Cyclopean: The Great Abyss

Cyclopean: The Great Abyss

Released Jul 2025

Cyclopean: The Great Abyss is a small scale, mechanics driven CRPG/Roguelike in a retro, monochromatic style, that takes place in the underworld of H.P. Lovecraft's Dreamlands.

88% positive · 178 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence

Where to buy

Steam $9.99
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Evaluation

Cyclopean: The Great Abyss launched as a full release (version 1.0) on July 17, 2025, following a period of pre-release development. The developer declared the game feature complete on June 25, 2025, and the 1.0 release proceeded as planned. Since launch, the developer has been consistently active, shipping a steady stream of bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements — over 40 feature patches and 58 bug fixes are on record — but no new content expansions or DLC have been announced or released beyond the standalone soundtrack (released January 23, 2026). The most recent update was on June 11, 2026. The developer has not announced any upcoming DLC, expansions, or additional gameplay content. The only DLC listed on the store is the game's soundtrack, which has already shipped. The post-launch update history reflects active maintenance and polish rather than a content expansion roadmap. A notable March 2026 patch note even referenced stability improvements derived from work on a separate project (Cyclopean II), suggesting the developer's forward-looking content energy may be directed toward a sequel rather than further additions to this title. Based on all available signals, the game launched as a finished product and has been receiving polish updates consistent with ongoing maintenance support, not content expansion.
Evidence
Full Release Version 1.0 launched on July 17, 2025.
news post · Jul 17, 2025 source content shipped
high
Developer declared the game feature complete as of June 25, 2025, with the full release set for July 17. Remaining work described as testing, polishing, and balancing only.
news post · Jun 25, 2025 source development ending
high

Content

1 of 1 released · no outstanding content
Released
Jan 2026

Media

Details

Publisher
Schmidt Workshops
Achievements
16
Platform
Windows
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player

About this game

Trapped in the Great Abyss!

You are an old dreamer who, through unforeseen circumstances, has found himself trapped in the Great Abyss, the vast underworld beneath the Dreamlands.  Use the resources at your disposal, weapons, armor, supplies, and any alliances you have with the locals, to explore and learn the secrets of the underworld, in order to make your way back to the upper Dreamlands, or back to the Waking World. 

Cyclopean: The Great Abyss seems simple at first, but the gameplay becomes more complex as players learn the intricacies of its various systems.  Read the in-game dialogue and text carefully, and you may actually learn some useful things.

A Variety of Strategies

Although combat plays a big role in the game, it is not the only means of achieving one's goals.  Players may find it much more useful to use a combination of combat, stealth and/or dialogue to deal with the inhabitants of the nether realms.  In fact, the game will punish you severely if you try to fight everything as a low level character, so try to manage your gold, health, alliances and sanity carefully as you traverse the Great Abyss.

Old School CRPG

Cyclopean follows the tradition of early CRPGs like Ultima, Questron, and Legacy of the Ancients (among others) in that it presents two differing views of the game world.  Outside of dungeons, you see your character from the top down in a 2D display of the map.  Whereas, in dungeons, the view changes to a 3D, first person perspective. 

Choose Your Dreamer Carefully

When you start the game you will be presented with a random dreamer, with basic abilities and equipment, and any alliances they have.  You can choose to play as that person, or "reroll" to see if you can find a better option.  Cyclopean gives you the freedom to choose from a wide variety of stodgy sounding English upper class gentlemen to play as.

Turn Based Gameplay

The gameplay and combat is all turn based, allowing you to make strategic decisions. Enemies are dangerous, but polite, and will wait their turn.

Alliances

Some characters will start the game with an alliance in place.  This can be very helpful in the early stages, especially for new players.  Alliances allow you to have some of the various denizens of the Great Abyss join your party, and help to fight other enemies.  New alliances can be formed during the game by finding and reading the right books.

Roguelike Mode

As of Version 0.9.936, you can now opt to play Cyclopean: The Great Abyss as a roguelike game with perma-death.  The game will now prompt you when you first start it, whether you want the traditional CRPG experience or Roguelike Mode.  You can always switch back by using the Options menu to restore the default settings.  Games played in Roguelike Mode are not accessible via normal mode, and vice versa.  

Game Manual

There are many other game mechanics and other things that are described in the game manual.  The manual has been fully integrated with the game, so you can bring it up at any time, to learn about the various game mechanics available. 

Use the options menu to change game settings including the color...

Last evaluated Jun 18, 2026
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