Beat-em-ups. We love 'em. We also know they can become button-mashing snoozefests. Arcades thrived on repetition. Death meant more coins. More chances. But what happens when that repetition becomes… the point?
Absolum, the new fantasy beat 'em up from Guard Crush Games, yeah, the Streets of Rage 4 wizards and Supamonks, throws that idea on its head. It's a roguelike. But not just any roguelike. This could be my favorite beat 'em up ever. No joke.
Forget monotonous. It's got a roguelike twist that keeps it fresh. Brutally challenging. Even when you're smashing your face against the wall. Death isn't the end; it's a lesson. A narrative hook. Think Hades, but with more axes and fewer gods.
Standard fantasy? Sure. Rebellious wizards? Got 'em. Angry villagers? Check. Tyrants? You bet. Die? Rinse and repeat. Each run, a fresh start. But maybe, just maybe, with the right loadouts and abilities, you’ll finally break through. Or, you'll get a crummy hand and be back at square one. That's the roguelike life. Chance. Adaptation. But here's the thing: Absolum makes even the most basic brawl feel epic.
Rituals: The Key to Carnage
Rituals. They're modifiers you get after each fight. Simple buffs like increased power. Game-changing stuff like new attacks. Let's talk numbers. On average, you'll get a choice of two rituals after each encounter. This choice impacts your character's performance in a big way. We're talking:
I spent most of my time as Cider, a speedy, masked axe-wielder. She’s got a hookshot to close the gap. Nifty, right? Raw, she's a combo machine. No sweat taking down most enemies. But with rituals? Next level.
Bubbles. Flames. Traps. I wasn't hyped about every option. But Absolum feels so damn good. Snappy. Responsive. I was always keen to see even a bad run through. The beauty of beat 'em ups? The catharsis. Unleashing fury on hordes of baddies. Absolum's got the tools. Vast. Varied. Destructive. Even the smallest scraps feel like a wild, choreographed dance.
Chain Reactions and Happy Accidents
Ever forget what buffs you have active? It's happened to me. Often. I'd be whaling on some dude. Then BAM! Passive buffs trigger a chain reaction. Combos flying. Multiple foes reeling. Absolum is a delight to watch.
- Animation: Slick. Gorgeous. Hand-drawn.
- Movement: Expressive. Flowing. Violent.
- Effects: Eye-catching. Never overwhelming.
Precise, combo-driven fights stay readable. That's key.
Data-Driven Dissection
Let’s get technical for a sec. I ran some crude, but effective, tests:
These numbers aren't exact. They illustrate the point. Rituals amplify your power. Combos reward skill. The system's deeper than it appears. We see roughly 10-15 unique rituals offered in a single run, this allows the player the freedom to experiment with builds, and make each round unique.
I'm still chipping away at runs. Cracking the foundations of Absolum's world. The few hours I've clocked? Enough to keep me hooked. It's a rewarding spin on both beat 'em ups and roguelikes.
So, is Absolum beat em up the real deal? It’s got style. It’s got substance. Most importantly, it's got that one more run factor. And in a genre that can get repetitive, that’s a massive win. A technical feat in game design.
