Combat in VOID DIVER: Escape from the Abyss is sophisticated, high-impact real-time action set amid the ruins of a city overrun by otherworldly forces. Fighting your way through threats is one of the game's core pillars, and it is closely tied to which operative you bring and how you have built them.
Real-Time Action
Battles play out in real time as you move through the dungeon. A hands-on preview described the system as built around sword-based combat with simple combos, a dodge, and special abilities. The combos give you a basic offensive rhythm, the dodge lets you slip out of danger, and special abilities provide bigger moments of impact. Combat happens in the same spaces you explore, so fights break out as you push deeper into The Abyss in search of loot.
A Style for Every Character
Each character offers a different combat style, so swapping operatives changes how you fight rather than just changing a coat of paint. The roster spans melee and ranged approaches:
Approach | Example |
|---|---|
Melee | A talisman-using fighter whose throwing skill can shift toward ranged attacks. |
Ranged | Raven, who fights with a revolver and a hidden Gatling gun. |
Because playstyles differ this sharply, your choice of Divers is also a choice about how you want to handle a fight.
Aiming and Controls
For the ranged side of combat, the demo added support tools based on player feedback, including crosshairs and auto-aiming, along with an auto-fire feature. The game also offers full controller support. These additions make precise shooting feel more comfortable without changing the underlying real-time flow.
Builds Shape Your Offense
How effective you are in a fight depends heavily on your preparation. Through Character Building, exclusive skill trees and traits sharpen each operative's potential, and you enter the dungeon with a chosen skill-tree combination. On top of that, Weapons and Gear customization lets you assemble a loadout from weapons, accessories, and relics recovered on previous dives. The result is that two players using the same character can fight in noticeably different ways.
Who You Fight
The opposition is varied and dangerous, ranging from otherworldly monsters to humans driven to madness. Combat also interacts with the survival layer, since drawn-out fights keep you in the dungeon longer while your light and your nerves wear down. See Enemies and Threats for the full picture of what stands between you and extraction.