I first played End of Abyss at a Summer Game Fest demo in 2024, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. The full release is about as good as I hoped it would be, blending Metroid's familiar formula with a survival horror flair, making it stand out even amongst an oversaturated crowd of indies. My playthrough was unfortunately infested with some major bugs, but I enjoyed the rest of the experience enough to largely brush those aside.

In End of Abyss, you play as a technician who ventures into an abandoned facility alongside soldiers and their captain. The setting is liminal and mysterious – fitting for a survival horror game – where you must seek out old notes and item descriptions if you want narrative context. The atmosphere is cold and lonely, and even your armed companions seem disinterested in helping you complete your tasks.…