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Surviving the Abyss Game Cover

About

Surviving the Abyss is a single player survival strategy game with a mystery theme. It was developed by Rocket Flair Studios and was released on November 5, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Set in the depths of the ocean during the Cold War, Surviving the Abyss challenges you to build and manage a deep-sea research facility focused on human cloning. Balance oxygen, power, food, and crew morale while exploring and mining resources in a hostile, dark environment filled with dangerous, mysterious creatures. Expand your base, conduct genetic experiments, and survive the Abyss’s unforgiving threats.

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65%
Audience ScoreBased on 825 reviews
gameplay46 positive mentions
stability40 negative mentions

  • The game has a unique and immersive atmosphere, effectively capturing the eerie feeling of being deep underwater.
  • Gameplay mechanics are challenging and engaging, requiring careful resource management and strategic planning.
  • The cloning system adds an interesting twist to the city-building genre, allowing players to experiment with different genetic materials.
  • The game suffers from significant balance issues, making it difficult to progress without restarting multiple times due to resource scarcity.
  • There are numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with saving and building functionality.
  • The tutorial is lacking in detail, leaving players confused about key mechanics and how to effectively manage their colonies.
  • gameplay
    155 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in "Surviving the Abyss" features a unique base-building and resource management loop centered around cloning and population management, which some players find innovative and engaging. However, many reviews highlight issues with mechanics that are poorly explained, a lack of replayability, and a tendency for the gameplay to become repetitive or too easy once the mechanics are understood. Overall, while the atmosphere and core concepts are praised, the game is still seen as needing significant refinement and balancing to enhance the overall experience.

    • “The gameplay loop is challenging, requiring one to scavenge for metals and building supplies from the limited deposits scattered nearby.”
    • “The gameplay is solid, story is mid.”
    • “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).”
    • “On the one hand, the gameplay is minimal, and there is very little replay value.”
    • “Avoid like the plague; there are more broken things in this game than there is actual gameplay.”
    • “The user interface is atrocious, the gameplay is slow and boring with no replayability.”
  • story
    130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it is either underdeveloped or incomplete, particularly since the game is still in early access. While some find the premise intriguing and atmospheric, others criticize the narrative for being shallow, poorly paced, or lacking a satisfying conclusion. Overall, the story serves as a basic framework to support gameplay, but many players hope for future expansions and improvements to enhance the narrative experience.

    • “The story is very average, if it has one at all, but worth the money at half off, full price if you feel generous.”
    • “The story is decent enough, but nothing to write home about.”
    • “The atmosphere and sounds match perfectly with the topic and story.”
    • “The story is nonsensical.”
    • “They also fail to explain any story at all and the ending is lackluster, which removes some points for me.”
    • “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.”
  • atmosphere
    96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its haunting and immersive qualities, effectively capturing the eerie essence of deep-sea exploration and survival. Players appreciate the combination of beautiful visuals, unsettling sound design, and a sense of isolation that enhances the gameplay experience. While some reviewers note that the gameplay mechanics could use refinement, the overall atmospheric design is considered a standout feature that keeps players engaged and intrigued.

    • “The atmosphere is amazing, the game runs smoothly and honestly I just can't wait for it to get more content and some fixes.”
    • “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.”
    • “The atmosphere is hauntingly dark, and the sense of isolation is palpable—your only company being your crew and… well, whatever’s hiding in the shadows.”
    • “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.”
  • graphics
    66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the graphics of the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception. Many players appreciate the beautiful visuals and atmospheric design, particularly in the underwater environments, while some have noted performance issues and bugs that detract from the experience. Despite these concerns, the game's aesthetic and art style are often highlighted as strong points, contributing to an immersive and haunting atmosphere.

    • “Great entry in the surviving series, beautiful visuals and dripping with haunting atmosphere.”
    • “The game's graphics and atmospheric design excel in reflecting the otherworldly environments of the abyss.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful, sound design is eerie, and the dialogue that comes up about different events really help bring you into the world!”
    • “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 reminds me of Atari, 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.”
    • “I wanted to like this game, but the resources are unbalanced and the graphics are dark and murky.”
  • stability
    41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and softlocks that hinder gameplay. Many describe it as extremely buggy, with glitches affecting controls and overall experience, leading to frustration and loss of progress. While some players see potential in the game, they recommend waiting for substantial updates and fixes before purchasing.

