The Abyss by dacharya64

"You've known since you were born. You've known you were being controlled." Welcome the The Abyss--the surreal and twisted world of the mind, and the only place you can regain control of yourself. Explore the land, perhaps dare to make friends--but have caution; many choices will be a matter of life or death.

The Abyss started out as a small experiment in Twine, and became an extensive world which tests the limits of the genre, and pulls together myth and fact to create an immersive and intricate world of motivation, struggle, and self-identity.

I hope you enjoy!

Play online

Review teodora t t t

25 Sep 2020

This game is fantastic!
I still remember when I played it for the first time. I was 15. Now I'm 22.
I really love the identity struggle.

Comment goose

19 Jul 2020

IT was SO good!

Comment silver willow the warrior cat

12 Mar 2020

the story was wonderful i do have an idea of what was going on though. i think the main character has depression. overall a wonderful game, i took me to another universe.

Review j1ng3r

17 Oct 2019

The best surreal adventure I've seen so far.

Review ARCtype

17 Feb 2018

It is an interesting story, but the choices were limited. The multiple endings were nice. I played this a few times and always wondered what was really going on. Nice.

Review Cheralina

03 Feb 2018

Yeah, that's right you... thingy that controlled me! Who's in charge now!? I shot you, you mind-controlling thingy!

Review TheDL

18 Jul 2017

This is just... Incredible. The story is amazing, the setting is great, the choices are very realistic... An almost perfect game.

Review GameofChocolate

15 Jul 2017

Interesting story, but not a game.

Comment MilkyWayGirl

06 Jul 2017

This one is an amazing story! I'm not sure what kind of ending I got, but I was definitely satisfied. Had me on the edge of my seat the whole time! Well done

Review Nanacollapse

24 Jun 2017

UNBELIEVABLE! TOO GOOD!

Review the-drawing-llama

14 May 2017

Played it 6 times over, each time was just as exciting as the last! I loved it! There's always a little red link for you to click that you didn't quite see the first time around.

Review 645Kitty

12 Mar 2017

SO. FREAKING. GOOD.

Review k43dr0n

15 Feb 2017

This was a rollercoaster from start to finish and I felt amazing about the experience of this story. Amazing.

Review ashstansell

30 Dec 2016

I`m not even done yet, but the writing`s vivid in every way needed to carry the atmosphere along, and it`s maintained an air of seriousness without seeming so hopeless that I`d put it down.

Comment TheGinger8readMan3

06 Oct 2016

Great game. I haven't played through all the different endings and would like some answers to the one I got, but overall it was very immersive and very well thought out. There were the occasional spelling error and it was a bit hard to understand what was meant to be there but it was all good at the end.

Review hannaivety

09 Jul 2016

a beautiful and well-written game. the concept/idea is just amazing! the story was just superb and has a couple of twists along the way. thankfully, i got a good ending on my first run.

this game is certainly a must-play.

Review Shykra

02 Jul 2016

A good game- well thought out and kind of mind bending.

Review Rogue-Shinigami

21 Jun 2016

The fact that I can relate to this so well disturbs me.
Great game nonetheless.

Review Unit

11 Apr 2016

This game did something to me, I wish everyone could play this..
5 stars

Comment Smileyshoes

29 Feb 2016

The worst part about this, after playing this my arms started to hurt.

Review IFforClassroom

22 Jan 2016

Just had to go back and see all the endings.

Review bcpraw

07 Jan 2016

I thought is was amazing! The power of the choice is really prevalent here, and it doesn't seem "railroaded" at all. There are times when it's even obvious where your choice affected the next scene or next few scenes. The world was really detailed, yet concise. There weren't many extraneous details to distract from the story, just enough to make a complete picture. It was a great game, and completely enjoyable. I was drawn into it very fast and stayed hooked the entire game, right until the end. Amazing job!

Review ToastmasterLex

03 Jan 2016

It was a little confusing how some links went to descriptions of an item and others made a forward choice in the story. I clicked a few to get more detail and was put in to the next scene without being sure in my choice yet. Otherwise, fantastic!

Comment coolalexia123

07 Dec 2015

This...is an amazing game!

Comment j1ng3r

12 Oct 2015

That moment when you realize all the people in the game are actually you.

