Every once in a while, a game comes along that reminds you why you fell in love with gaming in the first place. Absolum is one of those games. On the surface, it’s a side-scrolling beat ’em up with the usual roguelite twists of replayable runs, branching choices, and upgrades. But once you get your hands on it, you realize there’s something more here. It’s a stylish, well-built game that’s not only rewarding but turns a familiar formula into something that feels genuine.
Absolum Review
A Visual World In Chaos
The first thing that hits you when playing Absolum is the art. The colors pop off the screen in every scene, whether it be the greens and reds in the forests or the eerie blues in the castles. It’s one of those games where you can pause at any moment and grab a screenshot that looks like concept art. There’s a warmth and confidence to the way it’s drawn, and honestly, it might be one of the best-looking games this year, let alone indie games.
The story isn’t just background noise either. The world of Talamh has been torn apart by a magical disaster, one that left people terrified of magic itself. Out of the chaos, Sun King Azra rises, enslaving wizards under his Crimson Order and ruling through fear. It’s the kind of setup that gives the fighting real purpose. You’re not just clearing screens of enemies, you’re pushing back against a world that’s completely fallen apart while learning why the “enemies” are the way that they are. It only takes 20-30 minutes to get the sense that you’re fighting to save something truly worth fighting for.
Combat That Hooks You
At its core, Absolum is all about rhythm and control. You start with two characters, Karl and Galandra, and unlock two more, Cider and Brome, as you go. Each plays differently enough to keep things interesting. Karl, the dwarf, relies on brute force, mixing his blunderbuss and fists for heavy-hitting combos. Galandra, the elf, moves with quick precision, slashing through enemies more gracefully. Cider might be the standout, though. She has an extendable arm that pulls her toward enemies, kind of like Mortal Kombat’s Scorpion, and it’s ridiculously fun to use. All that’s missing is a nice, “Get over here!”
As you push deeper into your runs, you’ll unlock new abilities such as tidal waves that knock enemies back or fire attacks that burn them over time. The best part is how combos feed into the flow of combat. String enough together, and you refill your mana, giving you access to those stronger abilities more often. It creates a loop where every fight feels tense but rewarding.
Going back to learning about the enemies, there are times when you’ll walk into them fighting each other. It’s important to use these moments to your advantage to keep the attention off of you in order to get through them quicker.
Like any roguelite, you’ll replay familiar areas, but Absolum does a great job keeping things fresh. Routes branch, upgrades shuffle, and character abilities change how you approach each encounter. You’re constantly making “this or that” choices, smaller decisions that might trade health for power or shift the path you take. And while they’re simple decisions to make, they carry real weight. Health can be tough to come by at times, so every choice feels like a gamble. There’s nothing worse than going into a boss fight being only two or three hits away from death.
Speaking of boss fights, those are another high point of the game. They’re not punishingly hard, but they make you pay attention. Some demand patience and timing, while others invite full aggression. It’s that sweet spot between challenge and fun, tough enough to make a victory feel earned but not so difficult that it kills momentum. I think of them as similar to Dark Souls fights, but without the immense anger that comes with them.
The more you play, the more satisfying it gets. Your first run feels impossible, but inching a little farther each time builds that perfect roguelite sense of progression. And if things ever get overwhelming, you can hire allies to help take some pressure off or team up with a friend in co-op to take on enemies together.
Absolum Review Verdict
The best comparison for Absolum that I can make is Guard Crush Games’ previous title, Streets of Rage 4, both in how it moves and how it looks. But where Streets of Rage felt like a great modern revival, Absolum feels like an evolution. It’s stylish, challenging without being punishing, and packed with enough variety to keep you coming back for another run.
Absolum doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t need to. It just nails what makes these types of games fun with tight combat, satisfying progression, and visuals that make every punch and throw look special. It’s fast, it’s beautiful, and it’s got heart. And that’s exactly what you want from a game like this. The best thing you can say about Absolum is that it’s a game that everyone needs to play.
NOTE: A copy of Absolum for PC was provided to Insider Gaming for the purposes of this review. (Read our review policy)
Absolum
10
Absolum
Mike has been covering the gaming industry since 2012, and has reported on some of the largest events in the industry while also working as an investigative reporter. Outside of…
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