Aphelion is a single-player, cinematic third-person action-adventure about two astronauts stranded on Persephone, an uncharted frozen planet. After their spacecraft crashes, Ariane and Thomas must survive, explore the hostile environment and find each other. The game launched April 28, 2026, for PC via Steam, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.
What is Aphelion about?
DON’T NOD’s story follows astronauts Ariane and Thomas after a crash separates them on Persephone. The planet is the immediate survival challenge, but their complicated past and effort to reunite give the journey its personal stakes. Official descriptions present the story as a mystery as well as a survival-focused adventure; they do not establish more specific plot details here.
The game is single-player, not a co-op journey. Its third-person perspective follows both astronauts, with sections shaped around their different circumstances and strengths.
How does Aphelion play?
Explore and traverse Persephone
Exploration and movement are central. Official feature descriptions highlight surveying the environment, grappling, sliding and momentum-driven traversal. Ariane’s sections emphasize high-stakes parkour, while Thomas’s focus on resourceful investigation offers a different perspective on the planet.
#1 Best Overall
- Grounded sci-fi exploration: a realistic depiction of near-future space exploration.
- Dual-perspective survival: experience both Thomas’s resourceful investigation and Ariane’s high stakes parkour gameplay.
- Cinematic third-person action: gripping traversal mechanics, with grappling, sliding, and momentum-driven movement.
- Tense stealth encounters: face an alien threat in tense and exciting stealth-based sequences.
- An emotional core: two astronauts bound by a complicated past, fighting to find each other.
Use stealth to get through danger
The descriptions also call out tense stealth sequences. They do not establish a shooter-style combat focus, so it is more accurate to expect a mix of exploration, traversal and stealth than to assume fighting is the main way to handle threats.
Where can you play Aphelion?
| Platform | Availability noted by the publisher or store |
|---|---|
| PC | Steam |
| Xbox | Xbox Series X|S; Xbox also lists Xbox PC, cloud gaming and handheld capabilities in its ecosystem |
| PlayStation | PlayStation 5 |
The Xbox ecosystem options are separate from the basic platform list and may depend on device, region and current service terms. Xbox lists cloud gaming and subscription-catalog information; check the Xbox store in your market for current eligibility and whether a purchase or subscription is required for the option you want.
Rank #2
- 100+ classic games lovingly presented with best-in-class emulation and modern quality-of-life enhancements – and the ability to play classic games that have not been available for ages
- Discover the brand that launched the modern video game industry and the creative individuals behind it through interviews, archival images, special source material and behind-the-scenes content within an interactive timeline
- Emulation of games created for seven hardware platforms: Arcade, Atari 800, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 7800, Atari Jaguar, Atari Lynx
- Over 60 minutes of exclusive interviews with key players in the games industry – from early Atari designers and engineers and other luminaries of the gaming world -- as they discuss Atari’s enduring impact on the video entertainment landscape
- A retrospective on gaming history that is a must-own for collectors and fans of video games
Which Aphelion edition should you consider?
Standard digital purchase
The core digital game is listed for Steam, Xbox Series X|S and PS5. The specific digital editions and their current prices can vary by storefront and market.
PS5 Pioneer Edition
DON’T NOD describes a physical retail Pioneer Edition for PS5. It includes an exclusive Hope-01 mission-patch sticker, made in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA). That collaboration should not be read as evidence that ESA designed or scientifically validated the game’s systems. Check local retailers for current stock.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Rank #3
- PS5 Features include raytracing modes and immersive haptic feedback for DualSense
- Use darkness and cover to avoid being overwhelmed by the ship's deadly new inhabitants
- Seek out the weapon fabricators to increase your firepower as you journey deeper, into the dark and terrifying depths, but beware ammo is limited
- Gather materials & schematics for weapon upgrades and suit customizations with buffs
- Harvest DNA material to improve health, toughness and defensive capabilities.Survive an ever changing labyrinth. Each and every expedition into The Persistence will be disorienting and different.Death is just the beginning. Fatal encounters will result in Zimri's consciousness being uploaded into a new cloned body, ready to try again, with any upgraded stats, suits & weapon schematics kept to aid the next attempt to save the ship
Steam Deluxe Edition
DON’T NOD’s launch announcement described a Steam-exclusive Deluxe Edition containing the game, a cosmetics pack, a digital artbook and a soundtrack by composer Amine Bouhafa. Check Steam for the current edition name and availability before choosing it.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- CPU: x86-64-AMD Ryzen Zen 8 Cores / 16 Threads at 3.5GHz.GPU: AMD Radeon RDNA 2-based graphics engine.
- 16GB GDDR6/256-bit Memory; 825GB SSD Storage Capacity
- Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T), IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.1
- HDR technology, 8K output,4K TV gaming, Up to 120 fps with 120Hz output, Tempest 3D AudioTech
- Power PS5 Digital Edition - 340W; Input / Output：USB Type-A port (Hi-Speed USB);USB Type-A port (Super Speed USB 10Gbps) x2; USB Type-C port (Super Speed USB 10Gbps)
Rank #4
- Value for money
- Good product with exc\
- Perfect puzzling: Puzzles slowly increase in complexity enabling seamless progression and rewarding exploration.
What to know before you start
- Release date: April 28, 2026.
- Players: Single-player.
- Setting: Persephone, an uncharted frozen planet.
- Core activities: Exploration, traversal and stealth, with perspectives centered on Ariane and Thomas.
- Platforms: PC via Steam, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