Comment Magicdave

27 Aug 2015

I'm sorry let me rephrase that... I give this game five stars because I now know how to save
Thanks Marzipan

Comment Marzipan

27 Aug 2015

@Magicdave All you had to do was bookmark the page? What a thing to rate a game down for...

Review Magicdave

26 Aug 2015

I can't save
maybe it's just me
otherwise good game
i would give it a 5 if i could save

Comment Magicdave

26 Aug 2015

I legitimately cannot save

Comment Magicdave

26 Aug 2015

How does one save in this game

Review huntress

20 Aug 2015

this was very well written. it gave me a chill up my spine. it was intriguing. I definitely recommend.

Review Akins

16 Aug 2015

I very much enjoyed this story. It's at an adequate length, offers some great questions, but has a few too many grammatical and spelling errors for all of them to have slipped through your defenses.

Comment DigiHopeful

14 Aug 2015

Wow....this really struck a chord with me. It's very well written.

Review KatieRylatt

14 Aug 2015

That was AMAZING!! really immersive and my first interactive fiction :)

Review Nicknam3z

12 Aug 2015

mind shattering experience

Review twin_centaurs

31 Jul 2015

Wow. This game is amazing. The best text game I have ever played. I wish I could follow the developer.

Review kittykatmcc

29 Jul 2015

I made an account specifically to rate this game. oh my gosh. one of the best games I have played. and I have only played it twice.

Comment Dragonshot48

22 Jul 2015

Very deep. Gets into the mind of a slightly insane person who wishes to remain sane extremely well.

Comment manam

18 Jul 2015

Wow, this game is very deep, I like it alot

Review Leilaila

25 Jun 2015

One of the best games I played :)

Review AwesomeEpicNinja

16 Jun 2015

Five stars! Five thumbs up! Five... children........ (Name That Quote!)
Anyway, it was great. Thanks!

Review Nick_Crafter

13 May 2015

"Definately deserves a gold star, of five, maybe even ten..."
-Totally_not_IGN

I love this game, Ive played maybe ten times now, and Im yet to get the exact same conclusion, brilliant job on this game- *COUGH* I- I mean interactive fiction... yes yes thats what I was going to say...

Review BubblegumCynic

08 May 2015

Ooh yes very nice. I played through about three endings so far, but I'm definitely not stopping anytime soon. I feel there is still much left to discover in here.

Review Mauricio Diaz Garcia

05 May 2015

Good game! Well, not a game but an interactive fiction. And it wasnt made in Quest.

Comment MisterPibb316

29 Apr 2015

*SPOILER* I'm curious if the 'desert' typo (when it should've been 'dessert') was on purpose, given that the game might take you to a desert later, depending on which paths you take. If so, that's brilliant!

Review MisterPibb316

29 Apr 2015

I'm not always the biggest fan of what tend to be called 'art games'--games that are not designed to be fun per se, but pump their collective value into some major plot-twist (e.g. games in which it turns out you're the bad guy all along) or some sort of grand lesson/plea. But this game manages to pull off philosophy and gameplay at once, supplying you with choices that drastically change the conclusion of this game and how exactly you get to the finish.

Kudos!

Comment laserlime99

29 Mar 2015

5 stars for sure. I will play this again and imagine the character differently. It will be like a whole new story. I loved it! I don't know what else to say...haha!

Comment laserlime99

29 Mar 2015

I know it says "you" but I'm just imagining the main character as a guy. Even though I'm female.

Review Nidoking76

11 Mar 2015

I LOVE this game. It I is one of the best ones I've seen in a long time, and I really enjoyed it.

Review DaNiX88

06 Mar 2015

This game is simple, yet very complex. I enjoyed playing it three times and still feel like there is more to discover. The writing is beautiful with very minimal errors. I highly recommend this to anyone who has ever taken a course in psychology.

Great job!

Review Mypetdalek

05 Mar 2015

A lot of games get voted 5 stars on this site. This one certainly deserves it.

Review johnaliwa11

30 Dec 2014

The writing was well written and left me feeling like I was in an actual abyss

Review unknownvari

15 Dec 2014

its sooo fun

Review Bay Bay

05 Dec 2014

The deepest I have thought in a while. The feels...

