After hitting Early Access back in June 2021, we finally have a date for the initial launch of Phantom Abyss. The trap-dodging asynchronous multiplayer game is coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam and the Humble Store on January 25.
Publisher Devolver Digital and developer Team WIBY let the latest announcement loose on Steam. You can see some lightning-fast snippets of Version 1.0 in action in the launch date trailer below.
For those just now seeing what Team WIBY has been working on, Phantom Abyss tosses players into procedurally generated temples with the straightforward but challenging task of retrieving sacred relics. As anyone who has ever traversed even the most modest of temples will tell you, that’s just askin’ for booby traps. From perilous chasms to temple guards, you only get one chance to survive and make your way through each temple, so you have to choose your relic path wisely.
The asynchronous multiplayer comes into play as you explore the temples and spot the phantoms of fallen players who have come and gone in that temple before. You can observe the actions and deadly missteps of up to 20 phantoms — including Steam friends and total strangers — and try not to repeat the same mistakes.
Fortune and glory
It’s been a while since we checked the game out for ourselves, and a lot can happen in over two years of Early Access.
Among the updates to look for as we venture into 1.0 are a completely overhauled Adventure Mode, a new Abyss Mode, and changes to Whips. The Abyss Mode was previously known as Classic Mode and acts as the heart of the game, letting players roll the dice to make their way through all four areas of a unique temple to collect the relic waiting at the end.
We can all look forward to failing miserably at it together later this month.