Absolum: A roguelite beat ’em up with style and substance.
Guard Crush Games, best known for their work on Streets of Rage 4, is back with Absolum, a project that takes them out of their comfort zone but still has their signature style of quick, sharp action. Guard Crush, who works with Dotemu as a publisher, has combined their knowledge of fluid fighting with roguelite systems and co-op exploration to make something that is both familiar and surprisingly new.
Today’s games don’t really have any new roguelites—if anything, there are too many of them. Every other week, procedurally generated advancement gets a new look. But Absolum stands out because it combines two different types of games: the rhythmic fun of a beat ’em up and the unpredictable fun of a roguelite. After seeing how well Guard Crush connects the two, it seems they would go together naturally.
It offers a simple yet captivating gameplay experience.
The setup is simple but works well in Absolum. You and a possible co-op partner have to invade the farthest ends of a broken world and fight your way through different areas full of enemies and bosses. Each run builds up to a big battle with Azra, a mysterious warlord who lives in a tower on the edge of reality and is heavily guarded.
There isn’t much background information in the story, and it doesn’t try to be new. Instead, it tells a story in a subtle way through the scenery, the way characters look, and sometimes through dialogue in the game. Each biome—ruined cities, haunted temples, and mechanical wastelands—feels like a lost piece of society. They all hint at a bigger story about Azra’s domain.
The lighthearted nature of this story benefits Absolum. It’s always there, but it never gets in the way of the game. It’s just enough to keep you going through another run.
A game that makes you think of the greats in that genre.
When you play Absolum, it feels like a side-scrolling beat ’em up that was bred with Hades and Dead Cells. As you move from zone to zone, waves of enemies will come at you, and you’ll have to clear them out while picking from different ways that lead to rewards, upgrades, or more dangerous fights. Because each session is procedurally generated, no two runs are exactly the same. However, important boss fights and progression goals stay the same to keep things organized.
Absolum is different from other roguelites because it keeps the depth and accuracy of a standard fighter. Each character’s moves have weight and rhythm, and chaining combos together feels very natural. You can dodge enemy attacks, juggle them in the air, and use deadly ultimate moves when your power meter is full.
Playing with other people adds a whole new level. Two players can work together to attack, heal each other, and chain combo moves to do more harm. It’s like a mix between the tactile fighting in Streets of Rage 4 and the chaotic development loop in Risk of Rain 2.
The part about exploring is also excellent. You’ll sometimes have to make choices between fights. For example, you can choose to search side rooms for secret items, help NPCs, or take shortcuts that may save time but make later tasks harder. These choices give you a small but welcome sense of control and let each run set its own pace.
The puzzle and battle systems are cool, smart, and cruel.
The main type of game in Absolum is action, but the battles often feel like moving strategy puzzles. Enemies are made to test certain skills. For instance, ranged enemies sharpen your awareness of your surroundings, protected enemies challenge your timing and parrying skills, and minibosses compel you to quickly adjust your strategy.
There is a different taste to these fights for each class or character archetype. Brawlers, on the other hand, rely on brute force and crowd control, while agile fighters keep combos going with leaps and quick strikes. It becomes like a dance to learn when to hit, block, or run away, especially as the difficulty level goes up.
The best parts are definitely the boss fights. Each one forces you to learn not only your moves but also the roguelite skills you’ve gained along the way. One boss might test how well you can hide, while another might make you use physical weaknesses against them.
What’s the good? Combat feels powerful, quick, and stunning to look at. Every hit feels satisfying, and the movements are smooth. The roguelite features, such as elemental boosts and cursed upgrades, make the system even more complex without making it too difficult to use.
Not so good. In the beginning, there aren’t many types of enemies to choose from, and the camera sometimes has trouble keeping up with the chaos of co-op. These problems don’t really take away from the experience, though.
Absolum, like most roguelites, loves the cycle of dying and being born again. During runs, you’ll find “Essence,” which you can use to improve your character’s stats, get new skills, or buy lasting benefits.
The XP system’s direct correlation with fighting skill is a clever feature. You gain more Essence when your moves last longer, you take fewer hits, and you clear faster. This encourages players to engage in skillful gameplay rather than playing mindlessly.
Getting new roles also gives you more ways to play. Each one has its own move sets, combo trees, and synergy bonuses when used together in co-op. It doesn’t matter how many hours you’ve played—there’s always “just one more run” to try out a new skill path or get a different weapon.
Absolum is beautiful to look at. Guard Crush features a lot of hand-drawn, comic-book-style graphics, with clear lines, bright colors, and smooth, full-of-personality movements. The environments change beautifully between cyberpunk cities, crumbling wrecks, and dreamlike worlds.
The images of characters are especially beautiful. Every move, ability, and punch has kinetic energy that shows how well the company animates. Effects like elemental bursts, dust trails, and impact flashes make the visual action stronger without making the screen too busy.
Moving it around is just fun to look at, showing that good 2D art can be just as expressive and deep as the most accurate 3D games. Along with the visuals, there is a thumping, dynamic soundtrack that shifts tone with each zone.
Electronic bass lines and intense orchestral music are mixed to make a beat that keeps you in time with the fights.
A big part of Absolum‘s effect is also the sound design. There is clear sound feedback for every punch, kick, and weapon swing, which makes the game feel real. Voice lines from characters and enemies break up the action and give it flavor without getting boring.
The sound effects and music work together very well; they never get in the way and always get people excited. The sound always makes the experience better, whether you’re fighting in neon-lit streets or the creepy halls of Azra’s tower.
Absolum shows what can happen when a company known for making precise combat games tries something new. The core of Guard Crush is a beat ’em up game mixed with the replayability and risk-reward systems of a roguelite game. The result is an exciting experience that rewards skill, trying new things, and sticking with it.
The enemies could be more varied, and the camera can shake under heavy stress, but these are only minor flaws in an otherwise great picture. Absolum is one of the best hybrid action games I’ve played in a while, thanks to its fun and addictive combat, beautiful art direction, and satisfying growth loop.
