Hailing from the Abyss
- August 19, 2024
- VIA Studio (Visual Interactive Arts)
Get on Steam"Hailing from the Abyss" is a rhythm-based game where you journey through distinct stages with unique enemies and original soundtracks, battling against memories in a mesmerizing pixel art style. The game features over 20 hand-crafted stages, multiple chapters with unique enemies, power-ups, consumables, and a duel system. Your protagonist is on a train ride home, wearing headphones and dozing off, causing the memories to come to life.
Reviews
- The game features a unique pixel art style and a solid soundtrack that many players enjoy.
- The gameplay offers a nice challenge, especially as players progress to harder difficulties.
- The developers are actively updating the game and addressing bugs reported by users.
- The note charting and timing are often off, leading to frustrating gameplay where hits don't register correctly.
- The game suffers from excessive visual effects that can be distracting and make it difficult to see the notes.
- There are significant bugs and a lack of quality-of-life features, such as audio adjustments and speed settings.
- music36 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the soundtrack and its ability to complement gameplay, while others criticize the lack of originality and variety, noting that many tracks feel repetitive. Although the charting is generally well-executed, some players find issues with timing and arrow placement that disrupt the rhythm experience. Overall, while the music has its fans, it also faces significant criticism for its execution and consistency.
“The soundtrack is great and the charting is even greater.”
“In terms of soundtracks, each song feels carefully chosen to complement the gameplay, and even after replaying the song countless times, it still gets you in the zone.”
“The combination of music and combat is intriguing.”
“The songs are terrible.”
“The music lags behind the hit boxes of the arrows.”
“Music also lacks a lot of variety.”
- story8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally appreciated for adding depth and enjoyment, with some players finding it engaging and cute. However, there are criticisms regarding its pacing, vagueness, and the clarity of the main plot, which left some players confused. Overall, while the narrative has its flaws, it contributes positively to the game's experience.
“Nevertheless, I very much liked and enjoyed the game, story, and the music.”
“Unlike previous rhythm games, it is fun because it has a story, and the game characters are cute, so I want to buy it when I make it into a doll.”
“Also, adding a story has given the game depth.”
“The text boxes for the story are slow and linger on screen for a few seconds before allowing you to continue.”
“The story is serviceable, in my opinion.”
“The storyline is confusingly vague.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game receive mixed feedback; while many players appreciate the cute art style and stunning pixel animations that enhance immersion, there are significant issues with note mapping and calibration that detract from the experience. Some users report frustrating graphical glitches, such as hold notes appearing in incorrect columns, which can disrupt gameplay. Despite these problems, the visuals are generally considered decent and contribute positively to the overall gaming experience.
“The cute graphics and combat style make the game immersive.”
“Stunning visuals.”
“The aesthetic of the pixel art and animation work nicely together!”
“I have no idea what is happening with the mapping and graphics of the notes, but the calibration needs an automatic timed beat version. Fun so far, but I'm having a stroke actively knowing I hit notes and they just aren't registering.”
“Ever since one of the early chapters, a significant amount of the hold notes for the first column have the hold bar graphic showing up on the second column instead, obstructing the notes that are on the second column.”
“The graphics are lacking clarity and can be confusing, especially when important elements overlap or are misaligned.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally satisfying, enhanced by a well-curated soundtrack that maintains player engagement. However, issues such as lag from intense lighting effects and potential exploits in the mechanics, like bypassing challenges by pressing all keys simultaneously, suggest areas for improvement. Overall, it offers decent graphics and a solid experience within its genre.
“In terms of soundtracks, each song feels carefully chosen to complement the gameplay, and even after replaying the song countless times, it still gets you in the zone.”
“Provides a satisfactory gaming experience with decent graphics and gameplay, making it a solid choice for the genre.”
“The intense lighting effects cause the gameplay to lag so much on certain levels.”
“However, I found that simultaneously pressing all keys allowed me to bypass challenges, indicating potential issues with the current gameplay mechanics.”
“Gameplay bugs.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is criticized for being buggy and having poorly designed charting, which can make gameplay feel cluttered and difficult to navigate. Additionally, the lack of a scroll speed adjuster detracts from the experience, particularly for skilled rhythm game players who may find the difficulty levels unbalanced.
“The game is buggy and the charting is a bit of a mess, making it difficult to read. It would be nice if there was a scroll speed adjuster, but there isn't, which adds to the clutter. If you're an avid rhythm game player, this game is definitely not for you; hard charts offer nothing, and the easy ones are far too simple for anyone with even a little skill.”
