A new sci-fi adventure is only a few weeks away from launch on Steam. Aphelion is set to release in Spring 2026, working with space experts to make it truly realistic. Of course, apart from the aliens.
What is Aphelion? Aphelion is the latest project from the developer Don’t Nod on Steam. With the game Life is Strange, they have already proven they have a knack for great stories. The first episode is so good, that it is one of the free “God-Tier” games on Steam.
But back to Aphelion. In 2060, Earth is uninhabitable. The ESA (European Space Agency) then sends the mission Hope-01 to the newly discovered planet Persephone. This planet is supposed to be humanity’s last hope. After a crash, the two main characters Ariane and Thomas are separated and must survive on the icy planet.
On Youtube, the developers have released 5 minutes of gameplay from Aphelion. We have embedded the video here:
The developers are supported by a space company
What role does the space company play? The ESA is not only present in Aphelion, it’s a real space company and supports Don’t Nod in the development.
On the official page of Don’t Nod, they already introduced their new game in 2025 and wrote the following:
We anchor our depiction of space exploration in real scientific knowledge and humanistic values. This really cool collaboration weaves authentic elements of space science with the emotional core of the game.
Aphelion has another special feature: In addition to ESA’s support for a realistic space experience, there is another feature of Aphelion. The two main characters are played from different perspectives.
Thomas must fight for survival with an injury, while Ariane tries to find him and has to climb over snowy cliffs. While both characters want to save their mission, they are threatened by a giant alien.
In addition to the free “God-Tier” games on Steam like Life is Strange from Don’t Nod, there are also really good games that must be purchased. These games have over 100,000 and extremely positive reviews. We have presented the 10 best games on Steam: Here are 10 games that have reached “God-Tier” in reviews on Steam
