Absolum takes the immediate action of a side-scrolling beat ’em up and builds a roguelite journey around it. Its branching routes, quests and persistent upgrades give each run more to consider than a straightforward arcade brawl, while its combat aims to keep the moment-to-moment action readable. That combination is the game’s central appeal—and the question at the heart of this review.
What kind of game is Absolum?
Absolum is a fantasy beat ’em up set in Talamh, designed around repeatable runs. Rather than simply moving through one fixed sequence of stages, players encounter branching paths, quests, enemies and bosses, with unlockable items and permanent warrior upgrades adding longer-term progression. The official site describes it as a side-scrolling brawler blended with modern roguelite elements, where paths and encounters can vary.
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That structure changes the rhythm of the genre without replacing its core pleasure: reading a crowd, choosing when to attack or evade, and turning a clear opening into a satisfying string of hits. The publisher’s launch description called it a run-based fantasy adventure that fuses classic brawling with storytelling and replayability. In practice, the promise is a familiar fight-by-fight loop with more decisions about where a run goes and what progress carries forward.
How does the combat feel?
PC Gamer’s review describes combat that starts from simple attacks but can develop into a more rhythmic sequence. Launches create opportunities to juggle opponents, and a teammate can follow up, making positioning and timing matter beyond repeating one input. The review also calls out dodge inputs and the role of impact sounds, visual feedback and controller vibration in communicating when attacks connect.
#1 Best Overall
- Feel physically responsive feedback to your in-game actions through haptic feedback
- Experience varying levels of force and tension at your fingertips with adaptive triggers
- Chat online through the built-in microphone and connect a headset directly through the 3.5mm jack
- Switch voice capture on and off using the dedicated mute button
- Play on more devices using the USB Type-C cable or Bluetooth to connect easily to Windows PC and Mac computers, Android and iOS mobile phones as well as your PlayStation 5
Those observations point to an important balance for any brawler with added systems: the action needs to stay legible even when the screen is busy. The review’s account suggests that Absolum leans on clear hit feedback and audio cues to preserve that immediacy while giving players room to build combinations. The result, from this perspective, is not a game that asks players to abandon arcade instincts for complex menus; it layers route and progression choices around combat that remains easy to read in the moment.
Do the roguelite runs add worthwhile variety?
Branching routes, quests, unlocks and permanent upgrades give a run a shape beyond clearing the next group of enemies. A route choice can steer the journey toward different encounters, while persistent upgrades give repeated attempts a longer arc. This is the main way Absolum seeks to make replayability meaningful rather than simply asking players to repeat the same stages.
Rank #2
- Bring gaming worlds to life - Feel your in-game actions and environment simulated through haptic feedback*. Experience varying force and tension at your fingertips with adaptive triggers*
- Find your voice, share your passion - Chat online through the built-in microphone. Connect a headset directly via the 3.5mm jack. Record and broadcast your epic gaming moments with the create button
- A gaming icon in your hands - Enjoy a comfortable, evolved design with an iconic layout and enhanced sticks. Hear higher-fidelity** sound effects through the built-in speaker in supported games
- Multi-device connectivity - Connect using a USB Type-C cable or Bluetooth technology and easily play on more devices including Windows PC and Mac computers.
- Elevate PC gaming with advanced features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers in a range of blockbuster PC titles.
The trade-off is inherent to the blend: a traditional beat ’em up offers a tightly authored forward push, while a roguelite makes variation and replay part of the design. Players who enjoy deciding how to approach another attempt are likely to find the structure a welcome expansion. Those who primarily want one concise, fixed arcade campaign may prefer the directness of a more linear brawler. The official description establishes the routes and persistent progression; exactly how much variety feels rewarding will depend on a player’s appetite for repeated runs.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIs Absolum good for a beat ’em up newcomer?
Its premise is approachable: fight through side-scrolling encounters, use attacks and dodges, and learn to capitalize on openings. The review’s description of simple attacks combining into launch-and-follow-up sequences gives a newcomer a clear starting point, while the roguelite layer offers longer-term goals beyond mastering one encounter.
