Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness review

Binary Star Falling into Darkness is a skillful adaptation of the source material that will certainly delight fans by recreating the plotline, as well as putting them in the boots of a wannabe White Whistle for an original adventure. But if you aren’t familiar with the property, Made in Abyss won’t be nearly as captivating.

Akihito Tsukushi’s Made in Abyss is a deceptively bleak work. The manga and animated adaption focus on the exploits of an orphaned girl named Riko and her robotic friend Reg, as the pair descend into a mysterious and inconceivably deep chasm. Depicted as adorable children adorned in explorational gear, it would be easy to mistake Made in Abyss for a light-hearted adventure.

But the premise puts the pair through distressing torment, with each layer of the Abyss more physically and mentally punishing than the last. This result is a succession of harrowing experiences for the characters, from both an unforgiving environment as well as aggressive creatures who have adapted to the arduous conditions. Then there’s the Curse of the Abyss, where ascension is accompanied by ailments that can border on the grotesque.

What’s even more unsettling are the motivations of the titular Cave Raiders. Riko is drawn downward in hopes of reuniting with her lost mother. But other children are exploited, forced into risking their lives to recover artifacts that must be handed over to the Belchero Orphanage. As such, this is one of the most somber settings in all of anime. With the release of Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness, the situation has been adapted into an interactive form. Faithful to the source material, the descent can truly be punishing at times.

Where “Hello” Also Means Goodbye

Developer Chime Corporation (Re:ZERO — Starting Life in Another World — The Prophecy of the Throne) splits Binary Star Falling into Darkness into two components. “Hello Abyss” is both a compulsory tutorial and a recreation of the anime’s first arc. But it’s burdened with condensing eight chapters of exposition while also explaining how many of the game’s mechanics work.

For those familiar with the source material, this five-hour trek will be gratifying. From modeling Belchero’s odd classrooms, where children are seated in a vertical arrangement to seeing Riko’s dorm (which was once a torture chamber), being able to explore three-dimensional recreations of notable locations can feel like visiting a virtual museum. Character design is especially adept, and seeing Riko confidently stride toward peril, captures the pathos of the anime.

“The Abyss Stares Back at You”

Then, there’s the Abyss itself. After a few brief errands, Riko and Reg begin their expedition downward. For fans of the show, “Hello Abyss” can be indulging, as it conveys the urgency of survival. Sure, combat can feel like a very rudimentary take on Monster Hunter as you sporadically sneak up on prey, and bash it with a few unwieldy swings of a pickaxe or hatchet, before obtaining meat or bone for crafting recipes. But you’ll learn how to keep Riko’s health, hunger, and stamina meters filled and hopefully, how to counteract the effects of the curse.

Falling into Darkness does omit a few key pieces of information, so occasionally Riko will lose her lunch (depleting her hunger bar in the process) when attempting to scale a wall due to the Curse. But forget how Breath of the Wild handled stamina and you should make it through the first two layers intact.

That said, it’s entirely possible to paint yourself in a corner if you’re grabbing weighty artifacts instead of stocking up on essentials like salt and meat. Just like the original work, Reg can be a lifesaver (quite literally in quick-time events). But he can also be a mechanical moron, getting caught on the environment or punching spiked creatures that deplete his health bar. Then there’s the uneven look of the Abyss. While the first layer offers an adept interpretation of the anime, the Inverted Forest is built with low-resolution textures and simple geometry. This area should be awe-inspiring.

Time to Take Off the Training Wheels

After completing “Hello Abyss”, a node name “Deep in Abyss” opens, extending an original story and a modest character creation suite. The goal is the same as Riko’s- to become a legendary White Whistle, which is the apex of the world’s hierarchal ranking system. The achievements of White Whistles can change society, so there’s quite a bit of weight on your custom Cave Raider’s back.

Unlike Riko’s mostly unidirectional descent, “Deep in Abyss” offers a cyclical campaign, as you descend for artifacts, then return to the surface in hopes of earning enough resources to advance. From earning new abilities, being able to craft different weapons, increasing your whistle rank, and ultimately discovering more about another character coerced into plunging into the great pit’s depths, this is an impressive complement to “Hello Abyss”. Sure, there are also some issues with the storytelling, but “Deep” absolutely nails the vulnerability of being a Cave Raider.

Better yet, there’s a gratifying sense of growth. Initially, primordial creatures can overpower you and you’ll occasionally want to evade danger rather than persistently attacking. Navigation feels slow and precarious at first. But as you unlock new combos and upgrade your character, progression feels empowering. Many games strive to convey character development, but “Deep in Abyss” truly felt like I was conquering an inhospitable landscape.

Conclusion

Yes, Binary Star Falling into Darkness is cursed by a bit of clunkiness. When endlessly spawning flying enemies harass you while climbing, the game can be incredibly aggravating. Being overburdened by weight is a binary and being a single gram over your carry limit leaves you completely vulnerable. On PC, the game only displays mouse and keyboard icons, making for some likely deaths if you’re playing with a controller or on the Steam Deck. Yet despite the aggravations, I persisted, lured back into the Abyss just like Tsukushi’s characters. As such, this might be one of the sincerest anime adaptions around.

Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness was
played on PC with review code provided by the publisher.