DON’T NOD’un Yeni Oyunu Aphelion, Oyun Basınından Karışık Yorumlar Aldı

DONT NOD has released a new game titled Aphelion; the studio is known as creators of such titles as Life is Strange, Vampyr, and Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. Aphelion is the new original IP, action-adventure third person title, which follows two astronauts stranded on the unexplored, frozen planet Persephone.

Following the game’s release on April 28 for PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5, Aphelion has begun to receive its first reviews from critics, which look rather disappointing. The press notes that DONT NOD has managed to create a very beautiful product with a mesmerizing soundtrack, but the gameplay, to put it mildly, falls short of the mark, and the plot is quite predictable and unengaging. Aphelion is described as a typical average game—not terrible, but certainly not high-quality either.

Currently, Aphelion has a Metacritic score of 63 based on 14 Critic Reviews. The situation is even slightly worse on OpenCritic, where the average score from leading critics is 68, and the percentage of critics who recommend the game is just 38%. You can check out some of the notable gaming media reviews below, with some positive reviews are present, too:

Impulsegamer – 90/100:

“Aphelion is a beautifully created game by Dontnod and while it's gameplay has its issues, the narrative is pure sci-fi perfection.”

Gamesurf – 85/100:

“Aphelion marks the full maturity of Don’t Nod, as the team successfully breaks free from its self-imposed "creative cage" to deliver a raw and essential sci-fi work. Thanks to the collaboration with the ESA, the journey on Persephone avoids all clichés, transforming into a plausible and terrifying projection of our climate crisis and the urgent need to seek refuge elsewhere. The gameplay effectively splits between Ariane’s physical exploration and Thomas’s slow-burn investigation, where oxygen management and the threat of the Nemesis convey the scale of a titanic environment indifferent to human life. Visually monumental, the title stuns with its photorealistic glaciers and an alien soundscape enriched by Amine Bouhafa’s soundtrack. By tackling urgent themes like the New Space Economy and climate migration, Aphelion is not just a video game, but a political work that reminds us that the future depicted is no longer a matter of "if," but "when."

CGMagazine – 70/100:

“Aphelion isn’t a particularly bad game, but its gameplay and story are a little too safe to create an experience that is memorable.”

Game Reactor UK – 50/100:

“What we ultimately have here, what you're being asked to invest in, is the cover band version of Ad Astra. It's a gaming experience that feels as though it's been held together with duct tape, and only in fleeting moments does the narrative emerge that made me forget these otherwise obvious shortcomings. It's a shame, and I take no pleasure in sending a talented studio back to the drawing board, but I cannot recommend Aphelion, not even to those who pick it up "for free" via Game Pass. It simply isn't worth your time.”

GamingTrent – 45/100:

“Despite being so seemingly narrative focused, Aphelion really feels like it boils down to "nothing happens, the end”. The cast gives some great performances and the score is great to listen to, but even they can't save the dull, meticulous gameplay from feeling any less tedious.”

GamesRadar+ - 40/100:

“Coming from Don't Nod, it's a shame that both Aphelion's storytelling and climbing mechanics feels so lackluster, with Uncharted-like sci-fi action failing to make much of an impact at all. Some gorgeous alien vistas and a decent premise fail to interest for long when simply controlling characters feels clunky and uninteresting.”

• Worthplaying – 8.5/10
• DualShockers – 8.5/10
• Day One – 8.5/10
• COGconnected – 80/100
• Xbox Achievements – 70/100
• GameGrin – 7/10
• Comics Gaming Magazine – 7/10
• TechRaptor – 7/10
• Shacknews – 7/10
• AIPT – 6.8/10
• PlayStation Universe 6.5/10
• WayTooManyGames – 6/10
• Checkpoint Gaming – 5.5/10
• TheXboxHub – 3.5/5
• TechRadar – 3.5/5

Aphelion is the sci-fi action-adventure third-person title set in 2060. After Earth becomes uninhabitable, two astronauts, Ariana and Thomas, set off for a previously unexplored planet called Persephone. Upon arrival, they encounter a mysterious creature inhabiting the planet—Nemesis—who begins hunting the protagonists. Throughout the game, you’ll not only have to fight the local inhabitants but also conduct investigations and focus on survival.

The game is now available on PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5.