Getting excited for a new rogue-like/lite is challenging. The very nature of the genre – the clean slate that every new premise brings – is offset by whether that premise is even exciting to begin with, let alone remain exciting over multiple runs, or if they’ll translate into a meaningful whole, or ensure I’m actually having fun engaging with the same gameplay hook. From the outset, I didn’t really know what to make of Absolum. Fantastic demo, gorgeous visuals, stunning animation, excellent gameplay – it should have been surprising, and yet, expected coming from the team behind Streets of Rage 4 (plus production/animation studio Supamonks).
Such demos, indispensable as they are, can also send expectations down a dangerous path. I’m hooked, but how much more could the actual game offer? As it turns out, in Absolum, a lot. A shocking amount, to the degree that I’m surprised that Dotemu and Guard Crush Studios have kept the sheer scale of this so carefully under wraps. It not only offers some of the best beat ’em up combat that the genre has to offer, but a compelling branching rogue-lite with cool discoveries, build-crafting that complements the gameplay loop without completely overtaking it, fun narrative events, and a great setting with its own nuances.
“As you progress further, more details about the Cataclysm, Azra’s character, and the core cast are revealed. Without delving into spoilers, the circumstances turn out to be more complex than initially imagined.”
All that said, Absolum does take time to envelop you in its world-building and lore. You play as one of the children of Uchawi, a Root Sister who helped nurture magic in the world. Unfortunately, after the Cataclysm, Azra rose to effectively enslave the world, bringing his special brand of order and oppression while outlawing magic. Following your rescue of Uchawi from imprisonment, the mission to defeat Azra and liberate the world begins, which would probably be easier without having to best his various kingly allies first. But where’s the fun in that?
As typical as the setup feels, it unfolds in an organic world connected by the greater empire that Azra has crafted, yet boiling over with its own conflicts and events. The goblins in the Grandery’s forest who insist you best their champion before seeking safe passage; the once prosperous dwarven mines, now teeming with all sorts of hazards; the swamps and jungles of Jaroba where the arena awaits – each is distinct, memorable and teeming with secrets, quests and alternate paths. Yet events in one can easily impact the others, whether it’s sea-faring pirates who offer passage to Jaroba conducting a heist in a Grandery town, or the mysterious mist in the first region, which could hold the key to finding Yeldrim. As you progress further, more details about the Cataclysm, Azra’s character, and the core cast are revealed. Without delving into spoilers, the circumstances turn out to be more complex than initially imagined.
These regions offer their fair share of unique characters, and I wish some of them had a bit more development. As you progress, completing quests can result in narrative ramifications on future playthroughs. Helping to rebuild that bridge in the Grandery may seem like a good idea at first, until the goblins scorn you later, tossing out rotten food instead of trinkets that could help on your journey. Absolum is still very well put together, to the extent that you’ll want to revisit areas to discover new things. The sheer variety of things to do, whether it’s hiring mercenaries to accompany you in the arena, or failing to notice a trap and falling into a boss battle in prison, and so on, freshens up each run in so many unique ways.
Of course, branching paths means having to prioritize certain encounters and quests over others, which can also impact your build, but for the initial hour or two, Absolum is a stunning yet fairly straightforward beat ’em up. The crew that you’ll control includes Galandra, who alternates between elbow strikes to unsheathe a greatsword; Cider, a rogue-ish fighter that likes to grapple and attack in mid-air; Karl, who relies on firearms and flaming fists; and Brome, a frog wizard who can unleash beam attacks. Each has a unique light attack, heavy attack, and Special (with an even more powerful yet limited-use Ultimate unlocking later). As you complete runs and gain resources, you can swap Specials. Galandra’s rising slash can be substituted with a Stinger-like piercing stab or a wave slash that’s also usable in mid-air, perfect when juggling fools, but that’s not all.
