End of Abyss

Story and setting

Cel enters the facility with a crew after reports of disturbances from an unknown source. The mission soon becomes a descent through abandoned corridors, broken machinery and derelict research areas occupied by creatures that are no longer fully human. The wider science-fiction setting is kept deliberately mysterious, with much of the story communicated through environmental details, messages and the remains of the complex rather than lengthy explanations.

The tone sits between classic survival horror and modern sci-fi. Section 9 Interactive was founded by former Tarsier Studios developers, and that background is visible in the unsettling creature designs and oppressive visual style, although End of Abyss is a more combat-focused game than Little Nightmares.

How it plays

End of Abyss is viewed from a third-person, semi-top-down perspective that can shift towards a more conventional isometric or side-on angle in some areas. Its central combat system is twin-stick shooting: one stick moves Cel while the other aims independently. She can dodge-roll through attacks, use gadgets such as grenades and flares, and expand her arsenal as the facility opens up.

The game’s structure is closer to a survival-horror Metroidvania than a straightforward shooter. Branching routes, locked doors and inaccessible areas encourage you to remember places you could not previously reach, then return once you have found the appropriate tool, key or upgrade. The Scanner helps identify objects, creatures, doors and routes, while upgrade stations allow weapons, ammunition, health and equipment capacity to be improved. Resources matter, since stronger weapons use crafted ammunition and enemies return after saving or dying.

Reviewers report a main route of roughly 12 to 15 hours, with more time needed for optional bosses, upgrades and exploration. The game is designed for one player and has no co-operative campaign or competitive mode.

Platforms, editions and UK price

The confirmed launch platforms are PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC. The PC version is sold through the Epic Games Store, and no Steam version has been announced. The UK launch RRP is £22.49 on PS5 and £22.69 on Xbox Series X|S. Epic’s UK listing does not display a pound price for PC at the time of writing. The verified digital purchase routes are the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store and Epic Games Store.

The Xbox version is marked as Optimised for Xbox Series X|S, while the PS5 release supports DualSense vibration and adaptive triggers. Push Square found that both the standard PS5 and PS5 Pro versions ran at 60 frames per second in testing, with no selectable performance modes. Epic lists a 5.29GB SSD installation and minimum PC requirements of an Intel Core i5-6600 or Ryzen 5 2400G, 8GB of RAM and a GTX 1060, RX 6500 XT or Arc A380. Recommended specifications rise to 16GB of RAM and a GTX 1070 Ti, RX 6650 XT or Arc A750.

Launch state and reception

There are no verified post-launch expansions, extra modes or downloadable story content as of release day, and no public patch notes confirming a substantial launch update. Several reviews encountered technical problems, including audio issues, invisible barriers, map problems, enemies hitting through walls and occasional progression-blocking bugs. A patch may address some of these issues, but no specific fix list has been confirmed.

Early reviews are mixed rather than uniformly negative. Push Square awarded End of Abyss 8/10, praising its atmosphere, map design, exploration and 60fps PS5 performance. Shacknews also gave it 8/10, highlighting the sound design, understated world-building and exploration. GamesRadar+ scored it 3/5, praising the setting and monster design while criticising repetitive backtracking, awkward boss encounters and bugs. The broad consensus is that the atmosphere and exploration are stronger than the combat and technical polish.

Should you buy it?

End of Abyss is best suited to players who enjoy getting lost in interconnected spaces, working out routes without constant waypoints and treating ammunition as a resource rather than a free-flowing supply. Its strongest ideas are the facility itself, the Scanner and the satisfaction of opening up routes that initially seem impossible.

The £22.49 PS5 and £22.69 Xbox prices are lower than a full-price release, but the bugs and uneven combat make waiting for confirmed patches sensible if you are not especially drawn to the setting. There is no need to buy it for multiplayer, because the game is strictly a solo experience.