Warriors: Abyss [PC] | REVIEW

The Warriors franchise has long been synonymous with large-scale, hack-and-slash chaos, but Warriors: Abyss takes things in a fresh direction with its roguelike twist. On paper, it sounds like a blast: the frenzied 1 vs 1000 combat of Warriors with the structured, progression-driven design of games like Hades. And you know what? It makes for an enjoyable, fast-paced brawler too, though some repetitive elements of the gameplay can feel a little underwhelming when compared to other titles in the genre.

Check out some screenshots down below:

The tale of Warriors: Abyss sees the souls of heroes from across the Warriors franchise summoned to Hell by Enma, the ruler of the Underworld, to help vanquish an evil entity that is looking to take over for themselves. And, you guessed it, it’s up to you to stop him. Yeah, it’s not the most unique or intriguing of narratives, but as a way to contextualise bringing the characters together in an unusual romp (as well as progressing things forward between runs), its quirkiness is really effective.

Warriors: Abyss certainly wastes no time throwing players into the action though, with players descending through the depths of the underworld, slicing through waves of enemies in self-contained arenas where the manic action continually ramps up. It instantly gives off that Warriors vibe by sending an overwhelming number of enemy soldiers your way, whilst the familiar feel of the combat with button-mashing combo chains, devastating special moves, and non-stop actions leaves a very good first impression. And when you fail? You start over again, carrying over elements of progress to ensure future runs are more successful. So far, so roguelike.

Then you have the enormous character roster, which pulls fan-favourites from across both Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors together to give players over 100 playable characters to battle with, each equipped with their signature weapon and move set. Whilst you begin with a limited selection, you’ll unlock more warriors as you progress, ensuring further runs through the game bring with them a rewarding sense of variety that changes up the gameplay loop. Trying out different characters becomes part of the fun, and with each offering their own strengths, weaknesses, and playstyles, it’s easy to find a favourite to tackle the game’s tougher challenges with.

“Warriors: Abyss offers an exciting shake-up of the musou formula with its fast-paced action and satisfying roguelike progression system.”

The roguelike elements of Warriors: Abyss come through in its progression systems, with the game utilising a bond mechanic that sees players recruit additional warriors to their cause, each of which will provide a variety of buffs to strengthen your capabilities as well as a special summon ability that can be used in the midst of combat. You’ll take multiple characters into a run with you that make up your formation, with the varied formation setups on offer allowing for passive boosts of their own. It’s a clever idea that plays into the strengths of the Warriors series perfectly, whilst it’s always fun to tinker with your character and formation setups to see what works best for you.

The game has more conventional methods of progression too, with players able to collect resources that allow them to permanently enhance their character’s stats, recruit new warriors to build up their roster, or unlock additional abilities. It’s your typical roguelike approach to progression really, so if you’re familiar with the genre, you’ll have a rough idea what to expect. It complements the intricacies of the bond mechanics of the game though, ensuring there’s both depth and familiarity in Warriors: Abyss to ensure it’ll appeal to a wider audience of players.

There’s one thing Warriors: Abyss really has going for it – combat is a TON of fun, with the sheer number of enemies, the speed of combat, and the spectacle of special attacks making for a thrilling experience that always looks and feels great. The game’s roguelike structure ensures that no two runs feel exactly the same, with different buffs and character synergies in your formation leading to varied playthroughs that feel fresh. The boss battles are a real treat too, forcing players to adopt a more tactical approach where careful timing, clever management of your abilities, and a strategic formation setup are the key to success. They change things up from the button-mashing action of the core gameplay loop and serve as genuine challenges that round off the progression you’ve made in a satisfying manner.

Check out some screenshots down below:

That being said, whilst Warriors: Abyss is a lot of fun, it does have some flaws. Combat can be a little overwhelming at times, and whilst the top-down camera perspective can make it easier to track the action of each battle, it’s so easy to find yourself overwhelmed because so much is going on at once. There were plenty of annoying moments where I thought I’d avoided an attack too, only to find myself caught out from foes coming from another angle. Sure, that could be my own fault a lot of the time, but there were occasions where I felt like the invincibility frames when dodging could have been a little bit more forgivable.

There are a few other elements of the roguelike structure that could feel weaker than other prolific titles in the genre too, such a lack of variety across environments, repetitive mechanics across the rooms you progress through, and predictable enemies encounters that often focus more on quantity as opposed to giving players thoughtful showdowns. Whilst these aren’t big problems (and they certainly don’t stop Warriors: Abyss from being fun to play), they do see the game lacking in that quality of sense of longevity that is required from a roguelike to really thrive in the long-term.

Developer: Koei Tecmo
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch
Website: https://www.koeitecmoeurope.com/warriors_abyss/