Guard Crush Games' Absolum taps into the same things that the best action roguelikes do by delivering what fans of the genre love most — visceral, hard-hitting combat, worthwhile progression, and an eye-catching art style that makes the whole thing look good while doing it. As Absolum inches toward its eventual release, Guard Crush and publisher Dotemu have been steadily revealing more of the game, introducing new classes, showing off more of its progression systems, and generally peeling back the layers to expose Absolum as being one of the year's most promising roguelikes. But this latest hands-on preview is perhaps the best approximation of the full product we've gotten yet.
For its latest playable slice, Absolum is pulling back the curtain to reveal the fourth and final playable character from its assortment of RPG-archetype heroes, and it seems like Guard Crush may have saved the best for last. We've previously had the chance to go hands-on with the warrior Galandra, the brawler Karl, and the rogue Cider. Now with newcomer Brome rounding things out as the group's de facto mage, the full picture of what to expect from Absolum is beginning to take shape, and it's cementing itself as one of the year's most exciting new games, roguelike or otherwise.
Absolum's Brome May Be One of the Game's Best Characters
The introduction of Brome serves as a reminder that Absolum is more than just a great roguelike beat 'em up, placing just as much emphasis on its story as its gameplay in a way that will appeal to fans of games like Hades. In Absolum's fantasy realm of Talamh, Brom's race is the main target of prejudice and subjugation under antagonist Azra as natural practitioners of magic. So, while some of the other heroes' motivations for rising against Azra feel more personal, Brome's choice to fight against one of Talamh's great injustices comes off as more selfless. But of course, none of that would really matter if he weren't also incredibly fun to play, which he most certainly is.
Unlike the other playable heroes in Absolum, Brome doesn't walk or run across the map; he surfs atop his wizard staff as if it were a hoverboard. That sense of speed carries over into how he handles in combat, able to swiftly execute aerial juggles and other attacks that keep enemies occupied and at a distance to compensate for his weaker defense. As a mage, Brome also has access to a wide variety of Arcana (Absolum's version of magic abilities) that quickly recharge to be readily and repeatedly used in battle. Thanks to his versatility and potency in the game's already excellent combat, Brome feels like an immediate standout and a strong contender for being a mainstay in co-op squads.
Between its Gameplay and Presentation, Absolum Already Feels Ready for Launch
In addition to introducing Brome as the game's fourth and final character, the latest playable demo for Absolum seems to have the game's progression systems and art assets ironed out in such a way that it feels like the game is more than ready for its recently confirmed October 9 launch. Visual effects and backgrounds that were formerly placeholder assets have now been replaced with their permanent counterparts, underscoring the absolutely gorgeous visual style that Absolum has settled on courtesy of co-developer (and animation studio) Supamonks. But most impressive is how strong Absolum's progression feels now, with the general meta-progression curve feeling a lot more laid out and clear ahead of release.
Guard Crush Games' work on the modern beat 'em up masterpiece Streets of Rage 4 positioned them as a studio to watch moving forward, and that its follow-up is yet another beat 'em up is a great sign for the future of the genre. Absolum is a lot more than just another beat 'em up, though, blending elements of role-playing games and action roguelikes to ultimately land as a cross between Hades and the Sega Saturn classic Guardian Heroes. Those are some big shoes to fill, but Absolum continues to impress and prove that it's earned the praise and flattering comparisons.
Absolum
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Roguelite, Beat 'Em Up
