Choose Absolum if you want slick fantasy beat ’em up combat, striking art, co-op, and replayable builds. Skip it if roguelite repetition, grind-heavy progression, or uneven story pacing will bother you.
Best for
Best for players who want a stylish fantasy beat ’em up with deep combos, character variety, strong music, and two-player co-op. It especially fits players who enjoy roguelite runs, branching paths, and build experimentation.
Not for
Not for players who dislike repetition, grind-based permanent upgrades, or roguelite structures that require repeated failed runs. Story-first players may also find the narrative uneven or slow to pay off.
Verdict
Reviewers consistently frame Absolum as a standout beat ’em up first and a more divisive roguelite second. Its strongest evidence points to deep, responsive combat, distinct characters, striking hand-drawn art, excellent animation, and a soundtrack that several critics call among the year's best. The tradeoff is structure: some reviews love the branching routes, buildcrafting, and one-more-run pull, while others feel permanent upgrades, repeated early areas, and grind delay the game's best moments. Co-op is a real strength, especially locally or online with one partner, but multiple reviewers wished for larger parties or better two-player balance.
Reviewer Consensus
Strong agreement:
Reviewers most consistently agree that Absolum's combat, art direction, animation, and soundtrack are major strengths.
Mixed opinions:
Opinions split on whether the roguelite progression creates exciting replayability or stretches a great beat ’em up with too much grind.
Common concern:
The most repeated concern is that early repetition, meta-progression, and limited late-game payoff can undercut the action.
Evidence coverage
30 expert reviews
31 of 70 scored features show reviewer agreement
39 scored features have limited or less conclusive evidence
no scored features show reviewer disagreement or mixed evidence
Limited review data
Mixed evidence
Moderate consensus
Strong consensus
Compared in Reviews
Products reviewers directly compared with this model, grouped into quick takeaways.
Hades
Compared: roguelite structureThe demo review summarizes Absolum as Streets of Rage 4 blended with Hades.
Compared: roguelite structure and narrative payoffIGN says Absolum's progression structure might suit Hades better because Absolum has less narrative reward between runs.
Dead Cells
Compared: fluidity and feelAnalog Stick Gaming compares Absolum's fluid feel favorably to Dead Cells.
Dragon's Crown
Worse: overall key metricsNintendo Life frames Absolum as on par with Dragon's Crown but superior on key metrics.
The fantasy tone, music, and environmental presentation create a strong atmosphere, though this is usually discussed through art, sound, and world-building.
Assist and accessibility options are a repeated strength, with reviewers praising damage sliders, no-damage settings, and flexible difficulty tuning, though online co-op may limit assist use.
Replay value is highly divisive: many reviewers praise fresh routes, secrets, and one-more-run momentum, while others say repetition or weak postgame limits longevity.
Multiplayer design works well for two players and supports local/online play, but reviewers repeatedly wish for more than two players or better co-op balance.
Difficulty balance is one of the most contested areas, with praise for adjustable challenge but criticism of grind, co-op scaling, and late-game spikes.
Endgame content is a recurring weakness, with reviewers citing a lack of meaningful progression or frustrating true-final-boss requirements.
Compared With Category Average
Compared with other Video Games, this product is above average in matchmaking quality, below average in endgame content, upgrade system, class balance.
Attribute
This product
Category average
Difference
endgame content
2.1
3.9
-1.8
upgrade system
2.5
4.2
-1.7
class balance
2.8
4.0
-1.2
side character depth
2.8
4.0
-1.2
progression system
3.3
4.1
-0.8
weapon balance
2.8
3.9
-1.1
difficulty balance
2.7
3.7
-0.9
matchmaking quality
4.0
3.0
+1.0
FAQ
Is Absolum more of a beat ’em up or a roguelite?
Reviewers mostly describe it as an excellent beat ’em up wrapped in a roguelite structure. The combat gets the strongest praise, while the roguelite progression is more divisive.
Does Absolum have good co-op?
Yes, most reviews praise local and online two-player co-op. The main caveats are that it is limited to two players and some reviewers found co-op difficulty tuning uneven.
Is Absolum repetitive?
It can be. Several reviewers love the branching paths, secrets, and changing events, but others say the early hours and repeated areas can feel grindy or stale.
How difficult is Absolum?
The default challenge is significant, and some reviewers felt progression can gate success. Assist options and damage sliders help players tune the difficulty, though online co-op may restrict assist settings.
Are the characters different enough?
Yes. Reviewers repeatedly note four distinct playable characters with different movement, attacks, specials, and builds, although some wished the roster or party size were larger.
How is Absolum on Steam Deck or Switch?
Steam Deck impressions are strong, with smooth 60 FPS and good handheld play. Switch coverage is positive overall, but one review mentions occasional drops on Switch 1.
Consider This Instead
If you want better endgame content
Choose Hollow Knight: Silksong. It scores 4.8 vs 2.1 for endgame content, with a 4.2 overall score.
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Best for a stylish, emotional RPG with deep timed combat and exceptional music. Skip it if tight parry timing, weak maps, or awkward platforming would frustrate you.
Pros: world-building, crash stability
Cons: platforming precision, map and navigation design
