Aphelion Review

Don’t Nod is a studio that usually knows how to pull at my heartstrings. Whether it’s the time-bending drama of Life is Strange or the stylish combat of Remember Me, they typically deliver an experience that sticks with you. So, when I heard they were doing a sci-fi action title called Aphelion, I was genuinely curious. I’ll be honest: I was rooting for this one. I wanted it to be that next great sci-fi epic we’ve all been waiting for. But after spending some serious time with it, I’ve realized that being a fan doesn't make the medicine go down any easier.

​Tomb Raider in a Spacesuit

​If I had to sum up the vibe here, think Tomb Raider in space. You are doing a ton of climbing, jumping, and parkour. There is a surprising amount of crawling through tight spaces and navigating vertical environments. Honestly, the gameplay itself feels pretty solid. There is a lot more action than I expected from this team, and when you’re just moving through the world, it’s actually a lot of fun. Exploring the desolate, haunting environments of the ship is where the game actually shines.

​However, that fun hit a brick wall for me pretty early on. The game forces you to play as two characters, and playing as Thomas is a straight-up chore. He’s weak, he’s injured, and his segments feel like a drag compared to the high-energy parkour. It’s a frustrating contrast; you go from feeling like an interstellar explorer to a slow, limping liability. I understand what they were trying to do with the narrative weight of his injuries, but in practice, it just makes you count the seconds until you can switch back.

​The Momentum Problem

​The biggest issue with the gameplay loop is the monster. The game builds up some great momentum with its movement, but the second the monster starts chasing you, everything grinds to a halt. You’re forced into these stealth sections that completely kill the fun. One minute you’re enjoying the flow of the parkour, and the next, you’re crouched behind a crate for five minutes waiting for a patrol pattern to reset. It feels like two different games fighting for control, and the stealth game is winning by making the action game sit in the corner.

​This lack of combat is a persistent issue. I kept waiting for a moment where I could finally stand my ground, but Aphelion refuses to let you fight back. Even the "final boss" is just more sneaking. Instead of a climactic showdown, you’re stuck in one final, tedious stealth encounter that leaves the ending feeling like a total nothing-burger. It feels like the Executive Makeup of the game was terrified of traditional combat, but didn't have the Technical Soul to make the stealth as engaging as a Metal Gear or Splinter Cell.

​Navigational Nightmares

​I also found myself wandering aimlessly more than I’d like. The game desperately needs a breadcrumb trail or some kind of hint system. There were times I spent twenty minutes just trying to find a yellow ledge or a vent I missed because the lighting is so intentionally dim. I spent way too much time lost, trying to figure out where the path was supposed to be, which only adds to the frustration when you're trying to stay immersed in a depressing, heavy atmosphere.

​While the "hardcore" crowd might argue that lack of hand-holding is a feature, in Aphelion, it feels like a lack of Vertical Integration between the level designers and the lighting team. When your primary gameplay is traversal, being unable to see the "yellow paint" of the path is a fundamental mechanical failure.

​Character Connections and Design

​This is where Aphelion really stumbles for me. I just didn't connect with these characters. The character designs aren't great, and there’s a weird dynamic where the developers made the woman the strong one while making her look intentionally plain, while the man is portrayed as weak and incapable. It feels a bit forced and problematic, and it didn't help me care about their journey. It’s a strange departure for a studio that usually excels at creating protagonists you’d walk through fire for.

​Don't Nod is known for deep, relatable protagonists, but here, the emotional core just feels hollow. Many players are pointing out that the dialogue feels a bit stiff, lacking that natural "Don't Nod" spark that made us fall in love with Max or Chloe. By the time I reached the end of the 12 to 15-hour campaign—which, frankly, felt like 20 hours because of the pacing—I realized I just wasn't invested in whether they made it off the ship or not. For a game this bleak and depressing, you need a reason to keep pushing through the gloom, and I never found it.

​The Industry Reality Check

​The word on the street is a bit of a mixed bag. Many players are praising the ambitious scale and the fluidity of the parkour mechanics. There is a segment of the audience that loves the oppressive atmosphere and thinks the lack of hand-holding is a "hardcore" feature rather than a flaw. On the flip side, most people are echoing my gripes about the technical debt of the stealth sections and the lack of direction.

​The biggest red flag, though, is the player count. Aphelion has barely any players right now, and the game is already seeing a 10% discount despite being a brand-new release. It feels like this title needs to take itself off Game Pass and recalibrate. The market is speaking, and right now, it’s saying that a depressing atmosphere isn't enough to carry a clunky dual-character system. It’s a very different departure for the studio, and while they are capable of making a better game, this one feels like it missed the mark on Market Consolidation. They tried to hit too many genres at once—stealth, parkour, narrative drama—and ended up master of none.

​Technical Debt and Performance

​On a technical level, the Hardware Renaissance we were promised with this gen feels absent here. While the environments are visually striking in a "bleak" way, the performance on console is inconsistent. The frame rate chokes during high-speed parkour segments, which is exactly where you need it to be butter-smooth. This Technical Soul mismatch suggests the game might have benefited from another six months in the oven to polish the transitions between Thomas and the high-energy segments.

​The Verdict

​Aphelion isn't a bad game, but it’s a massive disappointment for someone who knows what this studio is capable of. There are moments of genuine fun when you’re navigating the world, but those moments are constantly interrupted by a monster you don't want to deal with and a protagonist you don't want to play as.

​I’m a hopeless romantic at heart, and I know many of you are too. If you’re coming into this hoping for a love story that will sweep you off your feet, let me stop you right now: this isn't it.

This is a cold, heart-wrenching experience that definitely doesn't have a happy ending. Between the lack of character connection and the fun being constantly interrupted by frustrating stealth, it’s hard to give it a glowing recommendation. Don't Nod is a studio with immense talent, but Aphelion feels like an experiment that forgot the Bottom Line: gaming has to be fun.

This wasn't as bad as Vampyr Was and definitely not as much of a disappointment but it was a disappointment.

Life is strange, Twin Mirror, Tell Me Why, Remember Me, and lost records were much better games than this. Dont nod should stick to those type of titles.