We Love It's Guide to…
As ex-mining engineer Maeve, mine hostile caves with an AI drone, build a surface outpost, and pursue a buried corporate mystery.
Released 06 Mar 2026
Mine with Lasers
Build a Modular Outpost
Prospect for Gems
Explore a vast underground world to mine and craft hundreds of items while building up your modular Outpost on the surface, to prospect for gems, refine resources and farm hydroponic crops in this top-down sci-fi survival-crafter where the story always provides a reason to dig deeper.
Developed by Pawsmonaut Games · Published by Pawsmonaut Games
You play Maeve, an ex-mining engineer who takes on a claim on the planet Aethus with her AI drone companion, Roland. As they explore abandoned facilities and the remains of a science expedition, the story follows Maeve’s effort to build a life beyond corporate control and investigate what lies beneath the claim.
Descend into underground areas to gather resources using mining tools such as lasers and explosives, then bring materials back to the surface. Exploration involves managing environmental hazards, including oxygen limits, and finding resources and clues that open paths to new areas.
Build a modular outpost with crafting, refining, and processing stations, and develop habitats for hydroponic crops, fish, and gem prospecting. Crafting and upgrading equipment unlock new capabilities and support deeper expeditions; game modifiers let you adjust aspects of the survival challenge.
Players who enjoy the game often praise its story and characters, voice acting, and the way narrative goals give purpose to mining, crafting, and exploration. Some also appreciate the atmosphere, outpost-building options, and adjustable settings. Criticism commonly focuses on repeated trips between the caves and the surface, resource grinding, and camera or navigation frustrations; several players also note that automation is limited.
You are Maeve, ex-mining engineer for the Astral Resource Corporation - ARC - a galactic megacorp that profits by draining entire planets of their resources.
As you take on your own mining claim, you'll explore the remnants of a doomed science expedition and the abandoned facilities they've left behind as Maeve strives to build a stable life of her own, outside of ARC’s control.
Armed with nothing but her basic mining equipment, tales from her beloved grandad, and her loyal AI drone companion, can you unravel the mystery of an incredibly powerful new element and uncover the dark secrets that the corpos would rather keep buried?
Use the simple but powerful modular building system to create your own mining operations hub filled with dozens of types of refining, processing and crafting stations.
Grow plants, raise fish and prospect for gems in your cozy habitats which you can decorate with almost any item you come across.
Descend underground and use lasers, explosives, drills and more to gather hundreds of different resources from your mining claim then refine them and craft new tools for exploration.
Upgrade your suit and mining drone companion to explore deeper and further into the world.
Built from the ground-up with story at its heart, uncover a dystopian corporate conspiracy and decide how far you’re willing to go for the truth.
Story is not an afterthought in AETHUS - there's always new narrative to drive you forward.
Looking for a laid-back exploration experience? Maybe a hardcore survival challenge? Want to mix and match?...
Use the available Game Modifiers to set up your perfect game settings, then adjust them at any time while playing.
AETHUS was created by Pawsmonaut Games - a solo-indie developer based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
I am self-published, self-funded, and fully committed to old-fashioned ethical game development.
No use of generative AI, no early access, no microtransactions or battle passes.
This game contains effects that may make it unsuitable for people with photosensitive conditions.
Player discretion is advised.
| Platforms | Windows |
|---|---|
| Achievements | 40 |
| Age ratings |
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| Controller support | PlayStation, Xbox |
| Controller required | No |
| Demo | View demo on Steam |
| DLC / extras | 2 listed on Steam |
| Website | Official website |
