Abyssus: A Fun Roguelite Shooter That Deserves More Attention…

A surprisingly enjoyable co-op shooter with room to grow

When I first loaded up Abyssus, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. It isn’t a huge AAA release that’s been dominating headlines, but after spending around two hours with it on Xbox Game Pass, I came away pleasantly surprised.

Abyssus is a fast-paced first-person roguelite shooter set deep beneath the ocean. Every run sends you through procedurally generated levels where you’ll collect upgrades, unlock new abilities and battle increasingly difficult enemies before taking on larger boss encounters. If you’ve played games like Roboquest or Gunfire Reborn, you’ll feel at home with the overall gameplay loop.

Gameplay

The gunplay is easily the strongest part of the experience.

Weapons feel satisfying to use, movement is quick, and combat has a nice rhythm once you start unlocking upgrades. The roguelite progression keeps each run feeling slightly different, encouraging you to experiment with different weapon combinations and abilities.

I played solo, and while it was enjoyable, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this game is really designed with co-op in mind. I imagine playing with three friends would turn some of the more chaotic encounters into memorable moments rather than simply difficult ones.

Presentation

The underwater “Brinepunk” setting gives Abyssus a unique identity. Ancient ruins mixed with strange technology create an interesting world that stands out from the usual sci-fi shooters.

Visually, it isn’t going to push your Xbox Series X to its limits, but that’s perfectly fine. Performance felt smooth throughout my session, and I’d much rather have responsive gameplay than flashy graphics that hurt performance.

The Downsides

After two hours, I did begin to notice some repetition creeping in.

While the combat remains enjoyable, the room layouts and objectives can start feeling familiar. That’s not unusual for a roguelite, but it’ll be interesting to see whether the game continues introducing enough variety over longer play sessions.

The opening hour is also a little overwhelming. The game throws multiple upgrade systems and mechanics at you quite quickly, and it takes a while before everything starts clicking.

Is It Worth Playing?

Absolutely, especially if you already subscribe to Xbox Game Pass.

Abyssus probably won’t replace the biggest shooters on the market, but it doesn’t need to. It offers satisfying combat, fun progression and a unique setting that makes it well worth downloading.

If you’re looking for something different to play with friends, this is definitely one to keep on your radar.

Final Verdict

Pros

• Fast and satisfying gunplay
• Interesting underwater setting
• Fun roguelite progression
• Great value on Xbox Game Pass
• Likely even better in co-op

Cons

• Can become repetitive after a while
• Learning curve during the opening hour
• Solo play feels like the secondary experience

WildStarGaming Score: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆      70-79%

Abyssus is a fun surprise on Xbox Game Pass. It doesn’t reinvent the roguelite shooter genre, but it delivers enough satisfying gameplay to keep you coming back for “just one more run”. If you’ve got friends to squad up with, it’s probably an even better experience.

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