Those of you who are no strangers to tabletop games will recognize the name Pathfinder from Paizo Publishing’s D20 RPG games. The high-fantasy world of magical and medieval characters inspired the creation of the Pathfinder video games, including this latest – Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults.
Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults transforms the tabletop game into a real-time co-op action RPG, reimagining the original story into a multiplayer adventure as iconic characters venture through dangerous dungeons. The four characters players choose are plucked straight from the tabletop game, each one based on a specific class. You can choose from Ezren the Wizard, Kyra the Cleric, Harsk the Ranger, and Armiri the Barbarian.
No matter how many players have joined the game, the four characters are always on screen. With a little innovative AI magic, the characters without a human controlling them are still very much part of the action, interacting with objects, helping out teammates, and attacking enemies as if they were playing for real. You can direct them to move, aid you in moving boulders, or heal you when needed, just as you would if you were communicating with a friend.
The characters become customizable using loot from chests, or buffed with Trinkets. Levelling up can make a huge difference to the role your character plays in the team, and with the right combos and good communication, your little group of four can become unstoppable as they venture through the Abomination Vaults.
As someone who is not a huge fan of top-down multiplayer dungeon crawler type games and has never played D&D in my life, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed playing Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults. I was particularly happy to note that the combat wasn’t turn-based like many others I have tried, which I find annoying in a video game setting, but rather this has more chaotic and exciting gameplay where every player is free to run, attack, and use every powerful move at their disposal. Despite losing my little character in the mix a few times, the overall experience was really fun.
Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults avoids any heavy lore to absorb before things make sense or an overwhelming levelling system; instead, it opts for an approachable and accessible RPG where new players can pick up a controller and quickly get the hang of it. The learning curve is uncomplicated, with the control system being the same for each character, just with different abilities. It felt consistent and easy to pick up and enjoy, especially within a group of players.
When you get a team with good communication and a decent synergy, Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults is ultimately very satisfying to play. At the very core of the game, success depends on team dynamics. Each floor of the vaults has traps, puzzles and enemies to defeat, and it becomes clear that the only way through is to work together and coordinate your team swiftly. From the short playtime I experienced during my hands-on preview, the enemies are what one would expect from a dungeon crawler of this kind. The huge spider boss was intimidating, while the hordes of goblins were a lot of fun to hack and slash through to try and get to the loot-filled chests.
Overall, I feel this is certainly one to watch, especially if you are already in the mood for a new dungeon crawler RPG to play with your friends. Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults brings a much-needed breath of fresh air to the genre, and surprised me with how accessible it is to players like myself who would not normally look twice at an RPG of this type. It is not deep, or heavy in lore, and isn’t overly complicated, because it doesn’t need to be. If you are looking for a new hack-and-slash adventure to jump into with friends on a Friday night, this would be perfection.
Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults has no official release date yet, but you can wishlist it now on Steam.
Published: Jun 11, 2025 09:02 am