Aphelion is a cinematic sci-fi adventure on Persephone, a frozen planet, where astronaut Ariane must rescue her wounded partner Thomas after a crash landing. Play alternates between Ariane’s climbing, traversal and stealth and Thomas’s world-building and oxygen management.
The two strands feel like different planets, with an icy wasteland on one side and a desert-like region on the other. Thomas’s sections carry the world-building through minor puzzles and an oxygen management gimmick, while Ariane’s hold the action.
The Nemesis, a sound-sensitive monster, must be sneaked past using distraction points and cover, and the stealth stays a minor part of the whole. The climbing works well, helped by an abundance of footholds that keeps traversal flowing.
The visuals are the most impressive element, and the performance capture carries genuine emotion in the key scenes between the pair. The gameplay mix between the two characters keeps the two halves distinct, and the story payoff lands through the crew’s fates and the planet’s mystery.
The Nemesis detection is the main frustration, because the monster detects on the slightest touch, which is easy rather than difficult. Terrain snagging causes constant falls during stealth, and a couple of traversal moments leave the intended route unclear.
The late-game Nemesis gauntlet grows a little annoying toward the end. The emotional peaks arrive through the pair’s bond and a final audio log, closing the story on a hopeful note.
Overall, climbing and the two-character mix make Aphelion an enjoyable sci-fi adventure with few real issues. The Nemesis detection and terrain snagging are genuine frustrations, but they stay secondary to a strong emotional story.