A new year means new day-one releases coming to Xbox Game Pass. After yesterday’s New Game+ Showcase, which showed a number of upcoming games, there’s one title in particular we’re excited to check out. And the fact that it’s a day-one release on Game Pass makes it even better.
As revealed over on YouTube, Aphelion, from developer DON’T NOD, looks like it’s blending the sci-fi aesthetics and atmosphere of Mass Effect with the stealth and adventuring gameplay of Uncharted. That’s a pretty cool combo, and the new trailer succeeded in getting us hyped.
Aphelion Looks Absolutely Gorgeous
There hasn’t been a shortage of sci-fi games in recent years, from open-world RPGs like Starfield and Outer Worlds 2, to horror games like the Dead Space remake in 2023 (and more survival horror games in space are set to release in the next few years). That’s all well and good, but it’s exciting to see gameplay reminiscent of Uncharted (or Naughty Dog’s other property, a little series called The Last of Us) getting the sci-fi treatment.
The new trailer for Aphelion seemingly has that perfect blend, which is why we’re excited to check it out. The description for the game is: “Hunted on a frozen planet, astronaut Ariane must brave rugged landscapes and shifting realities to rescue her wounded partner, Thomas. This action-packed sci-fi adventure blends exploration, traversal, and tense stealth gameplay.”
Sounds cool, right? The look at the frozen planet Persephone was fun to see during the New Game+ Showcase (I’ve been a sucker for ice planets since seeing Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back for the first time), and ahead of the game’s upcoming release, I’m eager to see more.
It’s Hitting Xbox Game Pass Day One
Right now, Aphelion doesn’t have a concrete release date, but it does have a release window of 2026. It’s coming to Steam, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, and it’s been confirmed as a day-one release on Game Pass. If you’d rather purchase the game, pre-orders are already up.
Xbox Game Pass New Day-One Game Is Mass Effect Meets Uncharted, And We’re Here For It
