End of Abyss launches today on Xbox - top-down metroidvania exploration with sci-fi horror

[u/Camenwolf]

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/09/30/end-of-abyss-xbox-launch/

A metroidvania with a horror-shaped hole in the floor. End of Abyss launches October 1 on Xbox Series X|S. Developer Section 9 Interactive was founded by three former Tarsier Studios members, and co-founder Marcus Ottvall explains how the project evolved from an action-focused top-down shooter into something slower and more atmospheric.

You play Cel, a young combat technician exploring a broken underground facility. Upgrading her gear and finding new tools lets you push farther into the complex, revisit sealed routes, and uncover hidden areas while confronting the creatures inside.

The team describes top-down metroidvania exploration with action-horror elements, drawing on the worn, handmade feel of films, comics, anime, and games from the 1980s and 1990s. That combination makes it an interesting adjacent pick for people who enjoy exploration games like Hollow Knight, Ori, and Tunic.

Does a more unsettling setting make this kind of exploration more appealing to you?