Abolsum, the new game from Dotemu, Guard Crush, and Supamonks, is a unique title. It’s part beat ’em up, part roguelike, and it’s got a high challenge ceiling, which makes for some incredible moments. It’s a combination that works unsurprisingly well, which I’m sorry to say should’ve happened ages ago.
Guard Crush Games blends the satisfying brawling of a side-scroller with the unpredictability of a roguelike, which will hook you from the beginning.
Absolum Is Born
A cataclysmic event triggered by magic leads to the Sun King Azra’s conquest of all lands and magic sources through military force, eliminating any unwilling wizards. A group of rebels, characterized by their defiance, seeks to challenge Azra’s authority with the assistance of Uchawi, a mysterious, mythical mentor, and the powerful Root Sisters. Together, they oppose Azra’s aim for total domination by utilizing ancient, forbidden magic. These mythical forces enhance the rebels’ capabilities as they work to resist Azra’s control over Talamh and uncover the secrets behind his expanding influence.
If this sounds like Hades, then I don’t think you’re off kilter much. It’s actually pretty different, though, as Uchawi needs you to fight for Talamh and stop the Sun King Azra. This means you’ll likely die over and over because Absolum is challenging.
You begin with two characters, like the elf Galandra, who uses a massive sword and the dwarf Karl, before unlocking the frog Brome and the construct Cider. The four characters fit the archetypes found in Dungeons & Dragons perfectly, and each character brings with them a surprising amount of personality and often has much to say. They also all play differently enough from each other, so if you’re someone who prefers close-range over long-range and vice versa, your bases are covered.
Talamh is filled with branching paths that’ll appear frequently during runs. You’re constantly being pulled in a new direction, and it’s surprising just how often you’re discovering something you had no idea about, like keys used for opening doors or through paths that lead to boss battles. There’s also very little traditional storytelling. Most of it comes as you play through runs, with each giving you more information, and this works well given the setup.
Absolum is a two-player co-op game that can be played alone. I spent a good chunk of time alone before asking someone to sit and play with me. It works solo if you’d rather head into the fray alone. The upgrade system adds a lot of depth to the fold, allowing you to unlock elemental modifiers, summon allies, and enhance moves.
I believe in Magic
As I mentioned, at its core, Absolum is a beat ’em up, and it excels at being one. The combat is fluid, responsive, and technical. You can execute light and heavy attacks, specials, and ultimate, while also engaging in dodges, clashes, and aerial juddles. You’re rewarded for precision and creativity, which I was surprised to discover.
While Absolum’s roguelike elements add replayability, they also introduce friction. Each run reshuffles stages, enemies, and rewards. However, the early game feels repetitive and punishing. Health is scarce, and progression hinges on grinding for currency to unlock permanent upgrades.
Absolum has a robust upgrade system where, during each run, you collect Arcana abilities — magical enhancements that use mana. Also, please pay attention to the Rituals you’ll encounter, as they’re the equivalent of Boons from Hades. These are tied to elements like fire, water, thunder, as well as necromancy and bramble. Each Ritual modifies your character’s abilities like a status effect, additional mana, lighting chains, skeletal summons and so on. Rituals can be unlocked through side quests or completing stories, so be sure to keep that in mind because most are worth finding.
Stat boosts and passive modifiers enrich your playthroughs, too. You can enhance health, mana, attack speed, and critical hits, making each character tailored to aggressive or defensive playstyles with crystals. These are permanent upgrades you unlock that can make subsequent runs a little easier by giving you more health or making you stronger. It’ll take some time to feel the changes, but it goes a long way when you can boost your stats for the long haul.
Absolum is stunning visually. The hand-painted art style feels like classic fantasy animation, helping define the game’s identity. There’s a vibrancy to the characters that makes them easy to read in motion, with environments that do more than push characters forward, helping to show the uniqueness of Talamh from its forests to swamps dripping with atmosphere.
Verdict
Part roguelike and all beat ’em up, Absolum is confident in its skin, and it shows. The world of Talamh was created with thoughtfulness and feels like a character of its own volition. You’ve got an interesting premise that lets you explore a pretty incredible place, and it’s filled with dangers, treasures, and a whole lot of enemies to defeat. Without a doubt, if there’s one beat ’em up this year that’s got the rizz, it’s Absolum.
[The publisher provided a copy of the game for review purposes.]
Reviewed on: PC
