Absolum Hands-On Preview: Classic Beat-em-Up Action With a Bite
Booting up Absolum for the first time felt like stepping into an arcade cabinet that someone secretly modded with roguelite DNA. Developed by the combined forces of Guard Crush, Supamonks, and Dotemu the same minds behind the modern revival of beat’em ups this early build already oozes style and potential, even if it still needs some fine-tuning under the hood.
We got a chance to preview this awesome game for PC, and boy, even though it’s a preview demo, it felt like I was playing a full completed version of it. Absolum packs a lot to uncover and many challenges to conquer. Let’s dive into it.
A Cast That Fights as Differently as They Look
I spent some time playing with individual characters starting out with Brome thinking that I was playing a mage and firing spells long range. Boy I was in for a surprise. Each character relies on light and heavy melee attack to do basic damage. Gathering enough mana you can cast spells or abilities pertaining to the character you are playing with. You can swap character before starting a run, and see which character fits your playstyle. Each have some unique abilities to help you survive or control the battlefield. You can gain inspiration traits that can buff your attacks or give you a unique additional skill when activating certain inputs. There are more, so unlocking them in different runs doesn’t feel repetitive. Some players have unique combo that make certain fights more riveting.
At its core, Absolum delivers on the fundamentals: tight melee action, responsive inputs, and an emphasis on timing. Where it diverges from the classics is in its roguelite progression. Levels offered branching paths and varied enemy encounters, making no two runs feel exactly alike. Rest camps provided moments to restore health mid-stage, while hidden routes rewarded careful observation. The combat itself already feels strong and almost refine, but it’s not flawless yet. The dash mechanic, where you can slip into enemy attacks to trigger counters, was satisfying when it worked, but a little inconsistent. Still, pulling it off gave me the same rush as landing a perfect parry in a fighting game. Chaining combos, weaving in counters, and throwables, even when enemy swarms occasionally bogged down the pacing. With a few adjustment and tweak I believe this would be an awesome game to experience for many hours.
Since it’s a preview, I didn’t have the chance to try matchmaking, nor could I get one started. I would like to try once it is released. Hopefully, there will be more news on that.
Combat: Familiar but With a Twist
Absolum feels like a confident next step for the beat’em up genre. It captures the immediacy and satisfaction of arcade classics while layering on roguelite unpredictability and modern combat depth. Even with performance hiccups and a few mechanics still in need of polish, the potential is clear. If this early build is any indication, Absolum is shaping up to be a game that not only respects the past but also pushes the genre forward in meaningful ways. Fans of classic beat’em ups, roguelites, or simply stylish cooperative action will want to keep this one on their radar. So stay tune.
Absolum is targeting an October 9 release and will be available on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
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