Absolver Reviews
Absolver's methodical combat would be superlative on its own, but the unique customisation of its Combat Deck takes this melee brawler to thrilling new heights.
Absolver is an ambitious and unique indie fighting game/action-RPG with ample character customisation, compelling PvE and PvP content and an engaging martial-arts focused melee combat system that rewards practice.
It still remains to be seen how much long-term potential Absolver has, but I'm confident that Sloclap will slowly build the game up into a unique hybrid of a story-driven martial arts adventure and a sustainable (not to mention unique) online fighting game. Again, I don't want to get too ahead of myself, but I could see Absolver becoming one of the big standout hits of 2017 and beyond, and I hope Sloclap sees that as well.
Absolver is a love letter to martial arts, and fans of melee combat will love its complex and rewarding combat system. The game can be a little grindy at times, but it manages to offer some great bone-crushing moments, so it’s a great addition to any beat-em-up collection
Absolver is by far one of the most interesting and innovative fighting games I have played in the recent times, where the appeal of learning martial arts and getting good at it is satisfying due to the way it presents its world and fighting mechanics through combat deck.
Absolver is a game that rewards players with a unique Kung-Fu fighter to master. Good luck on your Kung-Fu quest.
At the end of the day as you travel the road to be a Kung Fu master isn’t that all that really matters? Standing your ground and fighting as best as you can? Or perhaps you seek the road of the Drunken Master, that road exists as well.
_____________________________ “With over 180 attacks to discover, the possibilities are near endless, encouraging thorough experimentation and a high level of replayability.
Combining gorgeous if deceptively simple graphics with an innovative approach to combat, Absolver is a welcome breath of fresh air to the sometimes predictable fighting game genre.
Absolver recognizes its singular goal of building a robust, satisfying martial arts combat system. It leans into those strengths, and it's a better game for it.
Absolver requires work but it rewards you so much for investing the time its a clever clever game.
Without any connection issues, Absolver sings as one of the most promising indie titles this year. There is so much to do and the variety of different attacks on display is astounding; it might take some time to unlock them by fighting others, but it is time well invested. It might only have 3 basic Styles, but you can make the complex and pay homage to some of your favourite martial artists with a variety of form defining attacks, like massive flying knees, low sweeps, or spinning backfists.
Absolver is a unique blend of deep martial arts combat, RPG systems, and social interaction. Sloclap’s dedication to their combat mechanics is obvious and it has paid off. The game boasts one of the deepest systems for skirmishes I have yet to encounter. This lies at the heart of Absolver and it is a solid foundation on which to build the rest of the game. Thanks to the quality of combat and the visual appeal of the striking art style, the shortcomings found within the AI and narrative do not hinder the overall experience to a crippling degree. Absolver definitely gets far more right than wrong, weaving a worthwhile venture for all but those looking for a strong single player outing.
In my opinion, Absolver is in the upper echelon of recent releases, but it still has a few issues. The camera can work against you at the most inopportune times, like when you're cornered, but that's more bearable to me than the motion blur. Other than those complaints, the game slows down its offerings after a dozen hours or so, unless you're playing co-op with friends. On the plus side, there's supposed to be free DLC in the future, and it seems like a pretty solid promise. Given Absolver's $30 price tag, you can't really complain about this purchase.
Combining unique and rewarding combat with the freedom to explore its beautiful areas in any order you see fit, Absolver is one of the best adventures of the year.
Sloclap has delivered one of the best indie games of this 2017. Although it lacks a deep and more interesnting story, it has unique combat and gameplay mechanics that are rewarded with a great progression. An amazing journey and a stunning game.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Absolver feels like a (difficult, sometimes frustrating) step into a larger world, and if you can hang with it, it'll leave you hungry for more.
Absolver is one of the top games of the year. While its level design can use some work, its combat system should be studied and worshiped by anyone trying to make a fighting game.
Overall, though, Absolver’s core systems are very strong and I am eagerly looking forward to revisiting the Adal Empire when Sloclap drops new content.
In a way, Absolver turns a truth about the genre into a kind of design aesthetic and philosophy; the ultimate raison d'etre of this fighting game is for you to get better at fighting. When you click to this, it becomes a Zen-epic sort of proposition, as you wander around the gorgeous and melancholy Adal getting into lonely contests under dappled greenery and atop perilous ledges, sloooooowly learning the skills you need to better defend yourself.