Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness

Made in Abyss stays true to Akihito Tsukushi's original work, reminding us just how intriguing and mysterious his world can be. The new story expands its universe even further, but the somewhat clunky control and unstable performance screws up much of the gameplay experience.

Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness is a good adaptation of the series, but with some weak points. While its story is interesting, resulting in both a summary of what fans already know and something new, some of its mechanics are frustrating, and its gameplay can sometimes be labeled as repetitive. All in all, it is a highly recommended purchase for those who enjoy challenging games and dark narratives.

This RPG features a stunning game environment, where the visual world and the soundtrack contribute to the player's immersion. The experience could benefit from a more dynamic gameplay, however, as its rather slow pacing and long prologue will make things difficult for players who want to see the plot advancing and their character developing with each play session.

I can’t imagine the niche for this game will be too big, but even as someone who doesn’t know the anime, I found myself enjoying the unique take on hell that Made in Abyss throws at players. Once you learn to play it within its rhythms, rather than expect it to be something more conventional, it has a charm all of its own.

While Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness sports an excellent art direction and adapts the early part of the series' story quite well, it unfortunately fails to provide an enjoyable gameplay experience.

Made in Abyss is an odd game to recommend; the gameplay is great once you unlock the mode that actually features it, but until then you’re stuck having to trudge through a stripped-down, too-long-for-what-it-is easy mode that isn’t actually easy. If you aren’t willing to do that, you won't get to play the actual game that makes the price tag worth it. For those who do make it past that hurdle, the survival mechanics are well-implemented, the character progression is satisfying, and this is overall a perfectly enjoyable release. We wouldn’t necessarily recommend you pick up Made in Abyss, nor would we say you should pass on it outright; it’s an interesting game with plenty of redeeming qualities, but it’s gonna make you work to see them in ways that feel unnecessary.

Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness is a good game marred by poor pacing and the inability to blend game mechanics with the story they came from. If this game was purely the "Deep in Abyss" mode, it would be a great action-survival game with elements of RPG mechanics and even some horror mixed in. However, the contrast between the game modes both in gameplay and presentation is shocking and leaves one wondering why "Hello Abyss" needed to be a requirement to access what feels like the "actual game."

As cumbersome as the name that precedes it, Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness has grand ideas that it just can’t live up to. It’s a genuine shame, but I can’t give this a strong recommendation.