Abyss Odyssey Reviews

An interesting look into another world, though one that takes a bit to get used to. It experiments with a lot of mechanics, and each of the main characters does end up feeling different enough that I made sure to trek to the bottom with all of them. It's been a long time since I played, but hopefully the community has been able to properly bring the meta-progression to its final phase so that all the indicated content has been unlocked. (I think I'd be a little sad to get to the bottom after all this time and find it in the same spot it was when I last played.)

Abyss Odyssey isn't for everyone, but if it is for you, it is really for you. ACE Team made something very special here: combining Smash Bros-esque fighting with rogue-lite gameplay and a highly unique fantasy atmosphere. There's really nothing out there like it. But, beware, this game is highly challenging and expects you to learn the basics of its systems to survive, and to go very in-depth if you want to thrive. Many players will be frustrated by the platforming, movement, and combat system all of which are very deliberate. Jumping is much like an old-school Castlevania with only limited control in the air. Combat even against the AI will require not simply spamming attacks but judging attack distances, animation timing, dodging, and blocking while simultaneously anticipating your opponent. You have to learn to make use of every resource at your disposal, which can include the health bars of up to 3 characters (you, your monster soul, and human soldier) that you have access to at a time. Planning your route and maximizing your character is key to success. The game is well balanced to remains challenging each run. Co-op is also a very nice bonus, and it is recommended to keep friendly fire on to maintain the level of challenge of the single-player. PvP is also nice to have since this is a half-way decent Smash clone.