Xbox Game Pass title Phantom Abyss is getting a full release on January 25, publisher Devolver Digital has announced. The hectic roguelike with asynchronous multiplayer elements originally reached Xbox Game Pass in October 2022. Developed by Australian studio Team WIBY, Phantom Abyss was first launched as a Steam Early Access title in late June 2021. A year and a half later, the indie game was ported to the Xbox Series X/S. Its console version arrived in tandem with the game’s debut on Microsoft’s subscription service, making Phantom Abyss a day-one Xbox Game Pass title in late 2022.
Some 14 months later, Phantom Abyss is now finally ready for a full-fledged release, which has just been scheduled for January 25. The 1.0 version of the Xbox Game Pass title introduces several notable changes, including a fairly comprehensive overhaul of its Adventure Mode. The latest iteration of this mode will provide players with the option of choosing between several sets of temples to explore, with each of them offering themed challenges and distinct relics, among other things.
The next Phantom Abyss update will also rework the game’s Classic Mode. Now called Abyss, the revised mode will still revolve around braving procedurally generated temple grounds in search of their hidden treasures. Each map comes with four areas that need to be overcome before the player can grab a new relic. Only one person can ever complete any given temple, while the rest will help them on their quest indirectly, by trying and failing to do the same. Namely, up to 20 phantoms replaying the mistakes of other players are still available for each level, offering key insight about what not to do.
The 1.0 version of Phantom Abyss is also set to introduce some notable changes to its whip mechanics. Specifically, whips will now be unlockable by playing Adventure Mode and will no longer carry curses, while a variety of whip skins will be available as rewards for completing various challenges. The total number of cosmetics included in the 1.0 version of the game is still unconfirmed. But overall, the patch notes attached to the upcoming update indicate that Team WIBY managed to further refine the unique spin on the roguelike formula that Phantom Abyss introduced back in mid-2021.
The full-fledged release of Phantom Abyss promises to further bolster the selection of high-quality roguelikes on Xbox Game Pass. What remains to be seen is whether the end of the game’s early access period means that Team WIBY will soon have enough time to port Phantom Abyss to even more platforms, assuming the studio intends to keep supporting its picturesque roguelike instead of tackling a different project in the near future.
Source: gamerant.
