Guard Crush Games, the developers behind the beloved Streets of Rage 4, are teaming up once again with publisher Dotemu for a new beat-’em-up adventure. This collaboration marks Dotemu's venture into original IP territory with Absolum, featuring stunning hand-drawn animations by Supamonks and a captivating soundtrack crafted by the renowned composer Gareth Coker. With such a talented team at the helm, Absolum promises to be anything but unproven, especially after my hands-on experience with the game.
Absolum is a roguelite side-scrolling beat-’em-up action-RPG that offers “deep replayability with branching paths to explore, quests, characters, and challenging bosses,” according to its developers. From my playthrough, I can confirm that the game delivers on these promises. It’s a visually stunning fantasy journey that introduces multiple player classes, including the robust dwarf-like Karl and the agile ranger-esque Galandra. Players engage in combat with evil creatures, destroy environments to uncover health-replenishing items like carrots, explore buildings for treasure chests, fend off goblin ambushes, and confront bosses with massive health bars. The cycle of dying and restarting adds to the game's replayability. Although I didn’t get to experience it firsthand, Absolum also supports two-player same-screen co-op. For fans of classic beat-’em-ups from the 1980s and early 1990s arcades, as well as titles like Golden Axe on the Sega Genesis, Absolum evokes a nostalgic yet refreshing feel, thanks to its Saturday morning cartoon-style art and animation. The game's combat system, while simple with only two buttons, allows for varied attack combinations to tackle different enemies. The roguelite mechanics modernize the experience, enhancing its replayability and adding a fresh twist to the genre.
AnswerSee ResultsAs you progress through Absolum, you'll uncover both hidden and obvious power-ups, including equippable active weapons or spells and passive items in your inventory. These items randomize with each run, introducing a risk-reward system that can influence your strategy. For example, during one run, I equipped two orbs that increased my damage by 20% each, but at the cost of reducing my health by the same percentage. This left me with a perilously small health bar, but I could swiftly eliminate enemies. The game allows you to drop any item from your inventory at any time, giving you flexibility in managing these trade-offs.Absolum - First Screenshots
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As a roguelite, Absolum ensures that upon death, you return to a realm with a shop where you can spend in-game currency on items or power-ups for your next run. Although this feature wasn't fully operational in the early build I played, it hints at the potential for strategic depth in future runs.
My encounter with the first major boss—a mammoth troll wielding a gigantic mace and summoning smaller goblins—was particularly challenging. These goblins would leap onto me, biting away like piranhas. I longed to experience the two-player co-op mode, which could split the boss's attention and enhance the gameplay, as is often the case with beat-’em-ups.
With its captivating art style, engaging animation, classic side-scrolling beat-’em-up gameplay, and the roguelite loop, Absolum holds immense potential. The developers' experience in the genre further bolsters its prospects. If you've missed the joy of couch co-op games, Absolum could be a welcome return to form. I eagerly anticipate playing a more refined version as development continues, and my optimism for this game remains high.
