Luna Abyss, from Kwalee Labs and Kwalee, has flown somewhat under the radar. This single-player, story-driven shooter features fluid platforming and bullet-hell combat in a visually unique game world set in a derelict megastructure.
In Luna Abyss, players take on the role of Fawkes, a prisoner sentenced to explore a derelict megastructure beneath the surface of the moon Luna. Their task is to recover forgotten technology from within the Abyss, all the while being overseen by an artificial prison guard named Aylin. The story is told through the characters that players encounter — some of whom look quite bizarre — as well as through hidden logs. This can be a little cumbersome, but it's worth persevering as the narrative becomes quite interesting and gripping once it gets going. More striking and pleasing, however, is the world's design, featuring clear, gigantic, gloomy brutalist structures and, at times, fantastic, dramatic lighting. Hardly any other game conveys the true scale of this megastructure so effectively.
The gameplay is a first-person shooter combining bullet-hell combat with parkour elements. The combat system is reminiscent of games such as Returnal, Doom Eternal and, to a lesser extent, NieR: Automata. Enemy attacks often consist of dense patterns of colourful projectiles that must be skilfully dodged. Aiming isn't the main focus here, as the weapon can be locked onto enemies. The shots then hit directly, enabling players to focus on dodging. Consequently, the gameplay focuses on movement, positioning and swiftly switching weapons — for instance, to break through shields with the appropriate weapon. Particularly impressive are the outstanding boss battles, which sometimes span multiple stages and require players to master the art of dodging bullet hell patterns. Standing still means death in this game, even if it is sometimes difficult to keep track of everything. Bear in mind, though, that there are 'only' four weapons, all of which have unlimited ammo but operate on a heat mechanic that forces you to switch to another weapon while the current one cools down.
Luna Abyss © Kwalee
While the bullet hell elements are reminiscent of Returnal or Saros, the platforming sections are most comparable to Doom Eternal, while the overall traversal is similar to Metroid Prime. Exploration of the game world relies heavily on vertical movement, incorporating sprints, double jumps, wall runs and grapple point interactions. However, the beginning of the game drags on a bit, as players must wait to gain more movement options and get used to the combat dynamics. It is only as the story progresses that the movement options expand and the combat flow settles in. As with the backstory, character progression relies heavily on hidden collectibles, such as permanent health and weapon upgrades. There are no skill trees or anything similar. There are, however, four difficulty levels. The lowest focuses on the story and exploration, as the player is invulnerable and can simply skip the traversal challenges.
Luna Abyss © Kwalee
The game was developed by the British developer studio Bonsai Collective, which formally changed its name to Kwalee Labs during the development process — so it's essentially an internal Kwalee studio. Bonsai Collective, now known as Kwalee Labs, was founded in 2019 by Hollie Emery, Harry Corr, and Benni Hill. This is the studio's first game, which was supported by the UK Games Fund's Content Fund. Luna Abyss has been published by Kwalee, a games publisher and developer based in Leamington Spa, UK. Kwalee has a catalogue of PC and console titles, including Wildmender, The Precinct, Town to City (which has just left Early Access), Don't Stop Girlypop!, Grime II, Modulus, and upcoming releases such as Hark the Ghoul, Call of the Elder Gods, Lost Hellden, BPM Bitcrushed, Shift at Midnight, Welcome to Elderfield, and Lily's World XD. Founded by David Darling CBE, co-founder of Codemasters, the company has studios in the UK, India, and other locations around the world.
Luna Abyss was released on 21 May for $29.99, €29.99, or £24.99 on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Game Pass subscribers can play the game on Xbox Series consoles, Xbox on PC and via Xbox Cloud Gaming. The Deluxe Edition, which includes the game's original soundtrack by David Housden, is also available to buy on Steam.
Behind the visual opulence of Luna Abyss lie thrilling battles and fluid movement. It is a hidden gem in the genre.
