End of Abyss Review Round-Up: Exploring the Dark Metroidvania Ahead of October Release

End of Abyss is drawing attention from critics ahead of its scheduled launch on October 1, 2026. Developed by Section 9 Interactive, a Swedish studio composed of former Tarsier Studios developers, the survival horror title plunges players into a rusted, blue-tinted underground base. Reviewers have highlighted the game's deliberate pacing, atmospheric tension, and emphasis on exploration, comparing aspects of its mysterious vibe to classic survival horror and sci-fi films.

Players control Cel, a combat technician who enters the subterranean compound alongside a squad of soldiers to investigate strange disturbances. The narrative relies heavily on environmental storytelling rather than direct exposition, feeding players lore through scattered messages, subtle dialogue, and sparse audio cues. The game combines a sprawling metroidvania structure with twin-stick shooter mechanics. Players use the left stick for movement and the right stick to aim in any direction, utilizing a dodge roll to evade mutated creatures and infected humans animated by a parasitic infection.

Exploration serves as a core pillar of the experience. Reviewers noted that the game features multiple levels, blocked pathways, locked doors, and areas requiring specific key cards or gear upgrades. A manual scanning feature allows players to analyze structures and enemies, adding entries to a logbook while providing clues about environmental requirements. Upgrades, crafting materials, and manual saving are restricted to designated safe rooms, forcing players to manage resources carefully. Movement across the map takes roughly 13 hours to reach the credits, featuring shifting perspectives that move between top-down, side-scrolling, and hybrid angles.

While critics praised the grim aesthetic, cinematic lighting, and sound design, some mixed feedback pointed toward repetitive standard enemy encounters and occasional bugs, including audio issues and progression blocks. The title runs at 60 frames per second on both the standard PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro without selectable performance modes. End of Abyss is set to launch on PC via the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.