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When I previewed Absolum for the first time, I finished the demo and told myself, “I wish I could play more before its release.” Fortune smiled upon me as I was invited again to a Dotemu press event and got a second chance at trying Absolum. While it wasn’t my first rodeo in this mythical land, I was not expecting to end up even more amazed and excited for this game’s imminent release. With a new character to try and a new area to explore, Absolum has positioned itself as one of the most unique gaming experiences of this year, and the one I’m most excited to play to completion.
Creating the Rogue ‘Em Up Genre
A new IP will always feel like a coin toss for any developer. It will either land on the side it wants and succeed or miss the mark and become abandoned. After my many runs of Absolum, I’m confident it is the former. Dotemu, with all its years in the beat ’em up market, has created not only one of the most gorgeous and unique beat ’em ups, but also an excellent mix between two genres that are rarely seen together.
As I mentioned in my previous preview, Absolum is a beat ’em up through and through, but adds one of the best-executed roguelike loops to the mix. You choose between four characters, each with different skills and a unique playstyle. Galandra, for instance, focuses on fast attacks with her fists and slow but more devastating blows with her greatsword. Brome, the new one for this preview, attacks with his staff and can even send out a blast of energy from his body to hit enemies next to him.
On top of that, each character has different Arcana, which are skills that you can cast once you have enough mana. Using Brome again as an example, he can equip an Arcana that creates a sigil on the ground that damages foes or even conjure a powerful beam that hits all enemies in front of him. Since you can only pick one for each run, the game incentivizes you to swap between all of them by giving you more currency for using one specific Arcana, which is an excellent system that rewards experimentation and gives each run a fresh feel. During the demo, there were only a few Arcana to pick, but more will likely become available once Absolum launches.
Stylish and Brimming With Customization
A new IP will always feel like a coin toss for any developer. It will either land on the side it wants and succeed or miss the mark and become abandoned. After my many runs of Absolum, I’m confident it is the former. Dotemu, with all its years in the beat ’em up market, has created not only one of the most gorgeous and unique beat ’em ups, but also an excellent mix between two genres we rarely see together.
As I mentioned in my previous preview, Absolum is a beat ’em up through and through, but adds one of the best-executed roguelike loops to the mix. You choose between four characters, each with different skills and a unique playstyle. Galandra, for instance, focuses on fast attacks with her fists and slow but more devastating blows with her greatsword. Brome, the new one for this preview, attacks with his staff and can even send out a blast of energy from his body to hit enemies next to him.
On top of that, each character has different Arcana, which are skills that you can cast once you have enough mana. Using Brome again as an example, he can equip an Arcana that creates a sigil on the ground that damages foes or even conjure a powerful beam that hits all enemies in front of him. Since you can only pick one for each run, the game incentivizes you to swap between all of them by giving you more currency for using one specific Arcana, which is an excellent system that rewards experimentation and gives each run a fresh feel. During the demo, there were only a few Arcana to pick, but I’m sure more will become available once Absolum launches, since of the slots were locked.
Ever since I jumped into Absolum, I fell in love with its world that reminded me of shows like Amphibia or The Owl House. It has this cartoon style but with mystical undertones and a gorgeous color palette for every biome you visit. From the misty forest of the first area to the dense swamps of the second biome, everything is a colorful tapestry that draws you into one of the most beautiful settings I’ve seen for a beat ’em up.
Speaking of, this time I had the opportunity to try Absolum‘s second region: Jaroba. In short, it’s not for the faint of heart. When I thought I was skilled enough to reach the final boss of the initial biome, Jaroba reminded me of how much I needed to polish my skills and my build. Even if the demo gave me a loadout once I jumped straight to this area, all foes handed me my 2D butt, and I loved it. Enemy variety is crucial in a roguelike, and Absolum nails it. Jaroba featured deadly lizard-like people and some of the most annoying Gnolls I’ve fought since the Hogger in World of Warcraft, but I enjoy that level of challenge.
Yet, what hooked me the first time I dived into Absolum was the large amount of customization options for your characters. After clearing a stage, you’ll get either some currency to buy permanent upgrades at your base, gold to use in the shops you find during your run, or my favorite, passive skills that provide new effects.
In a standard room, you can obtain crystals that belong to one element. Each element has different effects, such as Lightning that spawns orbs that shock enemies when they approach, or Thorns that summon a turret that fires at enemies who come in contact with it. For this demo, I even discovered passive upgrades that completely changed how a character played. One modified Cider’s ability, so that instead of pulling yourself to enemies with their arm, they would know swing them around and then smash them on the ground for higher damage.
The Most Pleasant Surprise of the Year
While I didn’t get to play the game until the end, the meaty bits I’ve experienced are more than enough to show me that Dotemu has cracked the code at making the ultimate rogue ’em up (patent pending). It has snappy controls, impactful moves, and challenging enemies that even beat ’em up veterans will find difficult. But if you prefer roguelikes, it also features one of the most satisfying and addictive loops out there that rewards experimentation and provides ample customization.
Ultimately, Absolum is one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences of the year, and I find that refreshing to say for a game that’s not even out yet, and most importantly, for a brand-new IP. Fortunately, we won’t have to wait long to get our hands on this 2D adventure that will likely be one of the most memorable beat ’em ups and roguelikes of recent memory.
