Absolum Reviews
Absolum delivers high-octane beat ’em up action wrapped in a roguelite loop that keeps fresh. With richly animated visuals, satisfying build variety, and smooth combat mechanics, it’s a standout in the genre. The story falls a bit short in clarity, but that’s a minor misstep in what is otherwise a polished and thrilling experience.
Review in French | Read full review
Dotemu and Guard Crush once again surprise with Absolum, a spectacular beat’em up that this time embraces the roguelike format, built around a campaign that unfolds into new areas, includes unique narrative moments, and offers a strong sense of progression unusual for the genre.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
If Dead Cells and Streets of Rage 4 had a magical, rebellious child raised on punishment and style, that kid would be Absolum. It’s a game that respects your time but demands your attention. You can’t autopilot here. Every dodge, every swing, every decision matters.
Absolum is an excellent fusion between a side scrolling beat ’em up and a roguelite. The creation is not lazy and indeed, it is full of secrets and side quests. There are even quests that we can only complete with certain characters. This expands the storytelling and lore of the world we are in. The characters have good characterization and have unique dialogues between them. The NPCs we find interact, tell stories and are alive. The audio design conveys the impact of the shots well, thanks also to the carefully crafted animations. In fact, the combat system is a flagship of the title. Despite some filth, hitbox issues and unhelpful Ultras, Absolum gives the player complex and challenging, if sometimes confusing, gameplay. The balance sometimes fails and risks overwhelming the player. Added to this is the roguelite element which seems to be the least successful part. Even if certain builds are really strong. In my opinion the problem lies in a reduced choice of passives which translates into the search for the OP rituals and the right objects themselves. A more branched development, perhaps built on each character, would have given it more body and substance to the gameplay. Absolum is a great title, which every lover of these genres should try.
Absolum is one of the toughest games I’ve ever reviewed. Structurally, it’s a letdown, with disappointing balance choices, unrelenting RNG, and a progression system that feels half-baked in comparison with other contemporary roguelikes. Mechanically, however, it’s probably the strongest beat-em-up I’ve ever played. The sublime combat ultimately wins out. Even when I was struggling to grind through runs, I was having a blast stringing up combos and laying waste to my enemies. If Dotemu ever decides to make a sequel, they could be on to something revolutionary. For now, Absolum will just have to settle as something great.
With so many chefs involved (Supramonks, Dotemu, Guard Crush Games) I am pleasantly surprised by how tight and succinct the gameplay is. You can absolutely get lost in a delight of combos, spellwork, and tossable things, and you get better each and every time. The production is top notch, the characters are unique and the lore – as difficult as it can be to glean – is fascinating. Dotemu has made themselves known for their beat-em-ups, and Absolum takes the formula to a new, fantastic level.
Relatively minuscule nitpicks aside, consider Absolum a must-play for any fan of not only beat ‘em ups but action games in general. Its build system is masterful, offering near infinite replayability, and if 2025 is the year of fantastic parry systems in video games, Absolum stands tall with the best parries of them all. This is the follow-up to Streets of Rage 4 that I’ve been waiting half a decade for, and it just so happens to have arrived in the form of a roguelite; arcade-styled games don’t get much better than this.
Absolum is a pleasant surprise within the modern beat 'em up genre, showing how it's possible to combine intense action, deep combat mechanics, and roguelike elements in a cohesive and intelligent way. Despite some limitations — such as the limited number of blessings and abilities, and a certain imbalance between builds — the game makes up for it with outstanding art direction, a masterful soundtrack, and a combat system that, while easy to learn, demands dedication to truly master.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
An addictive and meticulously crafted beat 'em up/roguelite that keeps you hooked.
Absolum is a little gem at a relatively low price. DotEmu's product is one of the best fighting games on the market and further confirms DotEmu's position as one of the leading studios in the industry. While it doesn't completely escape some of the genre's essential limitations, with its stunning aesthetic and rewarding gameplay, Absolum will surely delight fighting game enthusiasts.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Absolum is absolutely brilliant, with its adventure offering a stunning blend of exciting combat, rewarding roguelite progression, and gorgeous visuals. Every run through the adventure feels fresh thanks to its evolving world that genuinely brings big changes between each run, whilst its four heroes keep the action varied and endlessly engaging with their diverse playstyles and developing capabilities. And best of all? It’s an absolute blast in co-op, where the co-ordinated chaos turns every battle into pure exhilaration. Absolum isn’t just a modern classic, but sets a new standard for beat ‘em ups. It’s incredibly stylish, offers an absorbing gameplay loop, and will keep you coming back for ‘one more go’ over and over again… it’s simply a masterpiece that deserves the attention of all fans of the genre.
Absolum blew me away with its mastery of the side-scrolling beat-’em-up and roguelike genres, seamlessly combining the two in a game that is exceptional on a technical level and a blast to play. Paired with the excellent combat and roguelike loop are phenomenal characters, great worldbuilding, and gorgeous art, making for a game that is an absolute steal at just $25.
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Review in Italian | Read full review
After getting a taste of Absolum with its Steam demo, which is now unavailable, I was curious to see how much longevity it would have. After putting in over 20 hours, I still have a lot to see and do in the world of Talamh, and I will never tire of taking on the bosses over and over again. I love it when games end up surprising me like this, and Absolum is easily one of the best of 2025 so far.
Absolum, the latest work from Dotemu, is not only a beautifully polished side-scrolling beat 'em up, but also adds an extremely fun roguelike component to the classic beat 'em up, especially in co-op mode. The animations and character designs are meticulously crafted, as is the excellent soundtrack. Are you ready to get your hands dirty in a fantasy setting?
Review in Italian | Read full review
Absolum mostly wins you over with its strong mix of variation, challenge, and aesthetics. The roguelite builds a mysterious world with intriguing characters, and the gameplay constantly pushes you to improve. You do start to notice some repetition after a few runs, especially in the early stages. Still, the drive to optimize and progress remains strong, overall, it’s a solid and very enjoyable experience.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
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Review in German | Read full review
Absolum is not just another roguelike lost in the sea of game stores, it is a game with great potential to become one of the best beat'n'ups in history.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Absolum is one of the most fun games of the year, if not the most fun. The fusion of beat'em up with roguelite worked exceptionally well, boosted by excellent animations and striking characters.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Absolum is an ode to the history of beat-'em-ups and also modern in its own way, with roguelike progression. The high difficulty and strategic depth make you have that "just one more run" feeling that defined arcades in the "ancient" times.