Labyrinth - Derelict Abyss for Windows

Top-down exploration game

This surreal, minimalist game offers an atmospheric, minimalist experience with a haunting music and subtle lore about a mysterious history. It's both relaxing and disturbing, but it ends abruptly with an ambiguous ending.

June Flowers developed LABYRINTH – Derelict Abyss, a haunting exploration game set in a maze-like environment with surreal landscapes. You'll be exploring endless paths and secret passageways, looking for 12 elusive relics to unlock the Gate.

LABYRINTH – Derelict Abyss is a simple, top-down, pixel art exploration game. However, it creates a unique atmosphere. In this regard, it's similar to The Good Time Garden, but with a completely different tone. It combines bizarre, trippy visuals and a mood-setting original music (also composed by June Flowers, clearly a multi-talented artist).

The plot is very weak. The plot is left up to you to put together. You get a few bits of lore by collecting relics. There are frequent references to a dark, mysterious past. Each relic is unique and has its own personality. Some relics may be referred to as the Buddhist wheel or Dharma. Others are simply childish glee.

Like other exploration games like Remnants or Wayward, you can expect to get lost in LABYRINTH – Derelict Abyss’ complicated maze at one point. You can use the built in hint system to help you navigate when this happens. However, some hint systems can be a bit cryptic or difficult to follow.

The only problem with this indie release is the abrupt and unceremonious end. You'd expect some fanfare after you've walked through the maze several dozen times in order to find the relics. Or at least some context. The mysteries that the relics refer to in their dialogues are still unsolved, despite a final cinematic clip that was ambiguous.

June Flowers, a developer, has done a lot in a very minimalist way. A simple plot, basic mechanics, and simple graphics combine to create a memorable experience. The game is short and has a disappointing ending.