"Absolum: Stunning Roguelite by Streets of Rage 4 Creators"

Guard Crush Games, the developers behind the acclaimed Streets of Rage 4, are teaming up once again with publisher Dotemu for a new beat-’em-up. This time, they're introducing Dotemu's first original IP, named Absolum. This project boasts stunning hand-drawn animations crafted by Supamonks and a captivating soundtrack composed by the renowned Gareth Coker. With such a talented team, my hour-long hands-on experience suggests that Absolum won't remain unproven for long.

Absolum is a roguelite side-scrolling beat-’em-up action-RPG, designed for "deep replayability with branching paths to explore, quests, characters, and challenging bosses," as stated by the developers. My experience confirms this claim. The game offers a visually stunning fantasy adventure with multiple player classes, such as the robust, dwarf-like Karl and the agile, ranger-esque Galandra. Players engage in combat with evil creatures, demolish environments in hopes of revealing health-replenishing items like carrots, explore buildings for treasure or ambushes, confront bosses with formidable health bars, and restart the cycle upon defeat. Additionally, though I didn't get to experience it, the game supports two-player same-screen co-op.

As someone who fondly remembers playing two-player beat-’em-ups in the arcades of the 1980s and early '90s, as well as classics like Golden Axe on the Sega Genesis, Absolum evokes a nostalgic yet fresh feeling, largely due to its Saturday morning cartoon-style art and animation. The combat system, while simple with two buttons, allows for varied attacks based on the enemy, adding depth. The roguelite elements modernize the gameplay, enhancing replayability and keeping the experience fresh and engaging.

Throughout the game, players discover both hidden and obvious power-ups. Some are active weapons or spells, activated by pulling a trigger and pressing a face button, while others are passive items that remain in your inventory. These power-ups randomize with each run, introducing a risk-reward dynamic that can influence your strategy. For example, during one run, I equipped two orbs that boosted my damage by 20% each, but at the cost of 20% of my health, leaving me with a dangerously small health bar but the ability to quickly dispatch enemies. Fortunately, you can drop any item at any time if the trade-off becomes too risky.

Absolum - First Screenshots

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As a roguelite, Absolum features a shop in the realm you return to after death, where you can spend in-game currency on items or power-ups for your next run. This feature was not fully operational in the early build I played, leaving my item quality to chance with each new attempt.

I faced significant challenges with the first major boss—a mammoth troll wielding a massive mace and summoning smaller goblins, some of which would leap and bite like piranhas. I regret not having footage of this encounter, but I can share images of a later, equally formidable boss. The two-player co-op mode, which I didn't experience, promises to enhance gameplay by splitting the boss's attention and delivering the quintessential beat-’em-up experience that thrives in multiplayer.

With its captivating art style, animation, classic side-scrolling beat-’em-up action, and engaging roguelite mechanics—coupled with the developers' proven track record in the genre—Absolum holds immense potential. If you miss the days of couch co-op gaming, Absolum is poised to revive that experience, at least temporarily. I eagerly anticipate playing a more refined build as development continues, and I remain highly optimistic about its future success.