Luna Abyss Quietly Emerges as One of the Best Shooters of 2026
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Kwalee Labs' Luna Abyss has arrived on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Game Pass, combining elements of Doom, Returnal, and Metroid Prime into a standout first-person shooter for 2026.
The year has already delivered a strong lineup for shooter fans, with heavy hitters and standout indies fighting for our attention across PC and console. Amidst the crowded calendar, developer Kwalee Labs has quietly dropped a major contender. Luna Abyss is now available on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X, and it is included on Xbox Game Pass. The game successfully blends the frenetic energy of Doom, the atmospheric dread of Returnal, and the exploration style of Metroid Prime into a tight, highly polished package.
The premise drops you into the boots of a prisoner serving a decades-long sentence inside a decaying lunar megastructure. To shave time off your sentence, a robotic warden sends you deep into the ruins to recover lost technology while fighting off waves of hostile creatures. While the narrative leans heavily into dense sci-fi lore, the grim atmosphere and striking visual design easily pull you through the brisk six-hour runtime. The environment sets a moody stage for combat encounters that demand your full attention from the moment you drop in.
Combat and movement are where the game truly shines, largely thanks to a smart design choice borrowed from Metroid Prime. By implementing a lock-on system for your weapons, the game shifts the focus away from traditional aiming and places it entirely on fluid movement. You spend firefights dodging waves of colorful enemy projectiles, managing weapon heat levels, and chaining double jumps into air dashes. According to a recent report by Giovanni Colantonio on Polygon, this mechanical freedom lets players lock into a rewarding flow state that rivals much larger budget titles.
For players looking to dive into something new on Game Pass or pick up an engaging indie shooter on PC or console, Luna Abyss offers a refreshing alternative to massive live service grinds. It proves that compact, focused single-player experiences can still punch well above their weight class and deliver some of the best moments of the gaming year.
Tags: Luna Abyss, Kwalee Labs, Xbox Game Pass, FPS, Indie Games
Original article: Polygon