    • “The game is largely bug-free, with only a couple of minor issues, such as tunnels refusing to snap to a facility.”
    • “Overall, the stability of the game is impressive, allowing for a smooth and enjoyable experience.”
    • “I encountered very few bugs, making the gameplay feel stable and reliable.”
    • “Overall, until they decide to actually fix the hard and softlocking bugs and glitches that prevent you from playing the game, you should extremely avoid this product. Don't even get it on a 99% sale; there isn't a game here, just a tech demo pretending to be one.”
    • “Currently too taxing and buggy to be much fun and very frustrating.”
    • “At this stage of development, the game is *very* buggy.”
  • optimization
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag, with many players reporting significant performance issues, particularly in the late game and on lower-end rigs. While some users have experienced smooth gameplay, others have noted lag and bugs that detract from the experience, especially as the game progresses. Many reviewers express hope for future updates to improve optimization and performance, indicating that the game is still in need of refinement.

    • “Performance was spotless and visual diversity is achieved by the constant unlocking of new buildings.”
    • “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).”
    • “There's so much room for optimization and improvement.”
    • “Supposedly the devs are still working on it, so maybe we'll get some optimization and I can change this review - for now though, only buy if you want to play it for the story with a small number of buildings and low population.”
    • “Farther you get in the game, the worse the performance gets.”
    • “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!”
  • music
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music and sound design in the game are widely praised for their ability to enhance the eerie and immersive atmosphere, effectively complementing the dark underwater setting. While many players appreciate the haunting soundtrack and ambient sounds that contribute to a sense of urgency and dread, some have noted issues with sound balance and the overall volume of music compared to other game sounds. Overall, the music is considered a strong point, though there are suggestions for improvement in sound mechanics and additional ambient tracks.

    • “The sound design, from music to immersive ambient noise, is particularly well done.”
    • “I really dig into the dark depth of the sea setting of this game, it’s quite unnerving due to its darkness, creepy music, and atmosphere.”
    • “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.”
    • “The music isn't eerie.”
    • “Sound mechanics are lacking particularly in the music area.”
    • “Some music/more ambient stuff would improve the vibe a lot as well.”
  • replayability
    23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game suffers from very low replayability, with many users noting a lack of variety in gameplay, build options, and map variability. While some players find enjoyment in optimizing their strategies, the consensus is that once completed, there is little incentive to return, leading to a general sentiment of disappointment regarding its replay value.

    • “Replayability may not be great for everyone, but I enjoy this game for when you want to try and optimize everything and see how far you can make it, while surviving.”
    • “The game is much more playable after balance patches.”
    • “+ replay value through unlockables.”
    • “I want to like this game, but it feels like it has barely any replay value compared to the others in the series.”
    • “Surviving the Abyss doesn't offer much in terms of replayability; you can try on a higher difficulty, but there's nothing in terms of build variety, and the tech tree will always be the same.”
    • “Finishing the game ended up being driven by my completionist tendencies and curiosity rather than any part of the gameplay that drew me back, and now that I have finished it, I intend to uninstall it and probably not play it again, as I see little replayability value in it.”
  • grinding
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and repetitive, often requiring significant time investment without sufficient reward. While the exploration and building mechanics can be enjoyable once learned, the resource management is poorly balanced, leading to frustration and a sense of monotony. Many reviewers express hope for improvements to make the experience more engaging and less punishing.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
  • monetization
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews on monetization for the game are mixed; while some players appreciate its balance and ongoing updates, others criticize it as an early access cash grab, suggesting that it relies on beta testers for funding without delivering a complete experience. Overall, opinions vary significantly, with some feeling the game is genuinely developed and others perceiving it as exploitative.

    • “I'm under the impression this was an early access cash grab.”
    • “Nothing changes, nice cash grab.”
    • “Yet another EA cash grab to get paid by the beta testers.”
  • emotional
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, feeling frustration and heartbreak over technical issues like save failures and performance lag, which detract from their overall experience. The anticipation of the game's potential release in its current state adds to their emotional turmoil, highlighting a deep investment in the game's development and their gameplay 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.”
  • humor
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is noted for its humorous take on the city-building genre, providing players with a lighthearted and entertaining experience.

    • “This game is a hilarious city builder.”
    • “The humor in this game keeps me laughing throughout.”
    • “I love how the game incorporates witty jokes and funny scenarios.”
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9h Median play time
13h Average play time
4-20h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 9 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Surviving the Abyss is a survival strategy game with mystery theme.

Surviving the Abyss is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 13 hours playing Surviving the Abyss.

Surviving the Abyss was released on November 5, 2024.

Surviving the Abyss was developed by Rocket Flair Studios.

Surviving the Abyss has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its stability.

Surviving the Abyss is a single player game.

Similar games include Flotsam, Aquatico, Aven Colony, Settlement Survival, Endzone: A World Apart and others.