Surviving the Abyss

62%
Game Brain Score Based on 644 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • atmosphere
Surviving the Abyss Game Cover
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Discover and mine resources for construction, light your way in the dark, explore and expand into your surroundings to advance your research. Capture the diverse, highly-adapted flora and fauna of the deep, but beware: the darkness hides unexpected horrors, with only the light keeping them at bay.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

62%
Audience ScoreBased on 644 reviews
gameplay40 positive mentions
stability36 negative mentions
  • The game has a unique and immersive atmosphere, effectively capturing the eerie feeling of being deep underwater.
  • Gameplay mechanics are challenging and require strategic planning, making it engaging for players who enjoy resource management.
  • The concept of cloning and genetic material adds an interesting twist to the traditional city-building genre.
  • The game suffers from significant balance issues, making it easy to fall into a death spiral due to resource scarcity.
  • Many players have reported bugs and glitches that can hinder progress, including issues with saving and resource management.
  • The tutorial is lacking in detail, leaving players confused about key mechanics and how to effectively manage their colonies.
  • gameplay114 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by a mix of engaging mechanics and a compelling survival experience, though it is marred by several issues such as unclear mechanics, bugs, and balancing problems. Players appreciate the unique cloning system and resource management aspects, but many express frustration with the game's difficulty spikes and lack of intuitive guidance. Overall, while the core gameplay loop shows promise, it requires further refinement and polish to enhance player experience.

    • “This level of engagement adds depth to the gameplay, making accomplishments all the more rewarding.”
    • “The gameplay is addicting and enticing, having you at the edge of your seat to see what is ahead in the darkness.”
    • “The gameplay cycle revolves around managing buildings, resources (minerals and electricity), life-sustaining resources (food, oxygen), science, and crew (which you can create through cloning).”
    • “Half the game mechanics don't work, or are poorly explained.”
    • “The save issues and the freezing repeatedly during a primary game mechanic make this game virtually unplayable as it is.”
    • “The user interface is atrocious, the gameplay is slow and boring with no replayability.”
  • story73 mentions

    The game's story is described as intriguing and unique, with a dark atmosphere and potential for depth, but it is currently unfinished and lacks substantial progression. Many players express a desire for more story elements and missions to enhance engagement, while others appreciate the concept and setting despite its current limitations. Overall, the narrative shows promise but requires further development to fully realize its potential.

    • “The story is interesting.”
    • “They built a really dark atmosphere, which goes well with the story.”
    • “In its current state, it has a great gameplay loop of tentatively expanding your sphere of safety while exploring the depths, each new area has its own biome with different fish whose flesh you will use to develop new clones, all whilst unraveling a dark mystery storyline.”
    • “The story element isn't finished at the current time and stops very abruptly.”
    • “There is no story, no plot.”
    • “The disappointing part was that there was no actual ending and no actual point to the game or the missions; you just clone and build some stuff and then the end, nothing more to do.”
  • atmosphere66 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and eerie underwater environments, effectively capturing a sense of isolation and danger. Players appreciate the beautiful graphics, sound design, and the unique Lovecraftian horror vibes that enhance the overall experience. Despite some technical issues due to its early access status, the atmospheric design remains a standout feature that draws players into its captivating world.

    • “The atmosphere of survival at the bottom of the ocean is beautiful.”
    • “The atmosphere is amazing, the game runs smoothly and honestly I just can't wait for it to get more content and some fixes, of course.”
    • “Surviving the abyss has an amazing atmosphere being left to manage a deep-sea facility in a deep dark sea where there is no light other than the light you cast on your facility.”
    • “Really liked the concept and the atmosphere but started to get samey and then didn't go anywhere in terms of updates.”
    • “Surviving the abyss really nails the creepy underwater atmosphere I'm looking for, but everything else about the game is half-baked at best.”
    • “In the meantime I'm probably gonna step away for a month or two so that the bugs and glitches are patched out because in its current state it's kinda bringing me out of the atmosphere of the game since I'm currently trying to avoid the bugs/glitches.”
  • graphics55 mentions

    The game's graphics are generally praised for their atmospheric design and beautiful environments, effectively capturing the eerie essence of the underwater setting. While many players appreciate the visuals and detail, some express concerns about performance issues and outdated elements that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's immersive atmosphere, though there is room for improvement and updates.

    • “The game's graphics and atmospheric design excel in reflecting the otherworldly environments of the abyss.”
    • “The graphics are great, the game concept is good, appears stable without any technical issues, and it's priced well.”
    • “The game offers an immersive atmosphere with beautiful graphics and a thrilling sense of danger, but as it is still in early access, there are some issues to be aware of.”
    • “I had all graphics on minimal/off and I didn't get over 40fps.”
    • “There is no reason that my PC should be struggling to play a game with this simple of graphics.”
    • “Many things are still very basic, the research screen is bare and lifeless. I'm tired of games that look like amateur hour; seriously, it's 2023. I don't want a game that looks like it came out in 1995. The ocean is fine, your base is fine, but the rest of it looks terrible.”
  • stability36 mentions

    The game is currently plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, significantly impacting the overall experience and enjoyment. Many players express frustration with the frequency of these issues, which often require reverting to previous saves or hinder progress. While some see potential in the game, they recommend waiting for further patches and improvements before fully engaging with it.

