The Abyss Below

The Abyss Below is a short deep-sea psychological horror game set in 1997. Sent in a small submersible to investigate a massive, non-biological sonar anomaly in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean, you search for possible targets, identify the signal’s source and report your findings to the surface. The anomaly’s exact location is unknown, and its acoustic signature matches no known terrestrial vessel. The game takes about an hour to complete in a single sitting.

Navigate the seafloor

Visibility is almost zero, and there is no traditional HUD. You use the physical instruments in your cockpit—including sonar, depth, map and onboard telemetry—to follow coordinates and interpret sonar returns as you travel through dark underwater terrain. The front window reveals only fragments of what lies ahead, so you rely on sound, signals and instruments to understand your surroundings.

Scan the targets

At each target, you maneuver into optimal range and use onboard sensors to send scan data to the surface. Each scan reveals another part of the mystery and brings you closer to the anomaly’s source.

Trace the anomaly

As you follow the trail of strange targets, distorted radio contact, impossible structures and unexplained signals gradually reshape the mission. The search leads toward something hidden beneath the seafloor, where something has been waiting for a very long time. The experience focuses on tension, discovery and isolation, with claustrophobic submarine exploration and oppressive underwater audio.