Comment Bay Bay

05 Dec 2014

The feels... I don't think I will ever be able to comprehend myself. Only God will

Review EnderDoesMC

10 Oct 2014

Love it! Had a couple issues, where the game would restart itself and i would end up in the same place i had been before, but overall good!

Comment 14shrvir

26 Sep 2014

oops i meant 5 stars on my review

Review 14shrvir

26 Sep 2014

a really really good gamebook, a masterpiece makes you think deeply and completely captures you

Review coolmeck

21 Sep 2014

great game and really well written five stars.

Review Silver

21 Aug 2014

This is very well written and a lot of work has been put into it. The reason why I gave it four rather than five stars is that it's still a choose your own adventure and, compared with puzzle games, they make me feel passive to rather than active in the unfolding plot. But that's just a matter of personal taste.

Comment Silver

21 Aug 2014

Thanks for sorting it!

Comment dacharya64

20 Aug 2014

Sorry about the 404 error. It's been fixed!

Comment Silver

19 Aug 2014

Why am i getting an error 404? Has the game been removed?

Comment Yusufcps

02 Aug 2014

What are the advantages ?

Review SoulStare

29 Jul 2014

That was incredible! What an interesting insight into the human mind, and the writing itself was well done.

Comment pikachukatherine

21 Jul 2014

So cool......... I got through it in like 10 minutes, without dying once. :) And my brother says girls can't play computer games......

Review ebsfive

04 Jul 2014

It was okay, but I think it got a bit too creepy and semi-disturbing.

Review KennyBaker3000

02 Jul 2014

Sweet game, easily the best gamebook ive read so far. Really surreal... it's got a nice feel to it

Review Tom C.L.

28 Jun 2014

It was the best gamebook I have ever played. Absolutely wonderful.

Review kittyah

17 Jun 2014

i really liked this! it seems real but not real at the same time

Review qualityposting

14 Jun 2014

effective in ways impossible to comprehend in its darkness

10/10

Review Oboerocks2

01 Jun 2014

Very interesting, and eye-opening. Loved the plot and the mysterious feel to it. Great!

Comment ShadowScorpio75

27 May 2014

This game of yours is BEAUTIFUL! Seriously, I haven't played many games - up to this point - that have made me question myself so deeply, and that's where this game truly shines. I believe that you should make a sequel; it's just that good.
Not to mention that the choices that are laid out before me in the game are ones that I can truly relate to.

Excellent work, dacharaya64!!

Comment Sherlock300

20 May 2014

This was really beautiful and well written. I applaud you.

Review yoshiclay9000

17 May 2014

good job! you sir are better than most of us out here!

Review NoGoodNamesLeft

11 May 2014

This creeped me out, made me think, and made me choose carefully every time!

Review ILoveBeingABookworm

09 May 2014

I loved their was a lot of options an it was written amazingly!

Review skullyturtle

09 May 2014

I loved the strange and surreal feel of the story, and I liked that you did what you said you would do (kill it)

Comment vixykya

25 Apr 2014

Could you work with me to create a text adventure like this? So professional.

Comment storygirljodasx

25 Apr 2014

this is the best text adventures game ever had me so intreged

Review happysappygirl101

19 Apr 2014

I absolutely love this text based game! It perfectly blends an intriguing plot, with interesting characters, and original takes on exploring the human mind. I loved it :D

Review rainbowkitten

06 Apr 2014

One of the best text adventures I've ever saw. Interesting, nice design, very cool plot story. I love it.

Comment Jarfox

17 Mar 2014

Blew me away.

Review Syood

23 Feb 2014

Wow, there is so much detail and so many choices that it is easy to replay several times.

Review AwesomeBananaMan

13 Feb 2014

good good and good

Comment AwesomeBananaMan

13 Feb 2014

very creative

Comment frishyfrish

13 Feb 2014

I noticed all of the names in this game were unisex, like Alex. That's a good loophole to have.

Review Ethan+22

07 Feb 2014

This is an excellent game with incredible detail. I love that it's based off mythology, and the story is compelling and well-written 5/5!

Review UnknownPlayer0

06 Feb 2014

One of the most interesting, but could need some help on grammer... but, it's still good!

