Luna Abyss Review – Abyss Watcher

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It’s tough when a really anticipated game finally comes out, especially if you’re a fan of fast-paced shooting games – there just aren’t enough of them! When Luna Abyss was announced with its straightforward idea – a haunted moon – and exciting gameplay promises, it seemed almost too good to be true.

Let’s face it, it’s not reasonable to expect Luna Abyss to look and play as polished as games like Saros or Returnal. However, Luna Abyss still offers plenty of enjoyable features, even if it doesn’t quite reach the top tier of either genre it blends.

The Moon itself isn’t haunted, but a copy called Luna acts as a prison. It holds people like Fawkes, who was exiled because of her red eyes. She’s been sentenced to thousands of days as a Scout, exploring a massive, once-busy structure now overrun by something called the Scourge. Her guard is a huge, snake-headed creature named Aylin, who mostly just stares around, but will shock Fawkes whenever she misbehaves.

The choices you make in conversations don’t really matter – the story unfolds the same way no matter what you say. However, it’s charming to play as a Fawkes who can still make a joke now and then, especially considering everything he’s been through.

Okay, so the trouble with the Scourge is just the beginning – it’s connected to this huge, ancient evil called the Abyss. And things get really strange when I meet Urien. Then, Fawkes… well, she changes into something else entirely! She’s suddenly given this mission to take out Urien, but while she’s trying to do that, she’s also slowly figuring out what the Collective was all about and what was really going on with those crazy expeditions she’s been on. It’s all starting to mess with her head, honestly.

Luna Abyss struggles to grab your attention at first. It’s filled with confusing terms, isn’t visually impressive, and doesn’t feature any characters you really care about. The gameplay itself feels slow and repetitive – you’ll spend a lot of time shooting enemies with a gun that overheats quickly, dealing with uninspired challenges, and cleaning up grime. While the game’s environment offers some interesting platforming and exploration opportunities, much of the experience involves rushing through hallways to reach the next unoriginal puzzle or fight.

First impressions are important, but they can be misleading. And Luna Abyss definitely proves to be much more than it initially seems.

To find Urien, you’ll need to travel to the ruined city of Greymont, which is sealed off by two barriers. Opening these barriers means visiting two different reactors. As you do, Urien will actually help you by teaching you new abilities. It’s strange he won’t explain things over the radio, though – you’ll have to see for yourself. And trust me, seeing the different environments within the massive structure is truly something else.

A large, imposing figure operates the elevator, and visitors are warned to ignore her poetry. Two spider-like guardians patrol the area, sharing positive messages with Fawkes. Massive creatures with immense power live together, possibly as a form of atonement for not preventing the spread of corruption – or whatever the truth is after centuries of lies and misinformation.

The characters are well-written and voiced, feeling genuinely real, though only a few manage to evoke much sympathy, and that usually depends on how much they appear. Fawkes stands out as surprisingly friendly, considering her terrible situation. She tries to connect with and understand the other prisoners, even if she doesn’t fully grasp what they’ve been through. Your dialogue choices don’t really change the story’s outcome, but it’s charming to play Fawkes as someone who can still make a joke after decades of hard labor.

At first, I worried this would make the early parts of the game seem unimportant. However, it’s useful for making small movement corrections while still dealing steady damage, which is important because you’re vulnerable while dodging.

The story has a few unexpected turns and deeper layers. While it might not immediately pull you in, Luna Abyss is worth sticking with, even if its dark and gritty setting feels familiar. It’s not likely to be the best story you’ll ever read, but it’s better than you might think.

The combat, particularly once you get the shotgun and dash ability, becomes much more versatile. The shotgun is great for taking down enemy shields, and the dash, while not making you invincible, helps you quickly move around during fights with stronger opponents. Enemies start using a wider range of attacks and strategies, from spiraling beams to expanding energy rings. Dashing is also helpful for dodging fast, direct-hit attacks – look for a quick flash to know when to use it. Fawkes can also finish off weakened enemies to regain health, though it’s a less dramatic move than a traditional ‘glory kill’ – think of a smaller, less impactful version of Thanos snapping his fingers. It gets the job done, and later on, you’ll unlock another option for dealing with large groups of enemies when you’re already at full health.

Initially, the game’s movement can feel a little loose, and combat can become somewhat monotonous. While you encounter a wider range of enemies as you progress, you’ll still frequently battle the same basic types – floating enemies that explode, laser-firing blocks, and easily defeated opponents. A particularly frustrating aspect is facing enemies with shields that can make them temporarily invincible. You quickly learn to switch to a specific weapon to counter them, but often the shield will appear before you can deal any damage, leaving you with only one more shot before needing to reload – so you’ll need a bit of luck to hit your target.

The game is fairly straightforward, especially with the new lock-on targeting system. I was worried this would make the early parts too easy, but it actually encourages you to keep moving and consistently deal damage, which is important since you’re vulnerable even while dodging. Later on, this system lets you move around quickly, destroy enemies, and switch weapons mid-air. However, there aren’t many different weapons, and they lack secondary firing options or upgrades. While adding more variety might have made things too complicated for the developers, it would have been a nice addition.

Thankfully, exploring the game world still feels new and exciting, particularly as the areas expand to let you use all your abilities. Beyond abilities like air-dashing and double-jumping – which flow together really well and I won’t spoil – you also have the power to possess enemies. At first, it might seem like a simple trick, but possessing different creatures opens up some really interesting possibilities, like taking control of a powerful Warden to blast away large groups of enemies.

Okay, so Luna Abyss started a little slow, I wasn’t immediately hooked. But honestly, sticking with it paid off. As I explored the creepy, broken-down Moon, it really started to click – it felt like it mirrored the main character, Fawkes, trying to figure everything out. It became super engaging after a while, and I was glad I didn’t give up on it.

It’s unfortunate this helpful feature isn’t always present, though other options usually compensate, particularly when they work well with your movement skills. Eventually, your exploration leads to a boss fight, and each boss is designed around the ability you most recently unlocked – often to help you avoid dangerous attacks or obstacles. While their attack patterns weren’t always unique, the bosses still provide a good challenge, especially on harder settings.

The game has a distinctive visual style – faded, gritty, and with splashes of red. However, Luna Abyss occasionally feels a bit cheap, noticeable in the cutscenes, stiff character animations, and some of the character art. Even the character models aren’t perfect, particularly Fawkes, in both her normal and transformed states. Despite these flaws, the game offers some stunning moments, like the first glimpse of Greymont in the distance and the harrowing scenes of a city abandoned in panic, as well as later levels with incredibly dizzying heights.

Luna Abyss surprised me. While it started slowly, I eventually became captivated by its exploration of a mysterious, artificial moon, which cleverly reflected the main character’s own search for understanding. The game occasionally feels truly special, though it’s also held back by some technical issues. It might not be the best in either the first-person shooter or bullet hell genres, but it’s a unique and enjoyable blend of both, with solid movement and a compelling story.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

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2026-05-21 20:13