The rise of the Tomb Raider franchise in the late ’90s led to the rise of 3D action-adventure games. The genre as a whole had its origins in films like Indiana Jones, but the gaming franchise itself begat things like Uncharted – which itself then led to the Tomb Raider franchise undergoing massive shifts in tone and gameplay. One upside to the shift in gameplay was the improvement of shooting mechanics and reduction of things like a lot of puzzles, but with that also came the loss of what made the franchise so revered in the first place.
The past 15 years have seen 3D action-adventure games get taken over by the Uncharted formula, but we haven’t seen many games aim for an original Tomb Raider style. Enter Phantom Abyss. Developed by Team WIBY and published by Devolver Digital, it aims to blend 3D tomb raiding with multiplayer action and procedurally-generated temples alongside relic heists to create something that feels fresh and new. Players work against one another to find the treasures in the tombs – meaning they have to contend with things like traps, bottomless pits, large spikes and giant bosses to take them out. There are helpers, however, in the form of the fallen before you. A bit like the fall in Dark Souls, you can get an idea for what to avoid thanks to their spirits.
A Harmonious Blend of Dread, Delight in Phantom Abyss
Originally releasing in Steam Early Access in 2021, Phantom Abyss 1.0 is finally here. With that move comes the expansion of the core concept – from a single temple with multiple tombs to the inclusion of a more traditional adventure mode. The original setup is still intact as the Abyss mode, while a new daily mode allows players who have mastered the core game mechanics to try out new tests of their skill with changes being made to existing trials they’ve already conquered.
The new version also includes new whips to use and unlock alongside a whole new area to explore called The Rift alongside new permanent upgrades to make the journey into the abyss easier – or maybe less hard is a better phrase to use there.
Phantom Abyss is available now onSteamfor a special launch price of $9.99 for the base game or $13.03 for the deluxe edition, which gets you the OST as well. It’s also available on Xbox Game Pass for console or PC – making today an even bigger Game Pass day with the launch of Go Mecha Ball on the service as well.
