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End of Abyss has a clear hook: it pairs Metroid-like exploration and unlocking new routes with top-down combat and survival-horror tension. Its scanner, gear upgrades and branching paths give that comparison substance, but launch-period reviews also describe frustrating sections and bugs. The result looks promising for players who value atmosphere and exploration, with some caveats about how smoothly the experience holds together.
What is End of Abyss?
End of Abyss is a sci-fi action-adventure and survival-horror game developed by Section 9 Interactive and published by Epic Games. You play as Cel, a combat technician descending into a damaged underground facility. The game released on October 1, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Store availability may vary by territory.
Section 9 Interactive describes itself as a small Malmö studio founded by former Tarsier Studios members. In the studio’s account of the project, the game developed from a top-down shooter into a slower, more atmospheric experience centered on exploration and tension. Section 9 Interactive’s feature on Xbox Wire provides the studio’s background and design perspective.
Why the Samus comparison fits—and where it stops
The comparison to Samus is about game structure, not a connection to the Metroid franchise. Like a Metroid-style adventure, End of Abyss sends you through branching areas and lets progression open routes that were previously inaccessible. You scan your surroundings, gain tools and revisit locations as new options become available. Game Informer describes the structure as Metroid-like, while also pointing to twin-stick shooting and survival-horror elements.
#1 Best Overall
- REVEAL THE UNSPEAKABLE: Face nightmares and cosmic abominations that will push your sanity to its limits. Journey through a futuristic reinterpretation of Lovecraft's mythos and uncover the legendary sunken city of R'lyeh. But beware: the deeper you descend, the more your mind succumbs to Cthulhu's relentless influence.
- CHALLENGE THE BOUNDARIES OF YOUR MIND: Dive into the darkness with Key, your AI companion. Follow leads, gather scattered clues, and sharpen your detective skills to solve immersive and complex puzzles. Uncover hidden truths and look beyond appearances to choose your path to resolving the case. Every mystery offers branching routes and secret passages waiting to be discovered.
- AN UNFORGETTABLE NARRATIVE EXPERIENCE: As an agent of Ancile, a secret division of Interpol specializing in occult affairs, you are thrust into a gripping story with complex characters, brought to life through cinematic storytelling. Immerse yourself in a first-person investigative horror adventure with a rich, branching narrative, where your choices and understanding will shape Noah’s fate in this nightmarish world.
That makes the comparison useful for setting expectations: exploration and gradual access to new areas share the spotlight with combat and horror. It does not mean the game is licensed by, or directly connected to, Nintendo’s series.
How exploration and combat work
Scanning, tools and routes
The scanner is part of the game’s exploration loop, alongside gear upgrades and unlockable tools. Routes branch through the facility, and returning to earlier areas can matter when your expanded capabilities reveal new ways forward. The official PlayStation listing highlights these features, including branching paths and revisiting areas.
Top-down shooting with horror tension
Combat uses a top-down, twin-stick-shooter perspective, but the stated design emphasis is slower and more atmospheric than a straightforward action shooter. That blend is central to the game’s identity: shooting is part of surviving the facility, while exploration and tension shape the pace between encounters.
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What launch-period reviews say
The early reviews suggest a game with an appealing atmosphere and exploration, though not an entirely even experience. These are individual reviewers’ assessments from launch week, not guarantees about every player’s experience or the game’s current patched state.
Rank #3
- FACE THE LEVIATHANS: Adds a new Border Board and Leviathan cards to replace the threat track, introducing sea monster battles that add tension and excitement to every game.
- NEW LORDS AND ALLIES: Recruit powerful Lords and Allies with abilities designed to help you fight Leviathans and secure victory.
- GAIN EXTRA REWARDS: Defeat the most Leviathans to earn the statue token and gain 5 extra victory points at the end of the game.
- HIGH STAKES AND STRATEGY: Explore the depths carefully—fighting Leviathans is risky but rewarding, while fleeing may result in injury.
- EXPAND YOUR ABYSS EXPERIENCE: Requires the Abyss board game to play. Designed for 2-4 players, ages 14+, this expansion deepens strategy and gameplay.
- Game Informer: Charles Harte’s PS5 review, published October 2, 2026, praises the blend of familiar Metroid-style progression and survival horror. Harte also reports that his playthrough encountered major bugs; that is his account, not an established bug rate or a finding about all platforms or later builds. Read Game Informer’s review.
- GamesRadar: Its September 30, 2026 review praises the atmosphere and pacing when the game is working, while describing frustration and problems that become more prominent later on. Those points are the outlet’s review judgment, rather than a universal measure of difficulty or a verified technical diagnosis. Read GamesRadar’s review.
Is End of Abyss worth playing?
If you enjoy exploration-led games that open up through new tools and revisiting old areas, End of Abyss has a strong premise: it applies that progression to a tense, underground sci-fi setting and mixes in top-down shooting. Its atmosphere and pacing drew praise from GamesRadar, and Game Informer found the Metroid-like structure compelling. The same launch reviews also flag frustrations, with Game Informer reporting bugs during its PS5 playthrough. Those reservations make the game a less certain pick if technical smoothness or consistently even pacing is your priority.
For platform details and the PC storefront, see the Epic Games Store listing. Console players can check the official PlayStation or Xbox storefront for availability in their region.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Join the battle for survival in Aeon's End 2nd Edition, a thrilling cooperative card game that brings epic video game boss battle energy to your tabletop!
- Perfect for game night, this 1-4 player board game offers strategic deck building without ever shuffling your deck." Unleash your collective wits against unique foes, each demanding a different strategy for victory.
- Explore the underground city of Gravehold and harness the power of gems to transform malevolent energies into powerful spells and weapons.
- The Aeon's End family of Card Games offers a variety of cooperative deck-building games, each expanding the lore and gameplay of the shared universe. Explore evolving narratives and strategic challenges across titles for a truly immersive gaming
- Nominated for numerous industry awards, Aeon's End offers a variable turn order system, simulating the chaos of battle and making every decision meaningful.
Rank #4
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