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

Guard Crush Games, the talented developers behind Streets of Rage 4, are teaming up once again with publisher Dotemu for an exciting new project. This time, they're bringing us Dotemu's first original IP, named Absolum. With stunning hand-drawn animations courtesy of Supamonks and an enthralling soundtrack by renowned composer Gareth Coker, this game is packed with top-tier talent. After spending an hour with the game, I'm confident that Absolum won't remain unproven for long.

Absolum is a roguelite side-scrolling beat-'em-up action-RPG that promises "deep replayability with branching paths to explore, quests, characters, and challenging bosses." My experience confirms these claims. This game is a visually stunning fantasy adventure, offering a variety of player classes. I tried out the sturdy, dwarf-like Karl and the agile, ranger-like sword-wielder Galandra. In Absolum, you'll battle evil creatures, smash environments in hopes of finding health-replenishing items like carrots, explore buildings for treasure chests or face goblin ambushes, and confront bosses with massive health bars. You'll die, but the cycle of replaying and improving is part of the thrill. While I didn't get to test it, the game also supports two-player same-screen co-op.

For those of us who fondly remember the two-player beat-'em-up classics from the 1980s and early '90s arcades, as well as gems like Golden Axe on the Sega Genesis, Absolum evokes a nostalgic yet refreshing experience. The game's Saturday morning cartoon-style art and animation contribute to this feeling. It features a simple yet effective two-button combat system that allows for varied attacks based on the enemy you face. The roguelite mechanics bring a modern twist, enhancing replayability and keeping the gameplay fresh and engaging.

As you progress through Absolum, you'll encounter both hidden and visible power-ups. These include equippable active weapons or spells, activated by pulling a trigger and pressing a corresponding face button, and passive items that stay in your inventory. The randomization of these items from one run to the next adds a layer of excitement and strategy. Some power-ups come with trade-offs; for example, during an early run, I equipped two orbs that boosted my damage by 20% each but at the cost of 20% of my health. This left me with a dangerously small health bar but increased my ability to quickly dispatch enemies. Thankfully, you can drop any item at any time if you find the risk too high.

Absolum - First Screenshots

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As a roguelite, dying in Absolum means you'll 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 shows immense potential, largely thanks to its captivating art style, smooth animation, classic side-scrolling beat-'em-up gameplay, and the engaging roguelite loop. The developers' experience in this genre further bolsters my confidence in the game's success. If you miss the days of couch co-op gaming, Absolum promises to bring that joy back, at least temporarily. I eagerly anticipate playing a more refined version as development continues, and I'm optimistic about its future.