Say goodbye to stars, stamina, and static systems in Duet Night Abyss

Developed by Pan Studio, a team under the Hero Games umbrella that helped bring breakout hits like Black Myth: Wukong and Wuthering Waves to the world, Duet Night Abyss is a new epic set to grace your PC and mobile screen on October 28. Since its reveal almost two years ago, and fresh from a showstopping booth at Gamescom, the latest Duet Night Abyss preview stream finally gave players the news they'd been waiting for - when it will be launching, and what exciting changes we'll see following multiple closed beta tests.

If you weren't lucky enough to be on the Gamescom showfloor to see the life-size Eclosior statue up close, don't worry, we'll catch you up. Duet Night Abyss is an anime action game committed to respecting your time and, more importantly, your bank balance - a novel concept in the tightly competitive market of similar free-to-play epics.

Duet Night Abyss is hoping to do things a little differently, learning not only from other games but from those who helped test drive its direction earlier in the year. It's aiming to fix common frustrations by removing much of the grind, friction, and random number game culture of min-maxing that threatens to discourage exploration and fuel intimidating theorycrafting. We're all just here to have a good time, and Hero Games feels the same.

Duet Night Abyss is a 3D combat action game that prioritizes player freedom, fluid mobility mechanics, relaxed character playstyles, and a dual narrative storyline that should be a breath of fresh air for fans of the genre. Frustrated with spending hard-earned currencies to get nothing but duplicate weapons for characters you don't use? That's one of the modern-day headaches you won't have here.

This one bids farewell to star ratings on characters and weapons and says bye-bye to the FOMO that comes with missing a meta limited-time release. Equipment and characters can be unlocked, crafted, and upgraded by earning shards through regular play. And with clearly signposted acquisition methods, there's no risk of running errands just to wind up with copies of a character you might never use.

But if you've ever benched a character for how they look, play, or feel, worry not: Outfit dyes, freeform weapon systems, and equippable character mechanics unlock the potential of any character you obtain. They'll play how you want and look good doing it, too. And for more robust makeovers, unique skins can switch things up further. If you're tired of waiting for a character glow-up, just do it yourself.

Duet Night Abyss not only sheds the heartbreak of weapon banners but also allows any character to wield any weapon. And more than just one. Any character you control can carry a small arsenal, switching between two equipped weapons to brawl with baddies. Start the fight with a surprise volley from a rocket launcher, close the gap with a stylish wall jump, send enemies flying with a greatsword, and swap back to your heavy ordinance to unleash a second barrage.

Don't forget: these are battle-hardened warriors. Craft and refine equipment for free to create custom loadouts that turn lengthy quests to eradicate a room of fiends into a seconds-long assault involving graceful glides and ferocious flamethrowers. And if you don't want to go it alone, you're welcome to invite up to three friends (or your own roster) to churn through waves or take on tougher challenges.

Traversal mechanics help to keep exploring its expansive world fresh and exciting time and again. To entice casual sightseeing and inspire stylish entrances to any fight, grappling hooks, advanced double jumps, helix leaps, and wall jumps can become part of your roster's repertoire - all without the stamina limits imposed in other fantasy landscapes.

Ever regret your choice of two protagonists? Worry not: Duet Night Abyss strips away the dangling carrot of what your other half might be up to by incorporating a 'dual narrative' storyline.

Progressing the story means making tracks with both the male and female protagonists, giving you the context to piece together the whole picture. Multiple dialogue options and the Impression system opens up branching routes. This dual narrative storyline plays a large part in Hero Games' active efforts to alleviate the endless storytelling staircase that often encompasses similar adventures.

Tired of hopping in to grab a cool new character only to be bogged down by the grind of gearing them up? The Demon Wedge system takes the strain out of upping your team's attributes. Available through daily commissions and split between weapon types and characters, you'll have an easier time grabbing what you need. And with absolutely no time limits, you're free to experiment while clearing them.

The fixed attributes on unlocked relics means you won't have to pour precious resources into a piece only to throw it away when you roll the wrong stats. This grind is a one-and-done affair, with multiple characters being able to use the same equipment simultaneously. A single solid run can give you a squad's worth of stats.

And what about power creep pushing your favorite character out of practice? Or maybe you're just frustrated that a cute new character doesn't play to your strengths? Duet Night Abyss has that figured out, too. Demon Wedges are worth more than their stats. You can use them to completely alter how a character plays. Skill mechanics can be upended, and weapon traits can unlock entirely new attack patterns, letting you tailor your preferred character around your way of play.

One example is turning Filbert's mount, Truffle, into a stampeding boar. It gives you a way to literally bulldoze through mobs, and it presents yet another unique way of getting around town.

Duet Night Abyss launches on October 28 worldwide. And you don't have to limit the grind to your desk. With support for mobile devices and cross-progression, you can earn a perfect Demon Wedge at home and fine-tune its stats on the go.

Whether you're exploring the world at your own pace or taking on daring creature-culling commissions, you'll effortlessly make your way toward a new character unlock or upgrade with no premium currency required.

Hero Games wants you to feel rewarded for spending your time in the enchanting world of Duet Night Abyss. Everything you want can be earned by engaging in its core gameplay loop of stylishly shredding waves of beasties, customizing its growing roster to suit your playstyle, and embracing its breakaway from RNG-infused gacha mechanics. And like many of the greatest anime action games around, launch day is just the beginning of its sweeping story.