Summary
- Dotemu has been at the centre of the beat ’em up revival over the past few years.
- With its new game Absolum, the publisher is taking a step back from licensed games with a brand new world.
- That world is basically the combination of Hades, D&D, and Shredder’s Revenge, and it’s as awesome as it sounds.
Over the past few years, beat ‘em ups have experienced a bit of a renaissance. While the genre was once a cornerstone of gaming due to its simplicity and popularity in arcades, its relevance simmered as games aimed for new dimensions and depths.
Throughout most of the 2000s, beat ‘em ups were a rare novelty and usually tied to cheap licensed releases. There were some true standouts like Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and Castle Crashers but, for the most part, punching, kicking, and brawling were left to the big dogs in the 3D action genre.
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Those dark times have got a lot brighter thanks in no small part to publisher Dotemu, which showed just how much life was left in the genre with 2020’s excellent Streets of Rage 4 before reaching even greater heights with the nearly perfect TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, which even managed to one-up the former top dog it was inspired by – Turtles in Time.
Dotemu setting the bar so astronomically high with its string of 2D brawler successes does raise a big question, though – where can beat ’em ups possibly go next? I wasn’t expecting the answer to come from the same publisher who already perfected the genre, but that’s exactly the case with its new game Absolum, which surprised me so much that it rocketed straight to the top of my most anticipated games of 2025.
Streets Of Rage Meets D&D
Despite going into my preview expecting to fall for another pixel-art brawler based on a beloved series, that wasn’t the case. Absolum’s first big swing is that it takes place in Dotemu’s only wholly original IP to date. That world, Talamh, is a gorgeous medieval fantasy land reminiscent of Dungeons & Dragons, brought to life with hand-drawn visuals from Supamonks which give it a distinct look that’s a far cry from other brawlers.
Beyond moving away from a retro arcade design, Absolum’s is unique from other brawlers thanks to its heavier emphasis on storytelling and world-building. My preview kicked off as two of the four playable rebels set out on a cinematic journey to rescue a mystical figure known as “the mother” who gives them the power to cheat death. More on that in a second, but I bet you can figure out where that’s going.
During my nearly two hours of playtime, I was surprised at just how much dialogue and lore there was to be discovered in the stages I visited. Galandra, the dark elf warrior, and Karl the gun-wielding dwarf, both have deeper backstories than I imagined. From what I played, the story isn’t the most original fantasy story out there or anything, but it’s one I’m interested to see more of.
The full game includes two more playable characters who we got a glimpse of in the reveal trailer. One appears to be a rogue-y assassin, while the other is a frog wizard who is already my best friend.
Rogue ‘Em Up Royalty
That bigger emphasis on telling a story feeds directly into Absolum’s unique approach to beat ‘em ups – its surprise roguelite structure that sees the narrative evolve on each new run. Roguelites are everywhere lately, so I wouldn’t blame you for rolling your eyes like I did the first time I respawned at a hub world, but Absolum’s melding of the two genres works so perfectly that I can’t believe it’s not been done this way before.
If you’ve played Hades or any other roguelite, you’ll know how the loop goes – start in a hub world, go on a run with a new selection of buffs, die, upgrade yourself, and then do it all over again. Absolum takes that proven formula and expands on it in a big way by having a massive map filled with different routes to discover, each with its own enemies, special events, and discoveries.
You’ll also unlock side quests on certain runs and discover new things that can later open up brand-new routes with different enemies and locations to explore.
On my first run, I explored the beach as the sword-wielding Galandra, slicing through hermit crabs and dogs before being destroyed by one of the area’s stronger bosses. On my second go, I swapped to Karl and discovered a secret path through a cave that introduced me to a bunch of killer mushrooms. I defeated them easily with my new upgrades just before a big troll smashed me to bits and set off the infamous social life-threatening roguelike itch I know all too well.
One of my later attempts included a trip through the forest and numerous fights against tricky goblins who laid traps in the leaves. That particularly rough route included a battle on a moving raft against what felt like a never-ending supply of the cheeky green buggers. Even with nearly two hours in one of the game’s regions, it felt like I’d barely scratched the surface of all there was to find, a rarity for beat ’em ups.
Perhaps the best moment in my preview is when I took part in a castle siege with a bunch of bandits. I didn’t last long, but it was great to discover such an interesting moment during one of my many attempts to reach the area’s final boss.
A Bold Step For Beat ‘Em Ups
By having such a varied map full of surprises, Absolum not only makes the world feel like much more than set dressing, but it also tackles the big problem of beat ‘em ups – replay value. While hardcore fans have gone through Shredder’s Revenge a million times over, most casual players will be one and done with it. That couldn’t be further from the case with Absolum, which makes it feel like the next big thing for the genre.
Outside of the roguelite influences, Absolum plays pretty much how you’d expect from a Dotemu beat ‘em up, which is to say it’s bloody fantastic thanks to impactful hits and plenty of juggling potential. The core combat, which is put together by Streets of Rage 4 developer Guard Crush Games, is comparable to Shredder’s Revenge thanks to its emphasis on speed, dodging, and movement, but there’s also a parry move that feels fantastic to pull off and adds a distinct flavour to the fighting mechanics.
Karl and Galandra both have unique movesets with different combos, equippable ultimate attacks, and more, which makes them feel distinct from one another. I can’t wait to see what the other two characters can do.
It seems strange to almost handwave the best-in-class beat ‘em up action, but that was exactly what I was expecting when I went in. What I wasn’t expecting is one of the most interesting roguelites I’ve played in years all thanks to how it melds together two genres that I would have never dreamed would be such a match.
My time with Absolum was nowhere near enough to satisfy my desire to explore its world and master its combat, but it did fill me with confidence that it’s going to be one of 2025’s biggest indies to look out for. Hades 2, you better watch out, there’s a new roguelike ready to take all of my time this year.
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