How do you take down beings so unknowable and powerful that their mere presence drives you to despair? That's the task presented to you by Starless Abyss. This new space roguelike brings together Slay the Spire's deckbuilding, FTL's space adventure, Into the Breach's positional combat, and Darkest Dungeon's Lovecraftian horror, and was built by Egyptian developer Konafa Games with consultation from Nuclear Throne and Luftras co-creator, Rami Ismail. Following near-universal praise for its demo, the full game is bigger, better, and out now on Steam.
Upon learning that mighty Outer Gods were encroaching upon us, scientists did the only logical thing and embraced occult worshippers as allies. Together, they forged the Counter Horror group, an elite task force designed to stave off the threat. In best roguelikes: a branching gauntlet of combat encounters, events, boss fights, and brief moments of respite.
Along the way, you'll add various cards to your deck, with more than 160 to discover across six factions. These are used to command your fleet of ships; combat takes place on a hex-grid field, and you'll need to position carefully to make best use of the abilities at your disposal. Your power level is also enhanced by gathering artifacts, 'sanity shards,' and dice that are used during random encounters to determine the actions you wish to take, and their respective chances of success.
Encounter one of the Outer Gods and you might be presented with tough choices. There's not always a good answer, but there is one other option at your disposal. Sometimes, to face down the unknown, you must be prepared to embrace it. Powerful ritual cards give you access to particularly potent occult skills that can turn the tide of battle. Employing such dangerous forces, however, will put your own mind at risk.
Since the arrival of the demo, which has earned a 98% positive rating on Steam, Konafa Games has made some major upgrades. Official 'Steam Deck Verified' status confirms you can take Starless Abyss on the go. A new undo feature allows you to take a second chance at your moves, providing you haven't taken any decisive actions yet. A codex has been introduced to view every card, artifact, ship, and ritual in the game, with more coming post-launch.
Want to make things a little easier? Favored mode boosts your starting health and shield, and allows you to repair fully between acts, giving you a bit more room to learn without impacting enemy behavior or blocking your achievement progress. If you're confident in your skills, you can instead add Depth modifiers that increase the challenge in return for bonus experience and some additional achievements to show off your status.
Starless Abyss is out now on Steam, with a 10% launch discount available through Friday May 9 meaning you'll pay just $17.99 / £15.07 for your copy. Sign up and the fight to stave off the Elder Gods right here. You can also still the free demo if you want a taste of the horrors that await you first.
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