"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 an exciting new project. This time, they're bringing us Dotemu's first original IP, titled Absolum, featuring stunning hand-drawn animations by Supamonks and a captivating soundtrack by the renowned Gareth Coker. With such a talented team behind it, Absolum is poised to make a significant impact in the gaming world, as evidenced by my hour-long hands-on experience with the game.

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," according to the developers. My time with the game confirmed these claims. It's a visually stunning fantasy adventure that offers multiple player classes, including the robust, tank-like Karl and the agile, ranger-esque Galandra. Players will battle evil creatures, destroy environments in hopes of uncovering health-replenishing items like carrots, explore buildings for treasure or face ambushes, and confront bosses with massive health bars. The cycle of death and rebirth is central to the game, and while I didn't get to experience it, Absolum also supports two-player same-screen co-op.

For those of us who cherish memories of classic two-player beat-’em-ups from the 1980s and early 1990s arcades, as well as titles like Golden Axe on the Sega Genesis, Absolum strikes a nostalgic chord. Its Saturday morning cartoon-style art and animation evoke a sense of familiarity, while the combat system, though simple with two buttons, offers enough depth to keep battles engaging. The roguelite mechanics add a modern twist, enhancing replayability and keeping the gameplay fresh and challenging.

As you progress through Absolum, you'll encounter both hidden and obvious power-ups. These include equippable active weapons or spells, activated by pulling a trigger and pressing a face button, and passive items that reside in your inventory. The randomization of items from one run to the next adds an element of unpredictability, and not all items are beneficial. For example, during one run, I picked up two orbs that boosted my damage by 20% each but reduced my health by the same percentage, leaving me with 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 implemented in the early build I played, it promises to add another layer of strategy to the game. My encounter with the first major boss—a mammoth troll wielding a giant mace and summoning smaller goblins—highlighted the game's challenge. While I couldn't capture footage of this boss, I can share images of another formidable adversary.

The potential for two-player co-op, which I didn't get to experience, is particularly exciting. It's well-known that beat-’em-ups thrive in multiplayer mode, and Absolum is no exception. The combination of its art style, animation, classic side-scrolling gameplay, and roguelite elements, along with the developers' expertise in the genre, positions Absolum as a promising title. For fans mourning the decline of couch co-op games, Absolum offers a beacon of hope. I eagerly anticipate playing a more refined version as development continues, and my optimism for this game remains high.