End of Abyss is a creepy twin-stick Metroidvania from Little Nightmares veterans, out October 1

End of Abyss is an atmospheric top-down 3D twin-stick Metroidvania launching October 1, 2026 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Published by Epic, it's the debut game from Malmö-based Section 9 Interactive, co-founded by brothers Mattias and Marcus Ottval and Gustaf Heinerwall — all three previously worked together at Tarsier Studios as leads in programming, art, and game direction on Little Nightmares and Reanimal.

You play as Cel, a young combat technician exploring a dark underground complex. Controls are standard twin-stick: left stick to move, right stick to aim in full 360 degrees. Your default weapon is a recharging energy pistol — unlimited shots, but it runs dry and needs a moment to reload, so you can't just spray. You also pick up a limited-ammo shotgun with solid knockback, grenades, and flares that illuminate dark areas and distract enemies. Resources drop from enemies and the environment and feed into a crafting economy at upgrade stations. Healing is limited and only refills at save pods scattered across the map. Studio co-founder Mattias Ottval cited Alien and The Thing as the core aesthetic references — and it shows.

The Tarsier DNA is immediately obvious: grim industrial environments, shambling misshapen mutants lurking in the dark, and a general sense of dread baked into every corner. But where Little Nightmares kept gameplay deliberately simple to serve its cinematic moments, End of Abyss layers in real action and exploration depth. The demo section had players hunting three power cores to restart a reactor, suggesting structured objectives rather than pure linear progression. Unreal Engine 5 makes the whole thing look sharp and unsettling, and Cel's oversized spherical helmet — reminiscent of an old diving suit — gives her a readable silhouette even from the pulled-back isometric camera.

Both hands-on sessions at Summer Game Fest Play Days ended with a boss fight against a giant centipede-like creature that coils around you and drains health fast if you let it get close. The fight demands constant movement and precise shotgun timing. End of Abyss is shaping up to be a genuinely tough, no-compromises Metroidvania — October 1 is a crowded release window, but the game has enough identity to reward anyone who gives it a shot.