Absolum Is a Gorgeous Roguelite from the Makers of Streets of Rage 4

Guard Crush Games, the developer behind the acclaimed Streets of Rage 4, is teaming up once again with publisher Dotemu for a new beat-'em-up project. This time, they're diving into Dotemu's first original IP, titled Absolum, which promises to be a visual and auditory treat. The game features stunning hand-drawn animations by Supamonks and a captivating soundtrack composed by Gareth Coker, a veteran in video game music. My hour-long hands-on session with Absolum left me convinced that this game will soon shake off its 'unproven' label.

Absolum is a roguelite side-scrolling beat-'em-up action-RPG designed for deep replayability, featuring branching paths, quests, varied characters, and challenging bosses. From my experience, the game delivers on all these fronts. It's a visually striking fantasy adventure where you can choose from different player classes, such as the sturdy, dwarf-like Karl or the agile, ranger-like Galandra. The gameplay involves battling evil creatures, smashing environments in hopes of uncovering health-replenishing items like carrots, exploring buildings for treasure or ambushes, and facing off against bosses with massive health bars. Death is part of the journey, but it's all about restarting and trying again. Additionally, while I didn't get to try it myself, the game supports two-player same-screen co-op.

For those of us who fondly remember the two-player beat-'em-ups from the arcades of the 1980s and early 1990s, as well as classics like Golden Axe on the Sega Genesis, Absolum evokes a nostalgic yet refreshing feeling. The game's Saturday morning cartoon-style art and animation contribute to this sense of familiarity. It offers a combat system that, while simple with two buttons, allows for a mix of attacks tailored to different enemies. The roguelite aspect adds a modern twist, enhancing both the game's edge and its replayability.

Throughout your journey in Absolum, you'll encounter both hidden and obvious power-ups. These include active weapons or spells, activated by pulling a trigger and pressing a face button, and passive items that remain in your inventory. The randomization of items from one run to the next introduces a risk-reward system that can significantly alter your strategy. For example, during an early run, I equipped two orbs that boosted my damage by 20% each but reduced my health by the same percentage, leaving me with a perilously small health bar but capable of quickly defeating enemies. Thankfully, you can drop any item at any time if the trade-off becomes too steep.

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. Unfortunately, this feature wasn't fully operational in the early build I played, leaving the quality of items and power-ups to chance each time.

Absolum holds immense potential, and I'm optimistic about its future. My encounter with the first major boss—a mammoth troll wielding a giant mace and summoning smaller goblins—was particularly challenging. These goblins would leap onto you, 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, animation, classic side-scrolling beat-'em-up gameplay, and engaging roguelite loop, coupled with the developers' expertise in the genre, Absolum is poised for success. If you've missed the joy of couch co-op games, Absolum promises to bring that experience back, at least temporarily. I eagerly anticipate playing a more refined version as development continues, and my optimism for this game remains high.