Absolum

 PC
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 52 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 52
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 52
  3. Negative: 0 out of 52
  1. IGN
    Oct 9, 2025
    70
    Absolum is an excellent beat ‘em up let down by a roguelite structure that doesn’t serve it. I hate being limited by numbers instead of skill in action games, and in the early hours here, it feels like you’re a slave to them. Once you get to the point where each run has you making substantial progress and the story picks up, Absolum is very compelling. But it took me a long time to get there. Gorgeous artwork, an excellent soundtrack, and smart combat spread out among several distinct characters do a lot to carry it, but they can’t fix the feeling of dread when I died, again, and realized that I would have to do some variation of the same exact thing once more. I’m not against failure; I just wish there was more variety to it, and Absolum doesn’t find that until a good way into its runtime. That it manages to emerge as an exciting beat ‘em up in spite of that is a testament to the skill and work of its developers. But it would be a lot better if it just got on with it. Unlike Absolum’s heroes, I’ve only got one life to live.
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  1. 3DJuegos
    Oct 14, 2025
    There are games you shouldn't miss, games that strive so hard to evolve ideas and genres that, to understand everything that comes after, you have to go back to them. Absolum is one of them. [Recommended]
  2. Kotaku
    Oct 9, 2025
    I’m still chipping away at runs and cracking the foundations of Absolum’s world, but my short few hours or so with it have been more than enough to keep me banging my head against its stone gates. It is one of the most rewarding spins on both the beat-em-up and roguelike genres I’ve played all year. [Impressions]
  3. Polygon
    Oct 9, 2025
    The tiresome progression doesn’t wipe away the core thrill of Absolum. I eventually tuned all the shiny bits out as I hyper-focused on becoming a beast with Brome. I learned every combo, figuring out how to most efficiently chain together my tongue lashes and staff hits. Some of my proudest moments weren’t late in runs where I was loaded with powerful upgrades, but in the early moments where I had almost nothing. It was just me stitching together 100-hit combos or melting down a boss’ health bar by confidently pressing my attack. That skill could only bring me so far as I waited for more perks to unlock, a small betrayal of the genre, but I know that I would have kept playing with or without them. It’s not like I beat any of my favorite arcade brawlers as a kid either. Sometimes defeating a game isn’t the ultimate goal; there’s just as much pleasure in the sparring sessions.