Aphelion Review: A Cinematic Game That Feels Like an Interactive Movie

Aphelion is the newest game from DON'T NOD, the creators behind the games Life is Strange, Tell Me Why, and many others. This experienced team set out to create something a little different with Aphelion, and in a lot of ways, they found success, but nothing can really be perfect.

It's not a very long game, but the mystery and journey on the alien planet of Persephone are meaningful nonetheless. The developers clearly knew how to write a good story and craft flawed but interesting characters. That, combined with some help from the ESA (European Space Agency), made for an intriguing and mostly realistic story.

During my interview with the developers a while back, we talked about some of the behind-the-scenes work that went into the game, and it got me really excited about everything. While my excitement didn't diminish as I moved through the story, I will say very few parts of the actual gameplay grabbed me.

What is Aphelion?

That's actually a harder question to answer than you might think because of how the game works. If you had to boil it down to its essence, I'd say it's an adventure-thriller-style game. You'll play as two characters throughout the story, Arianne and Thomas, who have crash-landed on the alien planet of Persephone.

Originally, they were sent here to investigate a mysterious electromagnetic power referred to as the Source. They have an intimate relationship, but for Arianne, the mission takes priority, until she discovers that during the crash, Thomas has been injured, and there's no way to get in direct contact with him.

Playing as Arianne, you'll climb icy cliffs and make your way through snowy areas in an effort to solve the mysteries of Persephone. Eventually, you'll come in contact with an alien life form called Nemesis that you'll need to sneak your way around. It can't see you, but it can hear you, so every step you take could be your last.

As Thomas, you're just trying to survive your injury and your dwindling oxygen supply. Moving through levels and finding out more information about what's causing the planets' ice to melt so rapidly. Thomas has to find oxygen tanks scattered around the levels as he looks for clues in an effort to piece together the past.

A Game That's Only Kinda a Game

I'm going to get this out of the way first because, to me, it's definitely the thing that bothered me the most. This game barely feels like a game, and gameplay operates more as a way to shuttle you from cinematic to cinematic. That sounds a little harsh, and it sort of is, but Aphelion doesn't have any incredible feats of gameplay that will engage you on a deeper level.

Realistically, you're playing the game for the story and to uncover the mysteries presented, rather than playing for raw gameplay. Each level basically amounts to a cinematic opening followed by some walking or climbing while Arianne or Thomas explains what they're seeing in a way a player can understand.

There are some secret logs to uncover and some other things on each level to scan as discoverables, but really, every level is fairly straightforward. Even when the Nemesis shows up, sneaking around them isn't particularly difficult, and there aren't any meaningful additions to that gameplay as the game progresses.

The gameplay isn't bad or boring, since it's made more interesting by all the information you receive from the characters and notes and such you find, but there are only a handful of moments that get really exciting. Those setpieces are worth it as you experience tension from various factors, none of which you fully understand.

A Highly Cinematic World

Aphelion looks great. That's it. There's really not much to say when it comes to the world of Persephone, because even with things being less than colorful, they still look pretty majestic. With plenty of vistas to view and a lot of interesting world architecture, you can often find yourself staring out at some of the finer sights.

It's pretty clear that the cinematics in the game got the most love and attention, as each one looks incredible and hits every note it needs to. The scene where the Nemesis shows up, for instance, is tense and intimidating but also a little awe-inspiring as you stare up at this monster seemingly made of living water.

This is definitely where the game shines the most. Every cinematic scene and every location looks and feels almost realistic. If you cut them all together, you might even have a short movie, which would still be pretty interesting, although some things would be missing. They really nailed the aesthetics of the planet along with the character models and actions.

These cinematics are what I found were really driving me forward. I wanted to uncover the story of Persephone, but more than that, I desperately wanted to know what exactly would happen to Arianne and Thomas.

Music That Makes It More Enjoyable

I don't usually bring up music or soundtracks as an entire category to discuss because I typically find it to be something that's really hit or miss. That being said, the music here just amplified everything so much that I couldn't help but notice it. Every scene has a solid soundtrack and great audio design.

The moments when the Nemesis appears are filled with this tension, thanks to the fantastic music alongside the eerie sounds that the Nemesis makes on its own. Moving from that to music that fills the space as you look out at a tundra is done incredibly well and really highlights the vastness of what's in front of you.

While the gameplay may not enthrall many people, the music is excellent enough on its own to give you the feelings you should be having. When it needs to be a bit more downtrodden, it is and gives you a nice backdrop to everything being said without feeling it's taking over the story.

A Story About Love and Mystery

The best part of Aphelion is the story, by far. It's a bit on the shorter side for most adventure games, but it has enough powerful moments to keep things going. Without trying to spoil too much, there seems to be something wrong with the planet itself, and uncovering the truth of that is the primary objective.

At least it should be, but thanks to our main protagonist, Arianne, it's really about finding Thomas. At the very first level, Arianne can infer from some context clues that Thomas is injured, pretty badly too, and without her help, he'll likely meet his end. Every level, she gets closer and more emotional as she reminisces about their past together.

Of course, their relationship isn't all cupcakes and rainbows, with Arianne seemingly ending things prior to them going on the mission, only for them to 'connect' while on the way to Persephone in what Thomas refers to as the "best mistake [he's] made in years." From the very beginning, the game sets the stage for something emotionally resonant and difficult.

Unlike in other games, our heroes are just regular people who make mistakes, who love and want to be loved. Very few games manage to strike the balance between a hero and a person well enough to keep you attached. In Aphelion, you'll feel their humanity right from the start and watch as realizations set in when it may be too late.

A Shorter Game Packed to the Gills

In totality, you could probably finish the game in less than ten hours, especially if you simply chugged your way through the levels and didn't do much exploring or interact with side content. In all honesty, I would've liked to have a few more hours of the game to play. I don't think it was too short per se, but more time would've been great.

We don't really see a lot of their lives before Persephone, and while we don't need to, I think a prologue covering the time leading up to the journey would've been great. It isn't something that I felt would have been necessary to connect with Thomas and Arianne, but it would have given us a clearer understanding of who they are as individuals.

Regardless, the writing packs so much in these short bursts, and I loved every second of it. It doesn't waste time trying to explain the finer details of the science and instead opts to simply move on to the next thing. Every cutscene, every dialogue, and every interaction is jam-packed with information that provides some insight into either the mystery or our characters.

Aphelion is a cinematic masterclass in storytelling. From the very beginning, you can tell that every moment of the game will be important. While it can't seem to keep up that same sort of engagement in the moment-to-moment gameplay, it works well enough to keep driving you forward. A short and enticing space-age mystery thriller that can satisfy from a story standpoint, but leaves a little to be desired in terms of gameplay.