Absolum is defined as a «rogue 'em up», a subgenre that Dotemu and Guard Crush Games describe as «a modern evolution of the beat ‘em up that fuses classic combat with a rich narrative and great replayability.» One of the pillars of Absolum is its narrative. The title sets its story in Talamh, a world in which a cataclysm caused by greedy wizards led people to distrust magic. This situation allowed Azra, the Sun King, to enslave the wizards through the Crimson Order and conquer all the lands and sources of magic.
Anyone who wants to try Absolum will find a demo on Steam.
The hope of Talamh lies in our protagonists, a band of rebels who have the help and magic of Uchawi, a high sorceress who leads an insurgent group that seeks to challenge Azra and put an end to her power. Each of the heroes offers a different combat style, has a unique skill set and has their own motivations. They are: Galandra, the agile fighter armed with a sword and necromantic powers; Karl, a tank-like dwarf and a good short-range fighter; Cider, an enigmatic rogue with an extendable arm; and Brome, a Mowlaï (humanoid frog) who uses his staff to perform melee combos and cast spells.
In combat, and beyond being clear about each fighter's distinctive advantages as well as knowing their own set of skills, players must time their attacks to break enemies' guards and experiment with upgrades such as elemental magic to combine and adapt their abilities. Each player must try different configurations and acquire items to advance the story. Regarding the narrative, it develops along branching paths to explore, discover missions and meet characters.
Absolum, which according to the press deserves an average score of around 88 out of 100, aspires to give a boost to the genre of beat ’em up without giving up channeling the spirit of classics like Golden Ax and Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara.