Free on Steam: Innovative indie title launches with 100% positive reviews
In Aphasie, players take on the role of Mastema, the angel of cataclysm, who has fallen from heaven and now seeks a way back to paradise. His journey leads through a surreal, dystopian city heavily influenced by ancient Greece. The ultimate goal is to reach the Tower of Babel, destroy it, and reopen the path to heaven. Gameplay revolves around stealth, combat and uncovering hidden secrets.
Aphasie takes strong cues from immersive sim design, offering players complete freedom in how to handle each situation. Challenges can be met head-on with weapons and magic, avoided through stealth or bypassed altogether by using tools and abilities creatively. For example, a spear isn’t just a weapon – it can also serve as a platform to cross obstacles. The world feels alive, with citizens and guards reacting dynamically both to the player’s actions and to each other. They can be manipulated to create distractions or even turned into temporary allies. A one-hit mechanic keeps the tension high, as a single mistake can end a run.
Beyond its open-ended sandbox gameplay, the Steam community has particularly praised Aphasie for its distinctive visual style – 2D paper-like characters navigating a minimalist 3D world – and its haunting sound design. Criticism, however, has focused on the brief playtime, which often clocks in at under an hour, the punishing one-hit mechanic, and the lack of guidance for its complex systems. Despite these drawbacks, reception has been overwhelmingly positive so far, with all 14 Steam reviews rating the game positively.
According to SteamDB, Aphasie has only reached five concurrent players so far. Even so, the glowing reviews suggest it has the potential to become a hidden gem for fans of creative indie games. Despite its short runtime, it’s well worth a look – especially since it’s completely free to play on Steam.
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