It’s not the most obvious comparison point, but the first thing I thought of when I saw Duet Night Abyss was Final Fantasy 8. While the upcoming gacha ARPG puts twists on Genshin and Zenless Zone Zero’s combat, and shares voice talent with Metaphor: ReFantazio, its two-character narrative – at various points, you swap from one protagonist to another – reminds me of hopping between Squall and Laguna in Square’s 1999 classic. After a technical test last year, the new Duet Night Abyss beta sign ups are finally open. If you’re looking for an alternative to the Hoyoverse anime staples, this could be the one.
Part gacha game and part RPG, as well as its perspective-jumping story, the main thrust of Duet Night Abyss is its fluid, anti-grind combat. Each character has a melee weapon and a ranged weapon, and you can swap between them on the fly. In some cases, you also get a unique weapon that you can activate under certain conditions, and you can equip two active skills and one passive at the same time.
‘Demon Wedges’ are essentially runes. You can only equip a limited number of Wedges, but they grant the kinds of abilities and skills that you might otherwise only access at higher levels – if you experiment and create the right combination, it’s possible to build a strong, adaptable character without hours of grinding.
Set in a fantasy world where machines are threatening to overthrow mankind, in Duet Night Abyss, you choose from a range of characters infused with demonic powers. Joshua Wichard, of Baldur’s Gate 3, Wuthering Waves, and Final Fantasy 16 lends their vocal talent. The Japanese cast includes Natsuki Hanae of Metaphor: ReFantazio. Alongside voice acting, the new Duet Night Abyss beta adds a number of features as compared to last year’s short technical test.
You can now customize the colors of your weapons and choose a pet companion to follow you on your adventures. Co-op play is also available. The last time we got to play Duet Night Abyss, it was a short demo of about 25 minutes. We don’t know precisely how long the new beta will be live, but it certainly seems a lot more substantial, and likely a better chance to appreciate what the Genshin and ZZZ rival has to offer.
Duet Night Abyss beta signups are open from today, Monday January 13, to Monday February 10. Though not every applicant is guaranteed a place, there are multiple ways to apply. You can fill out the questionnaire and application on the official site, or you can follow the game on social media channels and participate in community activities. Finally, if you complete the ‘Fina’s Letter of Sweet Dreams’ web event, there’s a chance you can win beta access. You can find links to everything you need right here.
Otherwise, you might want to try some of the other best anime games, or maybe the best fantasy games available on PC right now.
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