Section 9 Explained the Inspirations Behind End of Abyss
From the moment it was first announced, End of Abyss managed to attract attention both for its style and the team behind it. A new project from developers who have worked on atmospheric titles like Little Nightmares, End of Abyss aims to combine twin-stick shooter gameplay with Metroidvania elements. The founders of Section 9 have shared, for the first time more clearly, the game’s development process and the sources that inspired it.
How Did End of Abyss’ Inspirations Take Shape?
Marcus Ottvall, one of the founders of Section 9, says that End of Abyss was initially designed as a much more cartoonish, fast-paced action game. While initially planned for more agile movements, quick escapes, and a lighter tone, the team reached a point during development where they questioned their direction. At this stage, the lack of many top-down Metroidvania-style examples led the team towards a darker and more serious atmosphere.
Following this decision, the tone of End of Abyss has changed significantly. Science fiction anime productions and classic horror films have become one of the cornerstones of the game’s atmosphere. These inspirations have influenced not only the visual world but also the gameplay pace. A slower, more cautious approach has been adopted, and the sense of suspense has been emphasized.
While Marcus avoids giving too many details about the story and characters, he emphasizes that they want to preserve the game’s mystery. In contrast, Mattias Ottvall says that the scanning mechanism in End of Abyss was consciously designed specifically for this genre. The player gathering information by scanning the environment makes the world more meaningful and aims to reduce the feeling of getting lost.
The team notes that the Metroidvania genre can sometimes challenge players with its complex maps, and they aim to make exploration more fluid with this system. A definite release date for End of Abyss has not yet been announced, but the game is planned for release in 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series consoles, and PC. The described sources of inspiration and design choices have the potential to elevate End of Abyss beyond being just another example of the genre.
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