Existential Hell Awaits
HIGH A beautiful sci-gothic fantasy with a good story and tight gameplay!
LOW The abrupt ending.
WTF I would’ve liked to see more by this creative team.
Playing Luna Abyss feels like being injected with hope amid the darkest sunset. In an industry that seems to be on the verge of imploding on a weekly basis, this is the sort of game that reminds me why I write about games. Deeply personal and handmade by a talented team of human beings, Kwalee has crafted a modern masterpiece. It’s something that everyone should be talking about.
It bears mentioning that I’ve been looking forward to Luna Abyss for years after an impressive early demo, and the final work greatly exceeds my expectations by deftly weaving first-person shooting, bullet hell projectile dodging, 3D platforming, exploration, and even a pinch of branching dialogue to form something uniquely its own.
The inspirations it draws from are as vast as its art direction is richly detailed. I scaled gothic cathedrals, delved through Giger-esque abandoned factories, and met surreal dieselpunk beings. From the score to the sharp impact of a shotgun blast, the soundscape is absolutely wonderful. Every member of the cast delivers a pitch-perfect performance. Whether it’s the starring lead, Fawkes, or a one-off character encountered along the way, Kwalee Labs captures a raw humanity that defies the abstracted nature of its post-humanist apocalypse.
The story is complicated in presentation and lore. I ravenously gathered text logs, and was richly rewarded — and Luna Abyss expects players to pay attention. Yet at its core, it’s a human tale of a young person caught in the machinations of dying gods. In the wake of climate change on Earth, humanity took to the moon for salvation, terraforming the interior. Unfortunately, they also found powerful beings lurking beneath, and made deals that cost everything.
Fawkes is a poor soul born with red eyes, which means has they have the ability to pilot post-human “Warden” shells, their physical body staying in one place while using these automatons to explore and fight. Players can pilot an array of Wardens, some boasting interesting secondary abilities, like wall-climbing or towering shoulder cannons. They’re good pace-breakers, further differentiating a brilliantly varied set of levels, the attention to which can’t be overstated.
Each biome offers its own striking features — infested gardens with a commune of rogue Wardens hiding out, scaling a miles high prison to fight a god in stark artificial lights, and plunging into depths so dark it’s as though I was in the bowels of Hell itself. All the while, the story unfurls gradually. The supporting cast are all equally delightful, though my favorite is Ellie the elevator and train operator, with a tender heart and a love for silly poetry. There are achievements for seeing through each story, and I endorse doing so as they’re worth the effort despite Luna Abyss not having many happy ones to offer.
As far as combat is concerned, there are only four weapons to wield. However, they all serve at least two purposes. The Scout Rifle is the basic starter energy weapon, perfect for weakening enemies so Fawkes can drain them for health or make them explode. The Shieldbreaker shotgun breaks barriers mid-traversal and in combat, while devastating vulnerable enemies. The Marksman Rifle breaks tougher shields and can one-shot weaker opponents. Finally, the rocket launcher locks on to opponents and triggers that unlock doors.
This design ethos of utility suffuses Luna Abyss to its core, and movement abilities are just as crucial in combat as they when scaling impossible architecture. A given sequence might include chaining between possessing different inert shells in the air, double-jumping and dashing to close impossibly long gaps, and then hurtling along rails to the next destination. It’s like someone took elements from my favorite platformers and put them all in one experience.
Skirmishes aren’t overwhelming though, save for a few boss fights, as players dodge incoming attacks while locking on to enemies. It’s far more about how players position themselves in each area than simply being the best shot. That said, platforming in Luna Abyss is the real crown jewel. That aforementioned ascent through the hanging pillars in particular was spectacular, requiring I use every skill in my arsenal to survive. It’s the closest I’ve seen someone get to balancing linear setpiece design with genuine challenge in a long time. I still remember pulling off one long chain of moves across a gap large enough to stir my fear of heights, only to reach safety at the last second. If I’d died, I’d just be sent back to a checkpoint with a slight health deduction, but the sense of agency and risk felt so much more tangible than what’s typically on offer in AAA titles.
However, all of these elements that Luna Abyss boasts do sometimes conflict. Because I hadn’t found the shotgun upgrade at a certain point, I couldn’t hit a target that was spewing projectiles while I had to dodge them and navigate platforms that would vanish in seconds while dashing past a rotating laser while also triggering and hopping across a second set of limited-time platforms, and all of that needing to be done before I could blast just one enemy.
However, in light of demands like these, Kwalee Labs have gone above and beyond for accessibility. There are visual adjustments for epilepsy, the ability to simplify or disable more complex timing and platforming sections, toggles for controls and visual effects — I wish more developers put this much effort in.
While the gameplay has been fully dialed in, I’m disappointed to say that Kwalee Labs’ focus on subverting narrative expectations goes a step too far. At the very end, after going out of their way to frame things in a highly specific way, there’s an abrupt twist that raises far too many questions. This is, as one can imagine, sub-optimal for an experience that is so story-focused.
I’m keeping the narrative details light here to avoid spoilers as discovering lore is part of the core loop, and its story and gameplay are woven together together deliberately. Sadly, the skill shown in earlier hours are what put me off of the end so strongly. If it had felt earned I could abide it, but I’m not sure whether it ended up a a sequel tease or perhaps an attempt at a Poe-esque tragedy? It’s not an adaptation, but I’d be surprised if there wasn’t some literary inspiration at play. Given how carefully considered the rest of the experience is, it’s frustrating to have it all culminate so strangely.
While it’s not perfect, Luna Abyss gets so much right and the attention it pays to details in nearly every aspect is outstanding. As such, it’s something well worth experiencing — just be ready for a finish that might not land.
Final Score: 9.5 out of 10
Disclosures: This game is developed by Kwalee Labs and published by Kwalee. It is currently available on PC, PS5, and XBX/S. This copy of Luna Abyss was provided by the publisher and reviewed on the PS5. Approximately 9 hours were dedicated to the single-player campaign and bonus modes, and it was completed.
Parents: This game is rated M by the ESRB for Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes and Violence. Let me be abundantly clear — between the spooky visuals, depictions of gore, eldritch enemies, otherworldly story about gods, torture, and plagues? This is not a game for children. In both terms of content and themes, this is for mature audiences.
Colorblind modes: There are no colorblind modes available. Enemy shields are color-coded, though there is a visual prompt if players use the wrong attack for the wrong kind of shield.
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: There are multiple visual prompts doubling for audio prompts. There are also additional accessibility modifiers for those with limited motor control. The options are impressive for an indie game. It’s a reasonable experience to play without sound, and I would say that it’s fully accessible.
Remappable controls: No, the controls are not remappable on console. They are as follows: L1 – Weapon Wheel, R1 – Drift Kill, L2 – Lock On, R2 – Fire Weapon, L3 – Sprint, R3 – Crouch / Slide, LS – Movement / Menu Navigation, RS – Manual Aim, Touchpad/Options – Pause Menu, D-Pad – Weapon Swap / Menu Navigation, Triangle – Bubble Shield, Square – Interact/Possess Warden, Cross – Jump, Circle – Dash
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Author: 360 Technology Group
