Cyclopean: The Great Abyss is a premium role-playing PC game by developer Schmidt Workshops. It is a CRPG roguelike adventure that takes inspiration from the classics and features switching perspectives between top-down third-person and first-person viewpoints. It also boasts a unique monochromatic pixel art style and presentation for a decidedly retro atmosphere. 

Comparable to the likes of The Doors of Trithius and Caves of Qud, Cyclopean: The Great Abyss combines open-world exploration with tactical turn-based battles set in a dark fantasy world. A demo version is available for newcomers to check out to get a glimpse of what the gameplay will be like. 

Dark Lovecraftian adventure 

Cyclopean: The Great Abyss is a retro pixel CRPG that takes place in the underworld of H.P. Lovecraft’s Dreamlands collection of tabletop story adventures. In it, you are a dreamer who finds yourself trapped in the underworld known as The Great Abyss. You must survive and utilize every resource around you as you find a way to make your way back to the upper Dreamlands or the Waking World. 

There are multiple dreamers to pick as your character, each with their own unique traits and starting gear. The gameplay in Cyclopean shuffles between top-down open-world exploration in 2D and first-person dungeon crawling in 3D for quite a distinct experience. Everything is turn-based, allowing you to think carefully about your actions. Determine whether situations require finesse or a heavy hand as they happen, as you interact with the people of the land. 

Form alliances with people and have them join your party to help fight enemies by finding and reading specific books on your journey. There’s even an option to start a game in Roguelike Mode, which features permadeath. Refer to the game manual for rules and mechanics, and change the color of the monochrome graphics to your liking. Combat is rather simplistic and shallow, though, and doesn’t offer much depth. 

Surreal and charming 

All in all, if you’re a fan of CRPGs and Lovecraftian lore, Cyclopean: The Great Abyss is pretty much a must-play for you. You get to experience one of H.P. Lovecraft’s works come to life in video game form, and the entire journey is a surreal and engaging experience. If combat is not your main priority, give this one a try and see for yourself. Recommended.