Aphelion: A Lonely Sci-Fi Survival Adventure

Aphelion is a sci-fi tale where you crash on a distant planet, and you must brave the elements to rescue your partner. The trailer dropped at Summer Game Fest, and it looks like the narrative-driven adventure will involve a lot of lonely exploring, physics-based gameplay, and perhaps some horrors lurking in the shadows.

The Aphelion Trailer

The trailer dropped during the Xbox Games Showcase at Summer Game Fest. It begins with an astronaut trapped in a space capsule that is free-falling towards an unknown planet. She calls out for someone named Thomas, telling him to evacuate, before the capsule crashes. It appears that the game will focus largely on exploration and physics-based gameplay. We see the astronaut climbing mountains, sliding down snow-covered cliffs, and swinging on ropes. It appears that you will interact with the environment to discover the planet’s secrets.

But Wait, There’s More

After the trailer flashes the title, we see a man who’s presumably Thomas opening a spaceship door. As he opens it, the camera focuses on his terrified face as we hear threatening alien noises, before everything cuts to black. While a large portion of the trailer makes the planet appear to be uninhabited, this ending teaser indicates that you might have to fight off hostile alien life at some point. They might even capture Thomas, and you might have to rescue him.

Conclusion

Aphelion will not be a game for everyone. It looks like a good portion of the game will be spent simply exploring the planet and struggling to survive, which might disappoint players looking for a more action-packed experience. However, if you enjoy meditative experiences that simulate being all alone in a strange world, or you just want to play around with physics, this might be the game for you. Besides, the trailer’s ending indicates that there might be some fights in store. Aphelion is set for a 2026 release.