About This Demo

Descend into the depths of an alien planet - Aethus - to mine for valuable resources in a tactile, physicalised world powered by Unreal Engine 5.

Utilise both your mining laser and explosives to gather resources, then Prospect your finds to discover the rarest ores and gems to sell for maximum profit.

Experience a compelling narrative as you attempt to escape the grasp of your former employer, a planet-controlling, ultra-capitalist megacorporation - ARC.

Unravel a dystopian corporate conspiracy at your own pace as you delve through the remnants of a doomed expedition and the abandoned facilities they've left behind.

Construct your own outpost from the ground-up using the resources you mine from the planet, building highly customisable habitats to extend your reach underground, explore mysterious new biomes, and automate your gameplay.

Discover and purchase new plans and visual themes for a wealth of habitats, facilities, furniture and decorations before using creative building and terraforming tools to create your perfect cosy and functional base.

After an expedition, process your haul back at base by constructing numerous types of facilities to refine raw materials, smelt and synthesise products, and craft new items!

Sell products to the Corporation to earn credits, then Upgrade your equipment to unlock powerful new abilities to aid in your mining efforts.

AETHUS is being created by Pawsmonaut Games - a solo-indie developer based in Edinburgh, Scotland.

I have no publisher, am entirely self-funded, and committed to good old-fashioned ethical game development.

No use of AI, no early access, no microtransactions or purchaseable cosmetics.

Please wishlist the game if it looks interesting to you - it really helps!

After years of work in AAA, it's time to do things differently. AAA Quality, Indie heart.