WARRIORS: Abyss Review (Steam)

by Jim Smale · February 26, 2025

Step into the dark and intense world of WARRIORS: Abyss, where our detailed WARRIORS: Abyss Review will guide you through every twist and turn of this gripping game. From the unique mechanics to the compelling narrative, discover why Warriors Abyss review is a must-read for gamers everywhere. Whether you’re a seasoned warrior or new to the abyss, our insights will captivate and inform. Ready to uncover the secrets of the abyss? Keep reading to find out why this game stands out in the gaming universe.

WARRIORS: Abyss Review Pros:

Decent graphics.
3.1GB download size.
Steam achievements.
Own in-game achievements with rewards attached to them.
Full controller support.
Japanese voice with English subtitles.
Mouse and keyboard support.
Graphics settings – resolution, v-sync, display mode, FPS, graphics quality, LOD, shader, anti aliasing, reflections, ambient occlusion, decals, and effects quality.
You can remap the controls for both keyboard and the controller.
Display settings – enemy health bars, show damage and recovery, and screenshake.
5.1 surround sound option.
3 save slots.
Conversations can be skipped, clicked through, or set to auto-scroll.
Action roguelike gameplay.
Tutorial sections and pop-ups.
You press these in different orders to create combos and unique attacks in simple hack-and-slash combat with normal and strong attacks.
Evade let’s you move out of the way and dodge attacks but it can also be used to cancel out of attacks.
A full 3D game world set on an isometric view.
Has the same polish and presentation as the main name games.
Full combo and kill count pop-ups when playing and they are seperate.
Very impressive on-screen enemy count.
Big boss encounters and spawns in the world.
The game is like a Vampire Saviours in that you are fighting in an arena and earning power-ups except you have full control of the attacks and direction.
Earn EXP and level up to choose one of three random emblems that act as power-ups or upgrades. Each says what they are before you pick them.
The main emblems are ability for – vigor, skill, strength, speed, wisdom, and charm. The attribute emblems do – flame, ice, bolt, wind, and slay.
You can in essence build your own character going by your choices.
Total power battle is the strength you have derived from your traits, summoning skills, attacks, formations, and skills.
Museo attack is charged over time and you can execute whenever you want, it’s the huge over the top spectacle that just decimates everyone in it’s path and it looks awesome.
A run typically consists of four levels made up of multiple phases with their own clear conditions, finish a level, choose a blessing, and move on until you fight the final boss Gouma.
Karma Embers are earned from the game and saved even if you die. You use these to form bonds with characters.
A massive Web of crystal saplings is populated with characters from the game series, use Karma embers to create a bond with characters for support in battle and once a full bond is established you gain an upgrade to attack, defense, or health. The Web also has weapons, formations, and other rewards.
105 characters to unlock from the families of the game from Jin, Wu, Wei, and Tokugawa.
24 treasures to find.
105 weapons to unlock and use.
The collection menu will show all things found and a preview of what’s left.
Unlock art and music tracks.
The play records are your stats, here you can see things like total playtime quickest completion time, stages cleared, enemies cleared etc. There is also a hero list that shows play counts, times completed, and alliances forged for each individual character.
Formations can be earned and selected, these can be upgraded and dictate abilities and how support works.
Before a run, you can select which character to play as and you can see their traits and stats.
Every character has alternate costumes.
When going through a run a crystal sapling tree can appear and here you can summon one of three randomly selected unlocked players to use their emblems for power-ups amd you can summon them in battle.
When finishing a location or level you get to choose your path from three randomly generated choices.
Trees with peaches can appear between levels and using this will allow you to heal a bit.
Satisfying combat with simple controls and a simple yet powerful combo system.
Unit attacks is a cool thing where the enemies will have a flag bearer that let’s the unit perform a strong unit attack but if you find and kill him fast enough you stop the unit attack.
Over time you can actually find and pick up emblems in the battle, again pick one of three random emblems but you can see what they are before picking them.
Assemble is a bar that fills from playing and once full you can activate it and all summons will be summoned at the same time and attack as per your formation choices.
Every run is unique and random.
Another thing to note is people you pick from the tree can affect your stats and buffs but also can add new abilities and buffs.
Level bosses have barriers and once it’s gone they are downed and open to attacks for a short time, use charge attacks when they are glowing yellow to fill your Musou and assemble abilities.
End of run breakdown showing Karma embers earned, time played, who you acquired and what emblems you used.
Bond bonuses exist on the board, acquiring a specific group of people (it’s shown on the Web of characters) you can get a bond bonus and your maximum level will increase.
The Bonus state is where on the character select screen of a new run a random character will be given the bonus state that gives you more Karma embers. (it’s optional and you don’t have to pick them)
Unlike Vampire Survivors you have to do a certain clear objective and once down that level ends and so on.
Level choices that appear can show what the reward at the end will be but also, if a portal has electricity then it’s a high danger zone with more enemies and missions.
It does the cool thing of being able to knock enemies into the screen and crack it.
You see the enemy attacks with purple areas appearing on the floor or projectiles.
Locations get bigger and you can jump around it.
You can indeed pause the game.
Tears of Blood is the games currency and you spend them at the Kings cauldron that can turn up, items here are generally not available anywhere else and this includes bonds.
There is a lot to unlock and use from the characters to the items, cutscenes, music, etc.

WARRIORS: Abyss Review Cons:

There is a lot to take in.
The first few runs will be stop-start with tutorials and have short easier-level clear criteria.
No benchmark option for the graphics.
Boss fights are just huge damage sponges and really not that fun to play.
So many pop-ups and information are being thrown at you that it’s very overwhelming.
If you don’t know the characters then a lot of the story and bonding is kind of lost on you.
No Colourblind support.
I just find the gameplay loop kind of safe and doesn’t have any real hook for me to keep going, it’s missing something but I cant quite put my finger on it.
After hours of play, I still don’t think I understand all the systems and mechanics at play.
Despite so much to unlock I just find it unappealing, it’s crazy and has me constantly wondering if it’s just me.