"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 fresh beat-'em-up experience. This time, they're bringing us Dotemu's first original IP, named Absolum. With stunning hand-drawn animations crafted by Supamonks and a captivating soundtrack by the renowned Gareth Coker, Absolum is poised to make a significant impact. My hour-long hands-on session with the game suggests that it won't remain unproven for long.

Absolum is a roguelite side-scrolling beat-'em-up action-RPG designed to offer "deep replayability with branching paths to explore, quests, characters, and challenging bosses." Having experienced it firsthand, I can confirm its allure. The game presents a visually striking fantasy world where players can choose from diverse classes, such as the robust dwarf-like Karl or the agile, sword-wielding Galandra. The gameplay involves battling evil creatures, smashing environments in hopes of uncovering health-boosting items like carrots, exploring buildings for treasure or facing ambushes, and confronting bosses with massive health bars. Upon death, players restart the cycle, enhancing the game's replay value. Additionally, though I didn't get to try it, Absolum supports two-player same-screen co-op, promising a delightful shared experience.

As someone who cherishes memories of arcade beat-'em-ups from the 1980s and early '90s, as well as classics like Golden Axe on the Sega Genesis, Absolum evokes a nostalgic yet refreshing feeling. Its Saturday morning cartoon-inspired art and animation contribute to this sentiment. The combat system, though simple with just two buttons, offers enough depth to vary attacks based on the enemy. The roguelite mechanics modernize the experience, adding both challenge and substantial replayability.

Throughout your journey in Absolum, you'll encounter both hidden and obvious power-ups. These include equippable active weapons or spells, activated by triggers and face buttons, and passive items that reside in your inventory. The randomization of these items from one run to the next adds a layer of strategy, as not all power-ups are beneficial. For example, during one run, I equipped two orbs that boosted my damage by 20% each but reduced my health by the same percentage, resulting in a perilously small health bar. Fortunately, you can drop any item at any time if the trade-off isn't worth it.

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 promises to add depth to the game's progression system.

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 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 game's enjoyment, 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, Absolum holds immense potential. Coupled with the developers' expertise in the genre, it's likely to be a hit. If you've missed the camaraderie 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.