Survival game AETHUS sees you rebuilding a sci-fi colony after the ravages of galactic capitalism—and forging a new kind of future from the wreckage

The newly announced AETHUS is a sci-fi survival game all about doing things differently, set on an alien planet ravaged by a mega corporation. The hook here is in carving your own path through the capitalist wreckage, building a different world, and forging a new kind of future.

The planet has been exploited by the Astral Research Corporation (ARC), which still looms in the background. You play as former ARC engineer, Maeve, who's walked away from the company and now has nothing but a seemingly worthless scrap of land and an old, rather sarcastic utility drone, Roland. This is a new kind of experience in the genre, like if Star Wars: Andor met Arcane in a survival game: smart sci-fi drama rather than epic opera.

ARC being a far-future mega corporation, things aren't always quite what they seem, and Maeve has until now lived her life under a crumbling corporate bureaucracy that would prefer the past stays in the past. She may be done with ARC; but is still under their thumb. And Maeve's own past isn't done with her either.

AETHUS is about mining resources, building a future, automating where you can, and exploring this world and its buried secrets. But forget about the pickaxe: we're mining with laser blasts, baby, exploring the planet's hidden depths and scavenging forgotten technology. One more key differentiator: there's no combat. It's survival, Jim, but not as we know it.

Assisted by Roland, a sarky flying AI, your outpost is designed and expanded from a huge library of modular units including entire buildings, facilities, furniture, and even a few creature comforts.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about AETHUS is this is the work of a single creator (albeit with the help of contractors for some elements). In an industry awash with its own forms of exploitation, AETHUS features no AI-generated content, no microtransactions, and no cruft around the carefully-cultivated core experience.

"For me, 'not playing by the rules' boils down to two things; How I make the game, and how I treat potential players," says Alex Kane of Pawsmonaut Games. "I'm taking my AAA experience and values to create a polished product with noticeable attention to detail [...] For players, I want to deliver a high quality, complete game at launch with no early-access, no microtransactions or battle passes, and no content kept out of launch to come later as paid DLC."

Kane even gets quite philosophical about the game's vibe: "An ache for freedom from those dissatisfied with the world in 2025."

AETHUS has already been through regular playtests, with Kane looking to incorporate feedback quickly and be responsive to players' wishes. This already has a hand-crafted feel in a genre that can drift towards the generic, and its anti-corporate leanings and focus on fixing a world devastated by exploitation is a breath of fresh air in 2025.

If you want emotional depth rather than just dopamine, and like the idea of a slow-burn narrative that goes to unexpected places, AETHUS should be on your radar. This is a game with heart, built for those who love survival games but are sick of the aimless and grindy loops so many end up locking us into. More than anything, AETHUS trusts the player to build their own story as they uncover that of Maeve.

You can play a demo of AETHUS right now and, if you want a quick taste of what to expect, the new trailer is above. The game can be wishlisted on Steam, and is currently due for release at the end of 2025. You can find developer Alex Kane on Twitter / X for feedback, and also keep up with progress on publisher CULT's YouTube channel, Twitter / X, Bluesky and TikTok.