Released in 2018 for PC, Lonely Astronaut is a minimalist indie arcade simulator built around a single mechanic: using a malfunctioning jetpack to propel the body of a long-dead astronaut through a cosmic graveyard. The entire control scheme consists of one button, making the game immediately accessible while centering its experience on dark, existential themes rather than mechanical complexity. As players navigate the lifeless protagonist through space, various cosmic phenomena reveal themselves, though the astronaut remains, of course, unable to appreciate them. A cosmetic unlockable system allows players to outfit the corpse's skull with different items, each carrying its own distinct properties. Dry, self-aware humor runs throughout, framing the game's subject matter — death, abandonment, and the indifference of the universe — in a tone that is equal parts sardonic and contemplative.
