End of Abyss

Story and setting

Cel arrives at the facility with a crew, but she is not its leader or most experienced member. She is there because of her technical skills and basic combat training, and becomes separated from the group as the mission begins to unravel. From there, she must work out what happened to the compound and why its derelict areas are now occupied by creatures that are no longer fully human.

The setting is a sprawling underground complex of concrete, metal, machinery and damaged technology. Section 9 has kept the wider science-fiction world deliberately vague, so the emphasis is on exploring the facility and piecing together its history rather than being handed a detailed explanation at the outset. The tone draws on classic science-fiction horror, with the developers citing Alien, The Thing, Akira and Ghost in the Shell among their influences.

How it plays

End of Abyss uses an isometric, top-down perspective and twin-stick controls. Cel moves with one stick and aims independently with the other, allowing her to shoot while repositioning. Hands-on previews have shown a pistol, a shotgun, dodge-rolls and close-range attacks, with combat designed around positioning, timing and conserving stronger ammunition rather than simply clearing every room by force.

Exploration follows a Metroidvania structure. Branching paths, shortcuts and sealed areas encourage you to learn the layout of the facility, while new tools and equipment open routes that were previously inaccessible. Cel’s Scanner can identify points of interest, reveal information about creatures and help mark places worth revisiting. Upgrade materials, limited resources and save points add pressure, while preview builds showed enemies returning after saving, making shortcuts and route planning important.

The publisher describes the game as an adventure with single-player action, while coverage of the playable builds has also highlighted survival-horror and Soulslike elements. Those comparisons reflect the deliberate combat, enemy respawns and interconnected map rather than an officially separate genre label.

Trailers and showcases

The world-premiere trailer shown during Summer Game Fest on 6 June 2025 introduced Cel, the underground facility and the game’s cold, industrial science-fiction atmosphere. It also showed top-down shooting, the Scanner and several of the malformed creatures that will stalk the complex. The announcement confirmed PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via the Epic Games Store, initially with a 2026 release window.

The release-date trailer shown during Summer Game Fest on 5 June 2026 confirmed 1 October 2026 and offered another brief look at the facility, Cel’s equipment and the creatures waiting below. Hands-on demonstrations at Summer Game Fest Play Days in 2025 and 2026 provided the clearest view of the moment-to-moment gameplay, including twin-stick aiming, exploration, upgrades, resource management and boss encounters. Section 9 also began releasing behind-the-scenes videos in September 2026, covering the team’s approach to atmosphere, sound, level design and hidden areas rather than revealing major story details.

Platforms, editions and UK price

The launch platforms are PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC through the Epic Games Store. There is no PS4, Xbox One or Nintendo Switch version announced. The available listings describe a standard base game, with no Deluxe, Collector’s or physical UK edition confirmed.

The Xbox UK listing gives a pre-order price of £22.69 and the UK PlayStation Store listing gives £22.49. The Epic Games Store page confirms the US price as $29.99, but a UK pound price was not displayed in the available listing. Epic pre-orders and purchases also include the Cel Outfit in Fortnite, available from 8pm ET on 1 October, which is 1am BST on Friday, 2 October in the UK. Pre-orders are available through the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store and Epic Games Store.

What remains unconfirmed

The UK launch time has not been published, so the confirmed information is the date rather than a precise BST release hour. There is also no announced physical retail version, boxed edition or UK retailer listing to report.

Section 9 and Epic have not confirmed a Game Pass or PS Plus catalogue launch, although PlayStation’s store data shows a pre-order discount for PS Plus members. The game’s final length, post-launch plans, downloadable content, New Game Plus options and any multiple-ending structure also remain undisclosed. A Steam version has not been announced; the confirmed PC launch platform is Epic Games Store.

Should you pre-order?

There is a clear idea behind End of Abyss: focused solo exploration, tense top-down shooting and a hostile facility that becomes easier to navigate as Cel grows stronger. The playable previews suggest that combat is more deliberate than frantic, with atmosphere and discovery carrying as much weight as firepower.

Pre-ordering makes most sense if you already want a compact, atmospheric science-fiction adventure and are comfortable buying digitally. If you are unsure about the difficulty, the eventual campaign length or the lack of a confirmed PC price in pounds, waiting for reviews and the final launch details is the safer option.