End of Abyss: Beginner’s Guide, Gameplay Tips & Tricks

Here are beginner tips and tricks for End of Abyss.

End of Abyss is a sci-fi horror Metroidvania that takes cues from classic adventures like The Legend of Zelda and Metroid, with Soulslike parts on top. You play as Cel, a combat technician who goes down into a broken facility. These tips cover movement, combat, ammo, doors, and saving, so you survive the descent. The controls here use the PlayStation layout, so button names on other platforms may differ.

Sprint and Dodge Roll

Sprint is Square and dodge roll is L2. End of Abyss has no stamina, so you can use both as often as you want. Use them in every fight to stay alive. Together, they are the fastest way to travel when you backtrack or return to where you died.

Scan Every Room

Scan each time you enter a new room. Push down on the D-pad to pull out the Scanner, then hold R2 on important things like doors. A scanned door goes on your map, and the scan tells you what it needs, like a special key card, or whether it is locked from the other side.

Scanning also shows ledges you can hop over, crates you can break, and drops you can take. You might not have looked for these, and you may need them to move forward.

Sidearm Energy and Upgrades

The Sidearm uses energy and has no bullet limit. It recharges or reloads, but it recharges slowly, so empty it and let it reload. Every other weapon needs ammo that you craft at the Workbench. The Sidearm is the only energy weapon that needs no crafted ammo.

Max out the Sidearm at the Workbench before you upgrade other weapons. It works well for the whole game once it is maxed. You still need a heavy weapon for some situations.

Knife and Flares

Use your Knife on small enemies that swim or fly at you, like Parasitic Fleas. A swipe takes them out.

Flares are worth using only when many enemies are around. They draw the enemies' attention, and you get a few seconds to roll back or reload.

Craft Ammo Before You Retry a Fight

Every weapon except the Sidearm needs crafted ammo. At the Workbench, four Shotgun Shells cost 50 scrap. When you die, the ammo you used stays used, as in a Soulslike. If you try a boss or a mini boss again, craft more first.

Walk Backwards While You Fire

The Sidearm doesn't seem to lose damage over distance. Walk backwards while you fire, and you keep the most distance between you and the enemy.

Boxes and Crates

You can break boxes by slicing them or rolling into them. Few of them hold anything, so you can skip them. A few crates do block the way to something important, so break those.

Red Gas Canisters

Red gas canisters explode and deal large damage. Shoot a canister once, and it explodes a few seconds later. Shoot it twice, and it explodes at once. The blast radius is large, so lure enemies past a canister and stay out of the range. Some enemies carry canisters on their backs, so hit those when they are in a crowd.

Scan Dead Bodies

Scan dead bodies you find. It doesn't always work. Sometimes it reveals a body you can search for resources.

Enemies Respawn When You Save

End of Abyss uses retro elements that are now called Soulslike. One of them is that common enemies respawn when you save.

Key Cards

You find many Key Cards in End of Abyss. Scan a door, and it shows red on your map with the key it needs. When you find the right key card, the map updates and puts a yellow icon beside the red door.

Check Your Objective

If you forget your objective, open your map in the 2D section. Press Square to switch to the world view. Your objective shows in the top right.

Energy Nodes

Some doors open only after you destroy their Energy Nodes. Use the Scanner to trace the yellow power lines through the walls. You can slash a node or shoot it.

Little Bots

Keep away from the little bots. They explode when you get close, to protect themselves.

Backtracking Past Enemies

When you backtrack, you can run or roll past enemies. They may follow you a long way and get you into trouble. They don't climb ladders or cross ledges, so those stop them.

What You Keep When You Die

Doors you opened, switches you flipped, and items you found stay after you die. Usable items are lost.

Use Enemies Against Each Other

Enemies can damage themselves and other enemies. Some bots drop grenades where you stand. Get close, then leave the blast range, and they hurt themselves.

Sidearm Charge Shot

The charge shot is one of the first Sidearm upgrades. Get it. It can interrupt some enemy attacks, and even some boss attacks. It can also blow off heads. It takes time to charge, so don't start one in a bad spot.

Shoot Around Obstacles

Cel can shoot around and over obstacles, and slightly above or below her. Use this to kite enemies around and stay out of harm's way.

Shuttle Stations

Shuttle Stations around the facility work as fast travel. Finding one adds it to your map, but you can't travel to it yet. Use its control panel to activate it, or it won't be open when you return.

Save Rooms and Radiation

A Save Room is always safe, and enemies stop chasing you once you enter. If you are in a high radiation area, you take no radiation damage inside the Save Room.

You need a special suit for areas with high radiation. In areas with low radiation, you take damage slowly, so you can explore them a little.

C4 and Weak Walls

When you find C4, you can blow holes in weak walls. It is a consumable that you craft. Each time you reach a save station, craft more, and keep about five on hand. You don't know when you will find a weak wall.

What to Do Next

Max the Sidearm at the Workbench, then scan every new room. Craft ammo and C4 each time you reach a Save Room. Save often, since enemies respawn but doors, switches, and items stay.

To survive End of Abyss, you sprint and roll through fights, scan every room, max your Sidearm first, and craft ammo and C4 each time you reach a save room.

FAQ

Q. Is there stamina in End of Abyss?

A. No. You can sprint and dodge roll as much as you want.

Q. Does the Sidearm have limited ammo?

A. No. The Sidearm uses energy. It recharges slowly or reloads, so empty it and let it reload. Other weapons need crafted ammo.

Q. What do you keep when you die in End of Abyss?

A. Doors you opened, switches you flipped, and items you found stay. Usable items are lost, and ammo you used stays used.

Q. How do you use shuttle stations for fast travel?

A. Finding a station adds it to your map. Use its control panel to activate it, and then you can travel to it.