Rank #3
- Haptic feedback - Feel physically responsive feedback to your in-game actions with dual actuators which replace traditional rumble motors. In your hands, these dynamic vibrations can simulate the feeling of everything from environments to the recoil of different weapons. .Operating temperature : 41 °F to 95 °F (5 °C to 35 °C)
- Adaptive triggers - Experience varying levels of force and tension as you interact with your in-game gear and environments. From pulling back an increasingly tight bowstring to hitting the brakes on a speeding car, feel physically connected to your on-screen actions.
- Built-in microphone and headset jack - Chat with friends online using the built-in microphone or by connecting a headset to the 3.5mm jack. Easily switch voice capture on and off at a moment’s notice with the dedicated mute button. Internet and account for PlayStation Network required.
- DualSense Controller PS5 and PC compatible. Not compatible with PS4.
- PS Remote Play requires Remote Play App connected to Wi-Fi, PS4 or PS5 console with the latest system software and compatible game. A PS4 or PS5 console with a wired connection via a LAN cable is recommended. Version 4.0 of the Remote Play App on iOS and iPadOS or version 4.1 on macOS is required for games to be playable with the controller over Bluetooth.
New players should expect the genre’s basic demands—watching enemies, choosing when to commit, and responding to attacks—rather than assuming progression will remove the need to learn combat. The run structure can make experimentation feel purposeful, but it also means the experience is built around returning for further attempts. If that loop sounds appealing, Absolum has a clear path into the genre; if repetition is a deterrent, its structure may be less inviting than a one-and-done brawler.
How do co-op, art and music fit?
PC Gamer reports that Absolum supports one or two players. In co-op, the review highlights the possibility of teammate follow-ups after launching an enemy, giving coordination a direct connection to the combat rather than making multiplayer a separate mode of play.
Rank #4
- Ultra Customizable Controls
- Mappable Back Buttons
- DualSense Wireless Controller Features Built In
- Replaceable Stick Modules and Caps
The game’s official site credits Gareth Coker and names collaborations with Yuka Kitamura, Mick Gordon and others. The score is presented as part of the journey through Talamh’s locations. PC Gamer also discusses the game’s visual presentation and sound as contributors to combat feedback; those are review judgments, not a guarantee that every player will respond to the presentation in the same way.
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Platforms, release and physical editions
Dotemu announced Absolum for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, with a release date of October 9, 2025. The announcement listed $24.99 as the launch price in 2025; that is not a statement of current pricing. An Xbox store listing also exists, but platform availability, regional terms and any subscription-catalog access can change, so check the relevant Xbox storefront for your location.
Best Value
- Heighten Your Senses. Discover Deeper, highly immersive gaming experiences.
- Feel your in-game actions and environment simulated through haptic feedback
- Chat online through the built-in microphone or connect a headset directly via the 3.5mm jack
- Play on more devices Connect using a USB Type-C cable or Bluetooth wireless technology so you can easily play on more devices including Windows PC and Mac computers, Android and iOS mobile phones.
- Elevate PC gaming with advanced features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers in a range titles
For collectors, Tesura Games lists physical editions for Nintendo Switch and PS5 that include the game, a digital soundtrack, four metal pins, character cards, a mini artbook, a poster and a collector’s box. Arc System Works’ English page gave October 9, 2025 as the scheduled digital release and November 6, 2025 as the scheduled physical release, and described a digital artbook and digital soundtrack as physical-edition extras. These are published schedule and edition details, not confirmation of current stock; check the seller and regional SKU before ordering.
Verdict: a brawler with a reason to come back
Absolum is most compelling as a meeting point between two kinds of momentum: the snap of landing a clean sequence of hits and the longer-term pull of choosing another route, pursuing upgrades and seeing how a new run unfolds. Its strongest case is that roguelite progression adds decisions around the brawling without obscuring the action that makes the genre satisfying. Players seeking a classic scrolling fighter with a fixed, linear structure should weigh that repeated-run design carefully; players who want their arcade combat tied to branching journeys and persistent progress have a clear reason to try it.
Quick Recap
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