What is it?
Absolum is a roguelike beat ’em up. The plot concerns a bunch of rebels in a world called Talamh. Playing as one of four characters it is up to the player to take on bad guy Sun King Azra and his forces. You can play by yourself or together with another person, locally or online. Basically the game plays like Streets of Rage but in a fantasy setting and with roguelite elements à la Hades added. The game was published in October 2025, and in February 2026 the “Threads of Fate” update was released, adding various new content, including additional challenges called “Mystic Ordeals”, upgraded mounts (rideable beasts, very much like in Golden Axe) and new character skins.
Is it player-friendly?
The controls are not too complicated; there are the usual attacks and moves and a few specials. There is an option to lower damage received all the way to becoming invincible, as well as to increase damage done. There is also an option to play online that is easy to use. What can be somewhat complicated are all the updates and abilities and the currencies needed to upgrade them, though it’s not unmanageable by any means. Regarding the graphics, the colours are mostly grey, brown and muted red or green, and when there is a lot of action on screen there are occasions when it can be hard making out your character.
Is it any good?
The controls are responsive, the graphics and visuals are excellent and the music is great. The roguelite stuff, with updates and abilites and replaying the game a lot, does not necessarily make the game better than if it would have been a regular beat ’em up, unless you really want to spend a LOT of time playing. You do not get the flow of a regular beat ’em up, instead there are lots of starts and stops: you fight a few characters; then choose an upgrade, read some dialogue or is transported somewhere; then you fight a few characters; then choose an upgrade, read some dialogue; then fight, etc. The beat ’em up gameplay, however, is superb, far better than the studio’s previous Streets of Rage 4 and possibly among the best seen in a beat ’em up. One can tell the that the developers really cared about making a great game with the players and the gameplay in focus. A few niggles aside this is great beat ’em up. The game also has great difficulty options making it playable for most people.
Peter Öberg
A review copy was provided.