Abyss Veil

I know this looks like Deviantart slop. In some sense it kind of is, but hear me out. The 3D cutscenes are AMAZING. The actual direction for them is AMAZING. And the rudimentary artstyle (which is actually really interesting) genuinely leaves an insane level of surrealness to the world. I'm actually kind of amazed that in the introductory war scene there are fighters and bombers that fly overhead and destroyed tank wrecks all about. It was actually really visceral. There is an incredible sense of oppressive atmosphere even if it is told in this really derpy way. This game has very flawed visual design however, I often struggle to actually find out which objects you are supposed to interact with because they don't look any different from normal, static geometry. The shooting is fun, it is not as janky as it looks and its quite impressive that the enemies dodge roll. Don't expect the enemy AI to be on the level of FEAR, the enemies in this game really just shoot and advance and sometimes dodge. The grenades deal too much damage or explode too quickly from when they are thrown and its unclear how their blast radius works. I'm actually surprised that the AI does indeed know…

Really cool game so far. One of the most unique indie FPS games I've played in awhile. Kind of getting 1000xResist, Cruelty Squad, and F.E.A.R. vibes. Surprising amount of gameplay shifts even in the first hour or two (I didn't expect a third person fixed camera angle part). Found a couple small issues so far but nothing game breaking (holding a movement key when interacting with the save terminal will keep you walking in the direction you were holding, small jitter when circle strafing objects). I'm shocked this game isn't more popular. It's sick.

A diamond in the rough. While you could say that its one of those game trying to be like Cruelty Squad, as you play the game you realize it has a complete style of its own and I hope the developer keeps focuses more on this while moving further away from CS. The main strengh of the game are its story, characters and visuals, but the gunplay is honestly quite fun when it clicks although still rough and simple. The dialogue uses alot of modern day internet slang which can be a bit jarring but despite that it does feel very genuine and engaging, with very interesting characters. The story has a disjointed narrative set on purpose that feels very misterious and ominous. Honestly its very engaging and slightly reminds me of stories in SUDA51's games before No more heroes. If I have to say things I dont like, well it would be the 3D models, animation and the mspaint art. I like retro aesthetics but I think the 3D models could be slightly better along with better animations. The mspaint art I think I dont like just because it uses very thin lines for the drawings and alot of detail blens together with other colors (It would be great if the overall art in the game could be of the lev…

I think some people will look at Abyss Veil and assume any enthusiasm for it is at least semi-ironic. I won't lie, I thought so when I heard about it. I went in expecting a janky game with some charm to it. But on the other end I'm pretty thoroughly impressed by what a fully realized and quality experience it is. The gunplay feels good, there's not much variety in enemies, but it's made up for by some solid level design that plays into the strengths of your arsenal. The writing can be a bit long winded at times, but I think the story is interesting, and it's told in a unique cool way. The music is great and elevates the mood in a lot of scenes. Even visually, despite some of the assets being a bit rough, there's a lot of style and intent at play. Every level is visually distinct, a lot of cutscenes have striking, memorable shots. I'd even say the less flattering parts of the visuals fit the tone and serve the game thematically. Abyss Veil feels like a passion project, something made by someone who wanted to make it, and wanted to make it right. I think anyone who approaches this game in good faith will find something worthwhile.

Cool as ♥♥♥♥

Abyss Veil is an ambitious mixture of first-person action, psychological horror, science fiction, and visual novel storytelling. Rather than committing entirely to the rhythm of a traditional shooter, it uses combat as one part of a much broader narrative experience filled with strange characters, political conflict, personal trauma, and questions about whether history and memory can be trusted. Developed and published by Zorrio, the game has the personality of an experimental indie project, with ideas that frequently feel more important than following familiar genre conventions. The story takes place against the backdrop of a devastating conflict involving Earth, Mars, powerful families, mercenaries, and competing political interests. Among the important characters are Ivy and Mel, whose very different circumstances provide contrasting viewpoints on this complicated universe. Ivy's search for her brother gives part of the narrative a more personal emotional foundation, while Mel's history as someone who escaped Mars before becoming a mercenary and Knight pilot connects more directly with the larger war. Their experiences gradually reveal a setting where alliances are unstable and…