The pair travel through space by swinging on clouds and asteroids with the monster's elongated tongue, searching other planets for life to which the boy can relate.

Both developers expressed interest in seeing a version being released on the Wii game console through the WiiWare online service.

Aether received a positive response from video game blogs for its unusual visual style and atmosphere.

The single looped piece of background music received a mixed response and the controls were highlighted as an area of the game that could have been improved before release.

Aether is a space adventure game with washed-out pastel colors and a varying soundtrack consisting of a piano, synthesizer, guitar, and percussion piece.

By propelling themselves from the initial cloud using swinging momentum, players can latch onto the next and repeat the process to leave the planet's orbit.

[12] The planet Malaisus is composed of water, with a monster identical to the player's swimming around with a shoal of fish.

The game was developed in 14 days;[20] McMillen found he could "ride off" Glaiel's inspiration and allowed the project to be completed quickly.

[22] He was initially unsure as to whether or not he wished to release Aether, since it was based on personal experiences and made him feel vulnerable.

He felt that the game's sense of emotion and mood was improved because development was not thoroughly planned from the outset.

[21] Aether was released as part of McMillen's game and comic compilation CD This is a Cry For Help in early November 2008.

"[24] Patrick Dugan of Play This Thing saw potential in the tongue-swinging gameplay, noting that Aether appeared to be the first of a series.

He suggested that more spatial elements, such as nebulae and black holes, would have made space flight more interesting.