It doesn't matter how avid an anime fan and gamer one is: there will always be some titles that get missed. With new, incredible stories being told all the time and only so much time to give to each, it's easy to let some of the best ones slip through the cracks.

Made In Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness is an RPG about two children who journey into a cavernous, monster-filled rift in the name of saving the people they love and learning important truths about the world in which they live. Combining exploration, combat, crafting, and survival elements, there's a lot going on before the player even touches on the manga and anime's lore. Here are some important things that newcomers to the franchise should know about the game.

6 The Franchise Is Big

Made in Abyss - Binary Star - Ledge

The first Made in Abyss manga was published in 2012. Since then, the story of Riko, Reg, and the strange world they inhabit has spread to include an anime series as well as a film. The manga and anime were both critical and commercial successes, creating a legion of devoted followers willing to follow the story into whatever medium it took hold of next.

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The great news for newcomers to Made in Abyss is that the reach of this franchise gives players multiple options should they fall in love with the game and want more of it. Though Binary Star Falling Into Darkness tells a complete story, that story doesn't have to end with it. That's fortunate, because the lore and world-building of Made in Abyss are two of the best things about the franchise. For those that want to journey deeper into the Abyss and learn more of its secrets, the anime is waiting just around the corner.

5 The Game Has Two Modes

Made in Abyss - Binary Star - Character Creation

Two modes make up Binary Star Falling into Darkness. The first, Hello Abyss, is a classic story mode about Riko and Reg's adventure into the titular chasm. It primarily serves to introduce players to the game, familiarize them with the basics of its story and gameplay, and set things up so that the player will be ready for the game's second mode. Hello Abyss is basically a retelling of the anime, but for newcomers to the franchise, that repetition won't be a problem.

This second mode, Deep in Abyss, is the game's real draw. It lets players make their own custom Cave Raider and explore the Abyss as they try to earn the title of White Whistle. The player must complete Hello Abyss before Deep in Abyss becomes available, but that's fine since the information gained in Hello Abyss is integral for understanding the story as it unfolds.

4 Deep In Abyss Is Hard

Made in Abyss - Binary Star - Attack

One unfortunate thing about having Hello Abyss serve as the game's prologue is that it doesn't necessarily prepare newcomers for the difficulty that is to come. While Deep in Abyss doesn't rise to Soulslike difficulty, it can still pose a stiff challenge, especially if the player has been lulled into a false sense of security by the game's opening before descending into its devilish depths.

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The main issue is that Hello Abyss doesn't make many demands of the player when it comes to exploration, crafting, or battle; nor does it explain that mastering those things will soon be vital for surviving one's journey into the depths. Because the game doesn't have a deep tutorial in these areas, even in this introductory adventure, players are mostly left to their own devices when it comes to learning how to survive in Deep in Abyss.

3 The Abyss Begs To Be Explored

Made in Abyss - Binary Star - Climbing

RPG players don't typically need an excuse to explore new areas, even if those areas contain monsters that would like nothing more than to eat would-be explorers. The actual Abyss in Made in Abyss is, fortunately, one of the best parts of the game. Containing secrets, puzzles, and fragments of lost civilizations, the titular chasm gives players no shortage of reasons to dive into the unknown.

Once the player has completed the tutorial and started Deep in Abyss, the real challenge reveals itself. Enemy AI isn't much deeper than "Attack Nearby Target," but it can still be easy to get overwhelmed and killed, making every trip down into the Abyss an exciting adventure.

2 Things Get Dark

Made in Abyss - Binary Star - Close-up

While its characters aren't exactly kawaii chibi schoolchildren, they and the rest of the game are on the cuter side of things. This cutesy anime aesthetic is misleading, however. Things get dark, both thematically and in terms of explicit violence later in the story. Every player has their own tolerance for this kind of subject matter, but it's worth warning players about in advance, lest these cute but powerful characters lead the player to be caught off guard by one of the game's more upsetting scenes.

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It isn't for children, but Made in Abyss is by no means a horror game either. Instead, it strikes a realistic balance between the good and the bad. This balance strengthens the storytelling all around and is undoubtedly to the game's benefit. It makes the player feel like the stakes are real and bad things will happen if action isn't taken.

1 Weapons Have Durability

Made in Abyss - Binary Star - Creature

One of the most interesting things about Binary Star Falling into Darkness is the contrast between the game's cartoony look and the realistic feel of many of its survival systems. This is perhaps most evident in its weapons, which include a Durability stat. Using a weapon will lead to it being weakened over time and, if the player is not careful, the weapon will eventually break.

Durability is arguably undertuned, leading to weapons degrading and breaking faster than they perhaps should. It won't prevent progress, but this system does slow down and overly complicate the game at times. This can be frustrating when the player already has crafting, exploring, and other survival concerns to worry about.

Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling Into Darkness is available now for PC, Nintendo Switch, and PS5.

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