Devlog #1 — First 3 Months developing Return into the Abyss (Solo Dev Journey)

Hey everyone! 👋

I’m super excited to finally share the first public devlog for Return into the Abyss — a real-time action card game I’ve been building solo over the past 3 months.

This project started with a crazy idea:
💭 “What if a card battle felt more like an ARPG — fast, reactive, and intense — like casting skills in Diablo II, but through cards?”

That idea quickly grew into something much bigger… and now, the prototype is alive!

📖 Lore — Return into the Abyss

Long ago, a warrior escaped from a prison carved deep within the Abyss — a fortress ruled by a cult of occultists who fed on the souls of the condemned.

Though he broke free from their grasp, part of his soul remained trapped within those depths, bound by the will of the Pit Lord, the entity who governs the Abyss itself.

Now, to reclaim his soul and his freedom, the warrior must descend once more into the darkness he once fled — facing endless waves of corrupted beings, ancient rituals, and the haunting echo of his own lost power.
Each battle brings him closer to redemption… or eternal damnation.

⚔️ What’s Already Playable

After 3 intense months of solo development, the core gameplay is fully working:

• Tutorial — Learn how to fight and survive your first descent.

• Deck Creation — Build your strategy with your card collection.

• Level Map — Choose your path through different stages of the Abyss.

• Real-Time Combat — No turns, no waiting — cast your cards and react fast.

• Allied Companions — They fight by your side and automatically unleash skills.

• Enemy Waves — Enemies also cast skills and adapt their attacks.

• Final Boss Battle — Survive all waves to face the Pit Lord himself.

• Boost System — Between waves, pick temporary boosts to power up your run.

• Card Loot & Unlocks — Win battles to expand your deck and collect new cards and companions.

• 65 Unique Cards — Every card is coded, and ready to play!

• Dual language support (English + Spanish).
  

Everything here has been made by one person — from code to design to debugging chaos. 😅

⚠️ Disclaimer

This is an early prototype, focused entirely on testing one thing:
Is a fast-paced, real-time action card game actually fun to play?

At this stage, cards, companions, and enemies are not fully balanced — some may feel overpowered, others too weak. That’s intentional.
The goal right now is to validate the core experience — the chaos, the rhythm, and the feeling of reacting under pressure.

Once that foundation feels solid, balancing and fine-tuning will come next.
So if you find some wild combos or unfair enemies… enjoy the madness while it lasts 😄

🚧 What’s Coming Next

Now that the foundation is solid, I’m focusing on building out more ambitious features:

• Co-op Multiplayer (3 Players vs AI) — Team up with friends to challenge the Abyss together.

• Infinite Abyss Mode — Endless waves, increasing difficulty, and rare card drops if you dare to keep going. But beware — lose once, and you lose everything.

• Equipable Items — Weapons, relics, and artifacts that boost your heroes and add passive effects.

• 1v1 Mode — Duel another player and prove who truly commands the Abyss.

• Improvements in Enemy's IA.
  

💬 A Few Words from the Developer

Working solo on this prototype has been one of the toughest but most rewarding creative journeys I’ve taken (This is my first videogame).
There’s still a long way to go — but the prototype already captures what I wanted most:
chaotic real-time strategy, fast decisions, and the thrill of surviving wave after wave.

If you’re into deck-builders, roguelike systems, or just love supporting indie devs doing their best with limited sleep and unlimited coffee ☕ — I’d love your feedback and thoughts!

Follow the journey, drop your ideas, and join me as I keep descending deeper into the Abyss.

Eduardo M.