“It’s not all about how many elements you can stack, though. Sometimes, it’s about trapping enemies in water bubbles at the end of combos, chaining them continuously, or summoning clones all over the place while bouncing enemies into afterimages of attacks when your floating spectral sword isn’t smacking them around.”
Various upgrades discovered throughout Talamh can also change up your regular attacks significantly. A knee-lift dash attack could gain the ability to grab an enemy in mid-air and slam them down. That singular Heavy slash could be used three times in a row or charged up to break through armored enemies more easily. Then you have the elemental augments, the real meat behind the build-crafting, starting with typical effects – dealing burn damage or building up static to unleash chain lightning – but it’s not long before you’re sending out tidal waves, summoning tornadoes and turning the screen into a visual mess (affectionate). Augments can also be upgraded mid-run to deal more damage, letting you further lean into something that’s working well.
It’s not all about how many elements you can stack, though. Sometimes, it’s about trapping enemies in water bubbles at the end of combos, chaining them continuously, or summoning clones all over the place while bouncing enemies into afterimages of attacks when your floating spectral sword isn’t smacking them around. Or just throwing all sorts of random nonsense at enemies a la Moon Knight because one upgrade generates throwable items on critical hits. The persistent progression, which dictates benefits like increased max health, more damage dealt by recruited companions, etc., can feel a little too straightforward for one’s liking. However, it also provides options like crafting trinkets instead of healing or increasing the likelihood of higher rarity Trinkets and higher level augments appearing.
Again, nothing too crazy, but they absolutely freshen up each run while providing meaningful power spikes, helping you inch ever closer to Azra. Instead of spending valuable gold on equipment when none of the choices satisfy you, craft trinkets at Hearthroots for free and prioritize building a posse of mercenaries. Petting mounts in each region results in one waiting for you in a new Haven – upgrade their damage and available time for smoother sailing. Of course, you’ll also gain a separate resource that can be spent to upgrade each augment, which allows different elements to synergize with each other. Enable chain lightning to burn enemies, then increase fire damage and burn damage for each enemy affected. The interplay between all these allows for some truly broken builds, but they also encourage exploration. After all, you can’t take advantage of these elemental possibilities without discovering their respective crystals in the wild and reclaiming them in the name of Uchawi.
None of this would matter if the overall combat didn’t feel good, as if there was a possibility of that, given the developers’ pedigree. But everything – the impact of blows, both given and received; the throws and collateral damage when enemies are knocked together; and the sheer power of Specials – feels fantastic. It can take some practice to differentiate between blows that should be dodged, parried or outright jumped over, and reacting accordingly.
“I didn’t expect to enjoy Absolum as much as I did… As a fusion of incredible beat ’em up action and deceptively simple build-crafting, it delivers an enjoyable experience with immaculate pacing, bolstered even more by a fantastic presentation.”
However, standing toe to toe with a boss, punishing their mistakes, and breaking their guard to unleash a world of hurt feels so satisfying. Enemy variety is also on point, whether it’s a ghost that disappears and re-materializes into an unblockable attack or reptilian heavies that block most blows before unleashing counterattacks. That’s not even getting into the boss battles, which also feel unique, challenging and downright enjoyable in their own ways.
And while it’s been said already, it bears repeating – Absolum looks absolutely amazing. The animation work alone is just vibrant and stylish, matching the art direction and environmental design in almost every facet. The soundtrack is similarly incredible, thanks to the likes of Gareth Coker (Ori), Motoi Sakuraba (Dark Souls), and Yuka Kitamura (Sekiro), alongside Gordon, with tunes ranging from heavy metal and orchestral rock to epic symphonies and vocals that would feel right at home in a FromSoftware game.
I didn’t expect to enjoy Absolum as much as I did, though some part of me craves more, whether it’s additional systems to further mix up each run or more in-depth narrative arcs for the core cast. Nevertheless, as a fusion of incredible beat ’em up action and deceptively simple build-crafting, it delivers an enjoyable experience with immaculate pacing, bolstered even more by a fantastic presentation.
This game was reviewed on PC.
