Absolum turns the beat ’em up into a roguelite with heart—can Dotemu pull it off again?

Beat ’em up vets go roguelite-this grabbed my attention fast

When the folks behind Streets of Rage 4 and TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge say they’re “modernizing” a beat ’em up, I listen. Absolum is Dotemu, Guard Crush Games, and animation studio Supamonks swinging at a trickier pitch: a run-based, progression-driven brawler with actual narrative stakes. It’s out Oct. 9 on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4 with solo and two-player local/online co-op. The new trailer isn’t just sizzle-it shows guard breaks, super attacks, elemental buffs, branching paths, and a proper meta layer. The question is whether that roguelite spine amplifies the brawling or muddies it.

Key takeaways

• Run-based structure plus meta progression could give the genre long legs-if grind doesn’t overshadow skill.
• Four distinct fighters (Galandra, Karl, Cider, Brome) hint at real build diversity and co-op synergy.
• Branching, handcrafted stages over pure randomization sounds like the right balance for readability and mastery.
• Stacked soundtrack (Gareth Coker with Mick Gordon, Yuka Kitamura, Motoi Sakuraba) suggests serious production values.

Breaking down the announcement

The trailer spotlights four playable heroes with genuinely different playstyles: Galandra (the agile, sword-forward duelist), Karl (a shielded dwarf tank), Cider (stealth-flavored rogue), and Brome (magic-focused caster). That’s already more identity than a lot of brawlers manage. You’re timing guard breaks, baiting advances for high-damage supers, and layering elemental buffs to tailor a run. Shops at inns offer treasure and recovery between scuffles, which immediately gave me D&D: Chronicles of Mystara vibes in a good way.

It’s not just a combat sandbox. Absolum leans on a fantasy tale about resisting a magical tyrant—Sun King Azra—and even teases “cheating Death.” If that’s a mechanic (second chances, persistence after failure), it could be the glue that holds the roguelite loop together. Runs branch into new biomes—the trailer shows a lush, dangerous valley populated by gnoll-like raiders and capped with a “run-ending” boss. Crucially, the team says stages are handcrafted. That’s the sweet spot for brawlers: consistent readability, but with enough variation and pathing to keep you learning.

Why this matters now

Beat ’em ups have been on a hot streak, but the format can burn out fast without a strong progression loop. Streets of Rage 4 nailed feel and combo expression; TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge delivered joyous pick-up-and-play co-op. Absolum aims to sustain that initial thrill run after run, closer to how Hades made repeated attempts feel meaningful. That’s a big swing for a genre that traditionally resets you at the continue screen.

Run-based brawling also unlocks co-op synergy. Picture this: your buddy tanks as Karl, stacking shock buffs to stun-lock elites, while you run Galandra with bleed or frost to shred armor and build meter for a screen-clearing super. If Absolum lets players discover complementary builds organically—rather than drip-feeding power behind grindy unlocks—it could become a go-to “one more run” co-op staple.

The real questions players should ask

All that promise comes with caveats. Meta progression in action games can be a tightrope. Done right, it expands options without trivializing early-game skill. Done wrong, you spend hours grinding to make your basic kit feel whole. The pitch here is “unlock items, quests and permanent warrior upgrades” while keeping approachability. I want to see how quickly each character feels complete and whether shops and buffs meaningfully change a run or just add small percentage bumps.

Online co-op is another watch item. Dotemu’s recent brawlers got the core feel right and online mostly solid, but launch-week stability can make or break a co-op roguelite where failed runs sting. Two-player keeps the scope focused—smart—but we’ll need to see how netcode handles tight guard-break timing and supers syncing in busy scenes.

Finally, the narrative pitch is ambitious for a beat ’em up. Supamonks’ animation pedigree suggests stylish cutscenes and expressive character work, and the theme of toppling a magical autocrat fits the genre’s punch-through-fascism spirit. But story in a run-based structure needs careful pacing. If the best lore is gated behind rare branches or late-run bosses, casual players may miss the good stuff.

What’s genuinely exciting

Guard Crush’s combat direction is usually razor-sharp, and you can feel it here: readable tells, punish windows, and the satisfying thunk of a well-timed counter. The branching map design hints at targeted exploration rather than procedural mush, and the character identities are clear enough to sustain multiple playthroughs. Add a soundtrack lineup that ranges from melodic sweep (Coker) to teeth-rattling intensity (Gordon) and prog-fantasy flair (Sakuraba) with moody edge (Kitamura), and Absolum is positioned to sound as good as it feels.

Also worth noting: no mention of battle passes or cosmetic drip-feeds. If Absolum ships as a complete experience with optional depth rather than live-service chores, that alone will earn goodwill in a crowded fall calendar.

Looking ahead

Absolum’s pitch isn’t revolutionary, but it’s smart: take the tactile brilliance of modern brawlers and graft on a roguelite loop built around character identity, co-op chemistry, and handcrafted routes. If the team resists grindy meta traps and nails online stability, this could be the brawler I keep installed for months, not a weekend nostalgia hit.

TL;DR

Absolum blends tight, Streets of Rage 4-style combat with a Hades-flavored run structure and four distinct heroes built for co-op synergy. I’m optimistic about the combat and presentation, cautiously watching meta progression and online stability. If those land, Oct. 9 just picked up a must-try brawler.