Guard Crush Games, the studio behind Streets of Rage 4, teams up once again with Dotemu for a new beat-'em-up—this time, Dotemu's first original IP. Absolum boasts stunning hand-drawn animation by Supamonks and a killer soundtrack composed by Gareth Coker. My hands-on experience confirmed this impressive talent translates to exceptional gameplay.

Absolum is a roguelite side-scrolling beat-'em-up action-RPG designed for deep replayability. It delivers on that promise with branching paths, diverse quests, multiple playable characters, and challenging bosses. I played as Karl, a tanky dwarf-like character, and Galandra, a nimble ranger-type, battling fantastical creatures, smashing environments, and searching for health-restoring items. The game includes two-player same-screen co-op (though I didn't get to try it this time).

Absolum - First Screenshots

10 ImagesThe roguelite nature means death sends you back to a shop to purchase upgrades for your next run. In the preview build, this shop wasn't fully functional, impacting the item variety.

Despite this, Absolum shows immense potential. The first boss fight was challenging (a mammoth troll summoning goblins), and I anticipate two-player co-op will enhance the experience significantly. The art style, animation, classic gameplay, and roguelite loop, combined with the developers' proven track record, make Absolum a promising title. It's a strong contender for reviving couch co-op fun, and I eagerly await a more polished version.