for improvement on many levels, which …"

"Aphelion may stumble in its mechanics, but when it places focus on the storytelling, atmosphere and spectacle, it’s exactly the kind of experience DON’T NOD excels at. It’s intriguing, mysterious and clever - we just wish it was tighter in …"

"A near future third person sci-fi adventure whose believable characters, expressive animation, and glorious icy backdrops are undermined by a linear story with too little variety in its interactions."

"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."

"Ultimately, these just result in different ways to have you move slowly through a pretty basic area."

"Aphelion is a great sci-fi adventure that delivers on all fronts. The story, atmosphere, traversal, stealth, and visuals are all great. Ariane and Thomas give the mission a strong emotional centre, while Persephone gives the journey scale, danger, and mystery."

"Aphelion is a third-person adventure set on a remote planet. With two playable characters and the planet Persephone as the true protagonist, its climbing mechanics and stealth sequences aren&s;t enough to draw us into the experience. DON&s;T NOD repeats some …"

"Aphelion may not impress all that much on the gameplay front, with its traversal and stealth sections sometimes marred by its clunky controls, but its story and presentation pick up the slack, making it an enjoyable trek across an alien …"

"Recently, we&s;ve seen the Artemis II mission successfully blast off, have a quick look at the dark side of the Moon, then safely return to Earth. ..."

"A beautifully staged sci-fi survival story weighed down by repetitive, sometimes awkward gameplay."

"Aphelion has everything I’d expect from a competent DON’T NOD project, from the sound design to the story to the characters and beyond. The narrative and two leading protagonists captivated me with struggles that felt well-acted, thematically rich and consistently …"

"Aphelion is a solid experience that delivers on its promise, with its world and excellent performance backing it up. This one&s;s a memorable title if you&s;re looking for a great story, but might disappoint you if you want a challenge."

"It takes some time for the story to fully unfold, and the gameplay often relies on fairly traditional corridor-based principles, but the strong narrative compensates for these shortcomings to a large extent."

"For a studio with such a strong legacy in narrative gaming, Aphelion lands as one of Don&s;t Nod&s;s weakest projects in years. Beautiful visuals and a promising premise are ultimately buried beneath repetitive gameplay, sluggish pacing, and a story that …"

"Despite some stunning visuals and an excellent soundtrack, Aphelion sadly doesn&s;t have the narrative prowess that DON&s;T NOD is known for. Bland characters and a story that doesn&s;t deliver on its promising premise, plus a tedious gameplay loop makes this …"

"Apparently, Aphelion fell victim to the financial difficulties that DON&s;T NOD faced. Despite a fairly solid foundation, the authors failed to polish both the narrative elements and the gameplay."