Review ClaytonKO

30 Jan 2014

I liked this a lot. It was interesting enough to keep me reading and I don't read much. I have to get hooked very well before I'll read anything. There were some typos that threw me off a couple of times and there were parts that just did not make since to me, still really good.

Review Kinia1the1Wolf

03 Jan 2014

The Abyss is a wonderful piece. It immerses the reader fairly well inside the realm the main character is thrown into, as well as raises a multitude of questions, both in game and out. Upon going back and replaying several times, I found it's subliminal and conscious dwelling on multiple psychological aspects very interesting. Definitely a good read.

Review Joshua Calkins-Treworgy

03 Dec 2013

As of the writing of this review, I have only gone through the Abyss once. However, a single play-through is enough to tell me that this is a supremely crafted bit of interactive narrative, a labor of love provided by a storyteller whose interests run to the metaphysical in regards to the tone of their tale.

On the path I opted to follow on this first play, the inner voice, a kind of unseen, taunting Vergil to the player's Dante for most of the game, immediately presented an NPC who was both vital and despicable. The flow of internal dialogue between the player and this character is efficient and helps immerse one in the environment of the surreal realm the game takes place within. An excellent job by Dacharya64. Crack on, sir, crack on, you've done a fine job here!

Review bukimi

14 Nov 2013

Incredible work! A story you just can't stop reading until you get to finish it. Suprising, well-written, interesting. Perfect!

Review danny123

26 Oct 2013

Wow. Just... Wow. I've played it only once, and I love it! The story is original and interesting. The writing is EXCELLENT (I did not understand all of the words, but with a dictionary it's not that bad), and there are much philosophical ideas and questions in the game. It really made me think, and it really made me feel like part of the game's world.

Well done, and thank dacharya64 for working so hard to make us enjoy!

Comment James Alder

17 Oct 2013

POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT

Played through twice. My first ending was something that I, surprisingly, found deeply personal to me. The "Paradise" yes, that's a world I have dreamed of... and written about. I felt quite good about making it to that paradise. However, it was sad and disturbing that the character was in a coma to reach the paradise.

My second ending, I was all concerned with trying to destroy the thing. I was pleased with both endings, and disturbed equally. Very good.

The grammar isn't perfect. A few missed letters and wrong usages of some apostrophes, but not enough to ruin it.

A most excellent adventure.

Comment Crab Apple

06 Oct 2013

Played for a whole day, forgot about everything else. Tried almost every choice, it's really fun. You should probably add some more choices.( not trying to be mean, I mean it's your game, I'm just suggesting that you should add more choices.) :D

Comment achaldy

01 Oct 2013

I agree with the other comments, it was great! I love this sort of text game where you don't have to run around and endlessly guess, what you could do next (becomes very frustrating). Here you just choose the answer you personally think best. I was determined to get rid of the thing and actually did in my first attempt (don't think every endig is the same). Would love to play more :)

Review ark21995

16 Sep 2013

This Is the kind of text game I have been looking for.It has an amazing original story and it makes you feel like you are in the game.It also doesn't have annoying puzzles or mazes that move you away from the story of the game.I must say this was very well done.

Review ArcticYetiWampa

08 Sep 2013

Amazing. Its so witty - you never expect what happens next :)

Comment NextGeneration

06 Sep 2013

Such an original story line. Beautifully written too!

Review ErnestJr

02 Sep 2013

The storyline was excellent, perfect imagery, I felt like I was in the kid's body feeling what he feels.

Review Reno27

02 Sep 2013

Amazing. I found it incredibly deep and moving... great story of struggling with one's self.

Review foxgirl44

23 Aug 2013

It was a really moving story. I was hooked. The writing was very nice.

Review Hades453

13 Jul 2013

Brilliant story!
I can't really think of a flaw :)

Review MAD SPANNER

30 Jun 2013

Just read it the once, and it was really unsettling. The story flows so well and not long from the start I was completely absorbed until my particular end. Its written from the ground up of despair, confusion and existentialism, and never lets up on its tone, so if you like to indulge in the darkness, you will certainly feel something and this story will leave a lasting impression.(even if you get an abrupt end, such as mine). Its also likely to be just as depressing, so be warned, an experience in the abyss is exactly what this gives you.