Ancient Abyss

About

Ancient Abyss is a single player arcade hack and slash game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Thermite Games and was released on January 14, 2021. It received neutral reviews from players.

Ancient Abyss is a 2D action game that combines the exploration and discovery of 2D Zelda games with the thrilling battle and permadeath mechanics of Roguelike games. The game takes place in a randomly generated maze, filled with hidden areas and secret powers. As you progress, you'll gain new abilities and items to help you reach deeper into the abyss, uncovering dark forces along the way.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

60%

Audience ScoreBased on 35 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features a unique and beautiful art style, reminiscent of classic pixel art, which many players find appealing.
Combat mechanics are solid and provide a mix of challenge and fun, with interesting upgrades that enhance gameplay.
The game has potential for growth and improvement, with some players expressing hope for future updates and content additions.

The game has been abandoned in early access, leaving it in a rough and unfinished state with many bugs and localization issues.
Combat feels clunky and unpolished, with issues such as stiff controls and inconsistent hitboxes that detract from the overall experience.
Many players find the narrative and dialogue poorly translated, making it difficult to engage with the story and lore.

gameplay
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the mechanics clunky and uninspired, which detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the atmospheric art style and the potential for fun interactions, the combat and core mechanics need significant improvement to stand out in the crowded roguelike genre. Despite its early access status and existing issues, there are glimpses of enjoyable gameplay that could develop further with updates.
- “The game just came out in early access and so it does have major localization and translation issues, and a lack of polish in combat and presentation, but it does have some very fun and interesting mechanics in a solid, familiar feeling roguelite.”
- “Unlocking new mechanics makes repeated playthroughs enjoyable as you begin to master a system.”
- “Really neat combination of Zelda and roguelike mechanics.”
- “I would recommend a game despite abysmal translation if the core mechanics were good, but the combat feels clunky and the mechanics feel uninspired.”
- “I know it's early in its development, but outside of major overhauls to the core gameplay, I couldn't imagine this being a standout amongst so many great roguelikes coming out nowadays.”
- “Personally, the game felt too slow and clunky. There are neat mechanics and cool interactions, as well as a good art style and atmosphere, but I feel as though the player should move a little bit smoother and faster as a whole.”
graphics
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
9%
18%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their amazing art style, reminiscent of "Hyper Light Drifter," which enhances the overall atmosphere and enjoyment. While the visuals are generally considered great, some users noted inconsistencies in certain elements, such as fire effects and perspective issues, which detracted from the overall experience. Despite these minor flaws, the graphics contribute positively to the game's appeal, making it visually engaging for players.
- “The visuals are great.”
- “Actually, the visuals are amazing.”
- “At the end of the day, you can buy it if you feel like it, but the art style is absolutely amazing.”
- “The art style is like a watered down Hyper Light Drifter.”
- “Some parts of the art style also don't blend well; for instance, I feel like the fire should have more of a pixelated look to it rather than this weird, almost stock fire look. There are also some perspective issues that don't match up and seem out of place.”
story
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users noting poor translations and incoherent dialogue that detracts from the overall narrative experience. While some appreciate the subtle storytelling and immersive world-building reminiscent of classic titles, others find the story largely nonexistent and difficult to engage with. Despite these criticisms, players still enjoy the gameplay and dungeon-crawling elements, suggesting that the game can be fun even if the story falls short.
- “The whole reason why the first Zelda was made in that way was to encourage exploration in a well-crafted world, that's been methodically thought through, full of things to see, unlock, and hidden secrets in the cracks of the world, and hidden bits of storytelling.”
- “Because Hyper Light Drifter told a compelling story, with similar visuals, a far superior soundtrack, and a well-thought-out world.”
- “That being said, it's a super fun dungeon crawl, I'm already in love with it and the story is great so far.”
- “The story is nonexistent because the dialogue makes zero sense.”
- “There is no point to reading and paying attention to the lore and story bits right now because most of it makes no sense, and some of the upgrades and item and weapon text are also really hard to understand.”
- “Like they said, some text is still in its original dialect... mostly small things, nothing streamlined or story-wise that would make you feel like you are missing something big.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the atmospheric and relaxing qualities of the soundtrack, others find it repetitive and out of place, likening it to a single track from an 80s album. There are calls for more diversity and improvement in the music, as some users reported issues with volume control and overall enjoyment. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a significant area for enhancement.
- “Great soundtrack.”
- “The music and the smooth pixel style that adorn the gameplay are very cleverly put together, very relaxing, and the combination of the two often gives us an atmospheric experience.”
- “Because Hyper Light Drifter told a compelling story, with similar visuals, a far superior soundtrack, and a well thought out world.”
- “Because that's sort of like banging your fists against the piano and calling it 'music'.”
- “The music also feels out of place with this game; it sounds like it's just one track from an 80's stereo album repeated throughout, and becomes quite annoying after a while to the point I just had to turn the music all the way down.”
- “- The music needs a lot of work.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
50%
The stability of the game is mixed, with some players reporting significant game-breaking bugs and glitches that suggest it was released in an unfinished state, while others have experienced a smooth gameplay experience without any issues. Overall, the feedback indicates that stability may vary widely among users.
- “No glitches at all so far; combat and exploration are fun.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes, making for a seamless experience.”
- “I've experienced consistent performance throughout my playtime, which enhances immersion.”
- “I wish I could say this is currently a good experience, but so far, the game feels very unfinished. The developers should have waited some time before releasing it in early access, as I've encountered several bugs and glitches that were game-breaking for me.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its relaxing music and smooth pixel art style, creating an engaging experience. However, some players feel that the gameplay's slow and clunky movement detracts from the overall immersion, despite the appealing art and mechanics.
- “The music and the smooth pixel style that adorn the gameplay are very cleverly put together, creating a relaxing and atmospheric experience.”
- “There are neat mechanics and cool interactions, as well as a good art style and atmosphere that enhance the overall experience.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players appreciate the grinding aspect of the game, noting that while puzzles and secrets may lose their novelty after the first encounter, they are not tedious, which enhances the overall experience. The balance of risk and reward keeps players motivated to continue grinding, even after failures, making it a compelling roguelike experience.
- “The grinding in this game feels excessive and often tedious, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I find the grinding mechanics to be repetitive and uninspired, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- “While the game has potential, the amount of grinding required to progress feels like a chore rather than an enjoyable challenge.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is generally well-received, with praise for the pixel art and character design; however, players express a desire for greater diversity in weapon mechanics, as the current differences between two-handed and one-handed swords are primarily aesthetic rather than functional.
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users feel that the emotional impact of the game is somewhat lacking, particularly in relation to the progression systems, which could benefit from more depth and refinement to enhance player engagement and connection.
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate a mixed sentiment regarding monetization, with some users suggesting a cautious approach—buying the game out of curiosity while remaining skeptical about potential cash grab elements. Overall, there seems to be uncertainty about the game's value versus its monetization strategy.
- “Buy it if you're curious, but stick around to see if it's a cash grab or not.”