Starless Abyss: Deckbuilder Combines Fleet Combat and Cosmic Horror 0 comments
Starless Abyss, a deck-based, round-based deck builder, is now available on Steam. The indie game combines tactical card management with a dark, space-based setting. There’s an introductory discount for the version, and a demo version is available for interested players with a non-binding selection.
Deckbuilding in a Cosmic Nightmare
In Starless Abyss, players assume the role of a so-called “proxima”—a figure awakened by the Counter-Horror organization, tasked with destroying cosmic entities known as “Outer Gods” before they completely corrupt the universe. The game is anchored in the cosmic horror subgenre, with roguelike structures featuring procedural runs and constant meta-progress, and is thematically based on Lovecraftian motifs such as madness, the occult, and the struggle against the incomprehensible. The game is structured around individual, closed runs, in which players each compete with their newly compiled deck against increasingly powerful opponents.
In terms of gameplay, Starless Abyss combines round-based battles with numerous better building blocks. The developers name the so-called mad mechanic as a special feature: if you increasingly encounter strange forces during a game, you unlock supposedly particularly powerful and calculated ritual cards. These offer playful advantages but come with disadvantages for character control and stability. There are also narrative decisions between battles that can significantly influence the further course of a run. Starless Abyss
Each race consists of three acts with randomly determined boss opponents. Players command an upgradeable fleet and, in addition to artifacts, also collect so-called dice items, which can influence random in-game decisions. Five different proximae, each with their own skills and drawbacks, are available and can be activated and further developed over the course of the race. Permanent ship upgrades and new maps are also part of the progression system.
Discount and Demo Version
The demo version of Starless Abyss already received 98% positive reviews during the last Steam Festival. A free demo on Steam is still available for today’s release. The price is normally €18.49, but the game is available for release by May 9th with a 10% discount.
A few hours after release, there have only been a few dozen reviews on Steam, but they are exuberant. Early players primarily praise the atmosphere, the combination of card tactics and madness, and the progression system. Isolated criticism points to smaller weaknesses in readability and user guidance, which are due to the menu art style.
Topics: Indie Game Round Strategy Strategy Games Source: More Bots
A lifelong video game enthusiast, Julien reviews the latest releases and explores the technologies transforming the gaming world.
