DaRmaZat When you first descend into Abyssus, you quickly realize this isn’t a slow, methodical shooter—it’s a brine-fueled rush through an undersea gauntlet where hesitation means death. This first-person roguelite blends high-speed combat, co-op coordination, and relentless waves of mutated guardians into a package that’s equal parts chaos and thrill ride.
Diving In: The Setup
In Abyssus’s brinepunk world, your crew of “Brinehunters” is sent beneath the ruins of an ancient civilization to secure a massive deposit of brine—a mysterious deep-sea resource with strange powers. Naturally, things go sideways fast, and you’re soon fighting corrupted denizens, towering golems, and other sea-born monstrosities.
The game wastes no time easing you in. A short tutorial teaches you how to dash, double-jump, fire both primary and alternate weapon modes, toss grenades, and melee enemies with a trusty wrench (more of a stun-and-run tool than a damage dealer). Healing is manual, resources are scarce, and movement is king—combat demands you stay in motion at all times.
A Roguelite Loop, Run, or … Expedition?
Abyssus is built around runs called Expeditions. Each Expedition is a sequence of small, handcrafted combat rooms, arranged in a randomized order. Objectives change from room to room—sometimes you simply survive the wave, other times you must complete tasks before enemies stop spawning.
Between fights, you’ll choose Blessings tied to Aspects like Fire, Lightning, or Frost. These grant both stat boosts and special effects (burn damage, freezing shots, etc.), and stacking them unlocks even stronger bonuses. A parallel Relic system lets you equip a single run-defining perk, such as dealing more damage to nearby enemies. Together, these systems give each run a satisfying synergy in how you craft your build.
Weapon variety is another strength: from the reliable Engine Rifle to the crackling Tesla Gun, the boomerang-like Disc Thrower, a precision Combat Bow, and even the absurdly glorious “Fish Deity” melee weapon (yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like). Each gun can be modified mid-run with ancient tech mods, keeping your arsenal evolving as the challenge ramps up.
Even failed runs yield something—gold, keys, new Relics, Brine Canisters for battle modifiers, or weapon mods—so there’s always a sense of forward momentum. The handcrafted arenas may feel visually repetitive after a while, but the procedurally mixed sequences and enemy waves keep the gameplay unpredictable.
Tension and Adrenaline
Running on Unreal Engine, Abyssus delivers smooth, responsive controls with precise aiming and snappy movement. One notable omission in the Settings menu is a wide range of graphical upscalers; instead, it relies on Unreal’s TSR, which works well enough to maintain solid framerates. Visuals lean into moody, underwater lighting and detailed particle effects, with realistic water physics adding to the immersion. The soundtrack—composed by Remi Gallego (The Algorithm)—matches the atmosphere perfectly, alternating between tense ambient cues and adrenaline-pumping combat tracks.
Post-launch, the developers have committed to keeping all gameplay content updates free, with optional paid cosmetics like the Brinehunter Pack or digital OST available for those who want to support the game. Two major free content updates are already planned, promising new weapons, modes, and other additions shaped partly by community feedback.
Final Thoughts
Abyssus doesn’t try to reinvent the roguelite wheel—it spins it at high speed and straps a brine-powered cannon to the side. The game’s focus on speed, coordination, and build flexibility makes it a blast to play in short, intense bursts, especially with a full crew of friends. While the environments could use more visual variety and the narrative is barely present, the core gameplay is so satisfying that these shortcomings feel secondary. If you’re looking for a co-op FPS that rewards quick thinking, tight teamwork, and a bit of reckless bravery, Abyssus is well worth the dive.
Additional Information
Release Date: August 12, 2025
Reviewed On: PC. Download code provided by the publisher and PR agency.
Developer: DoubleMoose Games
Publisher: The Arcade Crew
Website: Abyssus
Relevant links: Abyssus on STEAM