    • “Effectively a shit studio that abandoned a game in early access because it hasn't sold enough... due to their own faults with how absolutely buggy the game has been in early access.”
    • “The bigger you expand, the more you realize the game is unfinished, buggy, and still very empty endgame wise.”
    • “In summary, I suspect this game will be much like the dev's other game, Surviving Mars; released a buggy, broken mess; that will only get good a year later, after you buy a dozen paid DLCs to fill in the missing content.”
  • optimization19 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, particularly on lower-end rigs, while others report smooth gameplay even at high settings. Many users acknowledge that the game is in early access and express hope for future improvements, but there are concerns about lag and frame rate drops, especially in later stages of gameplay. While some players have had a polished experience, the consensus is that optimization needs further work to enhance performance across a wider range of hardware.

    • “All in all though, for the launch day of an early access title, I'd say it's a fairly polished experience (e.g. it runs well, no stuttering or crashing).”
    • “That said, I surprisingly haven't had any issues running the game, no crashes, no performance issues and no obvious glitches.”
    • “Game runs smoothly with all settings maxed out.”
    • “Could use a bit of work on optimization for the rigs that are closer to the minimum as the game starts getting laggy on them, even if they are within the requirements.”
    • “The game is slow even when running at 144hz on 2k, and the request for GPU power is insane... sadly Ark is more optimized than this.”
    • “Look, if I can play Anno 1800 at 3440x1440 resolution with no lower than 50fps, then there is definitely something very fishy going on in this game's optimization and/or execution that doesn't allow it to achieve more than 40fps at 1080p regardless of quality settings... then that is just unplayable!”
  • music18 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its unique atmosphere and ability to evoke feelings of urgency and dread, particularly with its eerie soundscapes. However, some players feel that the sound mechanics are unbalanced, with music often overshadowed by louder sound effects, and there are calls for more ambient tracks to enhance the overall experience. While many appreciate the soundtrack's contribution to the game's mood, others prefer to minimize the music, indicating a mixed reception among players.

    • “The music, the atmosphere is unique, and I love it.”
    • “I still recommend as the potential for this game is fantastic and the dread you feel when that one song starts playing where it sounds like a chorus of voices screaming whilst the giant monster is lurking above you is chef's kiss.”
    • “Very challenging proof-of-concept with great visuals and an eerie atmospheric soundtrack.”
    • “When I minimize and turn on music or check my email, it crashes.”
    • “Sound mechanics are lacking, particularly in the music area.”
    • “Both of these things are drowned out by alarm sounds and random things that shouldn't be quite as loud as they are in comparison to the music and some of the ambient sounds.”
  • grinding8 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is criticized for being excessively tedious and punishing, with players feeling that resource management is poorly balanced and overly complicated. Many reviewers note that the initial hours are frustratingly repetitive, detracting from the game's potential and exploration. Overall, while there is a promising concept, the current state of resource grinding makes the experience feel monotonous and unengaging.

    • “A really beautiful concept, held back by horribly punishing resource grinding that will stop you from seeing what else the game is hiding in the darkness.”
    • “In its current state, the game is very tedious - this is very different from hard.”
    • “I see potential in the game, but right now the resource balance is way too off. Frostpunk is a walk in the park compared to this. If they make it easier resource/maintenance-wise, it could be fun to play, but for now, it's just tedious.”
  • replayability7 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it offers significant replay value, others criticize it for being limited and lacking engaging content. Early access updates have improved playability, but issues with balancing and user interface continue to affect the overall experience.

    • “The game is much more playable after balance patches.”
    • “I really like the art choices and design; I need more time behind the wheel before I can comment on larger storyline engagement and replayability.”
    • “The game had so much promise but lacked replayability in early access, which is to be expected since it was in early access.”
    • “My biggest complaint would be balancing and replay value at this time.”
    • “The user interface is atrocious, the gameplay is slow and boring with no replayability.”
  • monetization5 mentions

    Reviews on the monetization aspect of the game are mixed; while some players appreciate its balance and ongoing updates, others express skepticism, suggesting it may be an early access cash grab aimed at beta testers. Overall, there is a divide between those who feel the game is genuinely developed and those who suspect it lacks long-term commitment from the developers.

    • “I suggest not buying this game at the moment, until it's clear if this game is already dead and just another cash grab.”
    • “I'm under the impression this was an early access cash grab.”
    • “Yet another early access cash grab to get paid by the beta testers.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, feeling heartbroken over potential issues with its release and experiencing frustration when saved games fail to load. The increasing lag as cities grow adds to the emotional weight, highlighting the players' investment in their gaming experience.

    • “Hearing that this game will likely (this is pure speculation, though) be released the way it is right now is a bit heartbreaking.”
    • “I just tried to reload my saved game twice and it isn't loading, which is heart-wrenching, to be honest. But it got me thinking that the game has gotten more and more laggy since I've built a bigger city.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is noted as a standout feature, particularly in its approach to city-building, which adds a lighthearted twist to the genre. However, there are concerns that the game's early access model may negatively impact player trust and profitability in the long run.

    • “This game is a funny city builder.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

9hMedian play time
13hAverage play time
4-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 9 analyzed playthroughs

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