Absolum
Crafted with passion by the dream team that redefined side-scrolling beat 'em ups, Absolum mixes top-of-the-class combat action with modern roguelite elements, bringing all the vibes of the fantasy arcade hits of the past into an immersive adventure set in the original world of Talamh.
What it feels like
The narrative arc of heroes retaking magic and defeating a tyrant carries an earned sense of hard-won victory. Described as capturing 'vibes' and bringing arcade energy into a modern setting, suggesting high-energy colorful tone.
What it's about
Set in the fantasy world of Talamh with conflict against the Sun King, suggesting a darker fantasy tone than high fantasy.
How it plays
The core gameplay is described as 'beat 'em up' combat with fast melee action against enemies, mixing arcade beat 'em up traditions with roguelite progression. Described as 'top-of-the-class combat action' with emphasis on stylish, expressive melee execution typical of character action games. Referenced as playing 'heroes' (plural) with cooperative elements, suggesting multiple character selection or party composition.
How it looks and sounds
Beat 'em up arcade heritage and description of 'vibes of fantasy arcade hits' suggests hand-drawn or stylized 2D art tradition.
How it's structured
Modern roguelite elements structure the game as discrete runs that reset on loss, a defining characteristic of the roguelite genre. An authored story arc of retaking magic from Sun King Azra provides narrative structure across runs. Roguelite design with multiple runs and character variety creates inherent replay incentive and systemic variance.
Kindred games
Shares Hack-and-Slash, Run-Based, Character Action, Dark Fantasy.
Both lean into Hack-and-Slash, Run-Based, Character Action, Dark Fantasy.
Shares Hack-and-Slash, Run-Based, Dark Fantasy, Character Action.
Both lean into Hack-and-Slash, Run-Based, Dark Fantasy, Character Action.
Shares Hack-and-Slash, Run-Based, Character Action, High Replayability.
Both lean into Hack-and-Slash, Run-Based, Character Action, High Replayability.
Closest hidden gems
A lesser-known kindred — Run-Based, Local Co-op, Online Co-op, Meta-Progression. 91% positive across 4,562 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Run-Based, Meta-Progression, Local Co-op, Online Co-op.
A lesser-known kindred — Hack-and-Slash, Run-Based, High Replayability, Party Management. 95% positive across 4,427 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Hack-and-Slash, Run-Based, High Replayability, Party Management.
A lesser-known kindred — Run-Based, High Replayability, Local Co-op, Dark Fantasy. 85% positive across 4,522 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Run-Based, High Replayability, Local Co-op, Dark Fantasy.