| Absolum | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developers | Guard Crush Games Supamonks |
| Publisher | Dotemu |
| Director | Gauthier Brunet |
| Composer | Gareth Coker |
| Platforms | |
| Release | 9 October 2025 |
| Genres | Beat'em up, roguelike |
| Modes | Single-player, multiplayer |
Absolum is a beat'em up video game with roguelike elements. Developed by Guard Crush Games and Supamonks and published by Dotemu for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Windows.
Absolum is a side-scrolling beat'em up video game. It features multiple character classes, with each having its own unique combat style and abilities. Karl is a dwarf who fights enemies with his guns and bare fists; Galandra the elf is equipped with a huge sword; Cider is an agile character who wields two daggers which allow them to attack quickly; Brome is a humanoid frog and a wizard who can surf in the air using his scepter. [1] [2] Each character has a basic light and heavy attack. [3] Consecutive attacks against an enemy will build up combos and mana for the player character, which can be used to unleash "Arcana", a special attack that can deal significant damage to their opponents. Players can also dodge or sidestep to avoid incoming attacks. Dodging or attacking an opponent just before their hit lands on the player character will deflect it, leaving them in a stunned state. [4]
The game also features elements commonly found in roguelike games. At the beginning of each run, the player character can equip themselves with "Rituals", which are passive abilities and bonuses that alter their attacks. As players clear combat encounters, they will unlock more Rituals for use in combat, though all Rituals equipped will be lost if the player character is killed in combat. [5] [6] Level layout and the Rituals players found in a level is randomized. Defeated players will return to a realm where they can recover their health and shop for new upgrades or permanent unlocks before they go for their next run. Defeating a boss may unlock "Inspirations", which are active combat skills. [1] The game also features elements found in role-playing video games, such as side quests and diverging paths. [7] The game also supports two-player cooperative multiplayer. [8]
Absolum is set in the fantasy world of Talamh, which is ruled by the tyrannical Sun King Azra and his army of zealots known as the "Crimson Order". In response, the sorceress Uchawi leads a resistance group composed of four warriors: Galandra, an elven swordswoman; Karl, a dwarven fighter; Cider, a mysterious assassin with mechanical limbs; and Brome, an antropomorphic frog with magic powers. The warriors fight Azra's forces all the way to his stronghold and defeat him. However, it is revealed that Azra's main objective was to contain and control a powerful interdimensional being known as "Absolum" that could destroy the entire Talamh, and that Uchawi was Azra's wife, pregnant with his child. After Uchawi gives birth, the warriors return to Azra's palace and defeat Absolum, who is taken away by three otherworldly creatures. [9]
The game was developed by Guard Crush Games, one of the co-developers of Streets of Rage 4 . It was also the first original intellectual property by Dotemu, which had previously published several beat'em up games under the license of other publishers. [10] Both studios were interested in creating a new video game instead of reviving another dormant franchises, and seek to introduce the beat'em up genre to a new audience. As a result, Guard Crush Games added roguelike elements into the game, after briefly experimenting with it in Mr. X Nightmare, a downloadable content pack for Streets of Rage 4. The team cited Golden Axe , Dead Cells and Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara as their sources of inspiration. [11] Absolum is also the first video game project for Supamonks, the French studio which crafted the game's art and animation. [4]
Dotemu officially revealed the game in March 2025. [12] It was released on 9 October 2025 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Windows. [13] Silver Lining Interactive will distribute a physical edition for the game for the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch versions. [14]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | (NS) 89/100 [15] (PC) 87/100 [16] (PS5) 87/100 [17] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Destructoid | 9/10 [18] |
| Famitsu | 9/10, 9/10, 8/10, 10/10 [19] |
| Game Informer | 9/10 [20] |
| GameSpot | 9/10 [21] |
| GamesRadar+ | 4/5 [22] |
| Hardcore Gamer | 4.5/5 [23] |
| IGN | 7/10 [24] |
| Nintendo Life | 9/10 [25] |
| Nintendo World Report | 8.5/10 [26] |
| PC Gamer (US) | 83/100 [27] |
| Push Square | 8/10 [28] |
| RPGFan | 82/100 [29] |
| Shacknews | 9/10 [30] |
Absolum received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. [15] [16] [17]
In Japan, four critics from Famitsu gave the game a total score of 36 out of 40, with one critic awarding the game a perfect 10. [19]
Over 200,000 copies of the game had been sold during the game's launch week. [31]
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | The Game Awards 2025 | Best Independent Game | Pending | [32] |
| 2026 | 22nd British Academy Games Awards | New Intellectual Property | Longlisted | [33] |