Phoning Home

Phoning Home follows ION, a young exploration unit sent to secure natural resources. After crash-landing on an alien planet, ION must survive its dangers and find a way to contact home for help, with the ship almost completely destroyed and only its A.I. for company.

While exploring, ION meets ANI, a stranded service unit who identifies as female. ANI calls herself a bit mad, but she is a valuable resource, and ION soon learns there can be no escape without her. Together they face challenges on a planet where even the laws of nature seem not to apply.

Explore the planet

You travel through large open environments, including dappled forests, snow-covered mountains, volcanoes, canyons, deep oceans and scorching deserts. Environmental effects include changing time-of-day lighting, while harsh weather and temperatures threaten your survival. You must also protect ANI.

Find a way forward

The game combines exploration, logic and action. You can fight or look for ways to avoid combat, create portals to cross the landscape, and craft improvements and essential tools from resources found in the environment. You can also discover the remains of an alien civilization, decrypt its language and restore its technology.

Story and sound

ION and ANI are living characters brought to life by voice actors. The game also features a soundtrack. Its later stages become challenging after an easier start.