The developers behind existential indie Unsighted have officially announced their next project.
Studio Pixel Punk has been teasing their next game with short clips for a while, but now, the indie outfit has officially unveiled Abyss X Zero with a storefront description that calls it a "3D Metroidvania with enormous dungeons and stylish combat." The twist is that you control two different characters, Codename A and Codename Z, who are "fated to battle each other." The Last Of Us Part 2 but with killer anime girlies, then.
Both characters have unique abilities that change how you approach combat and exploration, and the trailer below gives you a taste of both.
There is so much to appreciate in the clip above: massive Shadow of the Colossus-type bosses, rideable motorbikes, what looks like a grappling hook, gorgeous low-poly art, and a weird cat-eye-mutant thingy. Oh, and lots of backflips.
In some ways, Abyss X Zero seems to be a steep departure from Unsighted, what with all the three-dimensional polygons flying about. But Unsighted also featured the same sick slashing, frantic movement, careful puzzling, and stylish pazazz that's in the trailer. Unsighted was also, of course, an emotionally crushing experience as you fought against the clock to save yourself and your robot friends from annihilation. We'll see whether Abyss X Zero makes my goosebumps spring up in quite the same way when it eventually releases.
2024 is shaping up to be a killer year for the genre - whether Abyss X Zero comes out this year or not - between the latest Prince of Persia, Ender Magnolia, and (fingers crossed) Hollow Knight Silksong.
To keep track of all the goodness on the horizon, check out our upcoming indies of 2024 and beyond guide.
