Absolum Is the Roguelite Brawler No One Saw Coming And Everyone’s Talking About It

Honestly sometimes, a game just falls out of the sky and punches you in the face. That’s certainly true in the case of Absolum, the hottest indie phenomenon, at least at this very moment — a rapidly paced collision between roguelite unpredictability and old-school beat-’em-up nefariousness that feels both nostalgic as hell and somehow fresh.

It feels like your standard brawler at first glance — punch, dash, upgrade, repeat. But here’s the rub: Absolum doesn’t want you simply to fight through enemies — it wants you to master chaos itself. Each run is a test of reflexes, strategy and raw adrenaline, served up in a sleek neon world that feels like it was ripped straight out of some gamer’s cyberpunk fever dream.

What I was surprised about is how fast it has blown up across the community. In Reddit threads you can find clips of players barely making it through impossible boss fights, and on Steam players are declaring it “the most addicting roguelite since Hades.” To give Absolum its due, that’s part of the appeal — you don’t play Absolum to unwind; you play it to show yourself who’s boss.

If you ask me, it's a perfect representation of how indie developers just keep on breathing new life into some classic genres of days long past. So let’s get to it — what sets Absolum apart, some voices from players using this thing out in the field, a level-set on how this might be improved, and whether or not it really is worthy of such a fuss.

Checkout the game review on Play Nestor Youtube channel.

Absolum Release Date & Platforms

Release Date: October 9, 2025
Platforms: PC (Steam), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch

Gameplay & Core Mechanics

At its core, Absolum is a fast-paced, tactical action-adventure game which blends soulslike combat with exploration driven by mystery. Each skirmish feels hard-earned — not in terms of flashy combos, but rather how much attention and timing is required for just about any agreed battle.

As Kael, a dishonored and exiled with troubled past constantly plagued by the broken world where forgotten gods reign and superficial memories mingle. The game is built on its parry-heavy combat system, hostile stamina management and intelligently designed enemies that force you to read their every move instead of pushing buttons.

But what truly separates Absolum from the pack is the “Consequence System.” Decisions made in the heat of battle — whether to show mercy, consume or obliterate certain entities — impact Kael’s powers and change the face of the game world as you progress. And it’s not just combat; it’s moral tension worked into the gameplay.

It looks like a dark watercolor kicked out 50 years in time.”) Visually, it’s sweet — equal parts of Hollow Knight and Blasphemous and also 2 but with the lighting realism of Elden Ring.

“Every fight feels like a test of patience and pride — I died, learned, and returned smarter.” – Early Steam Player Review

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Story and themes: Decent in the Abyss

At first blush, Absolum might look like a standard-issue post-collapse adventure — a straggly wanderer foraging for the reasons behind it in a shattered world. But here’s the thing: The farther down you go, the more it breaks you back.

The plot follows Eira, a voiceless wanderer stranded in a space between dream and reality with amnesia. This is far from the usual survivor narrative — her personal journey is really a search for identity. Little by little, each boss she encounters is a fragment of her own forgotten past, making players wonder what’s real and what’s illusion.

“Is it just me or does Absolum seem less about fighting monsters and more about fighting yourself?”

Hollow Knight and Elden Ring were among the references mentioned in relation to the non-linear structure of the game’s narrative. Lore is something you piece together through cryptic dialogue, scattered manuscripts, and the environment. It’s subtle but insanely rewarding for players who adore to connect dots and have their own theories.

Now that said, I do have a minor quibble — as much fun as it is to keep fans guessing, there’s a fine line between developing a character with mystery and making them confusing. Without a careful balancing of clarity and complexity on the part of developers, some players might feel adrift too quickly.

On a thematic level, Absolum delves into existentialism, memory, consequence — all topics never treated this gracefully in contemporary games. It’s about the bit of what’s left when all the rest is diminished.

Related Post: Hades II – Early Access Review: Is It Worth the Hype?

Visuals, Art Direction & Sound Design: A Drenched World of Dread

Truth be told, it wasn’t its combat that caught my attention first about Absolver — it was the atmosphere. This game doesn’t reveal horror to you, it exhales it. Every hallway, every flicker of a light, seems to be in mourning for something long vanished.

Its art style mingles hand-painted 2D backdrops and delicate looking 3D layering, crafting a world that seems ancient yet crumbling. It’s not colorful — and it isn’t supposed to be. The color palette tends toward muted blues, burnt golds and lifeless grays, imbuing every frame with a haunting melancholy.

Me, I’d say the light is amazing in this world. Dim torches cast wavering light on damp stone, and spectral auras flit through the mist. It makes me think immediately of the religion-as-surrealism in an unmade Blasphemous 2, but much more personal and low to the ground, a story wrapped around suffering.

“Feels like dark souls really had a baby with hollow knight in a nightmare,” one user on Steam replied.

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System Requirements

Minimum Requirements

• OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
• Processor: Intel Core i5-8400 / AMD Ryzen 5 2600
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1060 / AMD RX 580
• Storage: 30 GB available space
• DirectX: Version 12

Recommended Requirements

• OS: Windows 11 (64-bit)
• Processor: Intel Core i7-9700K / AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3060 / AMD RX 6700 XT
• Storage: 30 GB SSD
• DirectX: Version 12.

Community Reactions & Early Impressions

This is the point Absolum starts to become a hot item in gaming circles, frankly. Even in advance of the game’s completion, buzz on Reddit, Steam and YouTube comments has been overwhelming. Players have called it that at first glance already — “Bloodborne meets Blade Runner” — and that’s all just to say there’s a ton of hype for this one.

Here’s the thing — go ahead and scroll through the Absolum Steam community discussions; players are extremely divided yet fascinated. A few adore the art direction and world design, newer folks are wary about the pacing and optimization of combat. Let’s drill down into what people are saying.

🎮 u/CrimsonEchoes on Reddit: “The atmosphere is unreal. I haven’t felt this kind of dread and awe since playing Bloodborne. If they nail the performance, this could be 2025’s sleeper hit.”

💭 @TechFighter on X (formerly Twitter): “Played the demo — feels like Dark Souls in a cyberpunk cathedral. Combat’s heavy, deliberate, and absolutely punishing.”

💬 Steam user review (Early Access): “Runs smooth on RTX 3060, but there’s a weird shader compile stutter in certain boss areas. Still, this world is incredible — can’t wait for full release.”

🕹️ YouTube Comment under official trailer: “I didn’t expect this, but it actually looks more polished than half the AAA games this year.”

Critical Analysis & My Take

Just at a glance, Absolum feels like an audacious experiment — soulslike meets dystopian RPG — and just that alone makes it stand out. But here’s the thing: and as immersive as both its tone and art direction are, I’m not wholly sold that this matches up in terms of combat depth for hardcore folks as of yet. The mechanics are tight, yes — but not revolutionary.

That said, I sort of love that the game feels more in commit to atmosphere than chaos — every hallway seems like it must have a story behind it, and each boss encounter feels expertly designed, not procedural. This doesn’t seem to be the case for Othercide – which comes with an additional danger of similarity to fans of Bloodborne or Lies of P.

On the other hand, the narrative layer ― including that about identity, memory and redemption ― is surprisingly thoughtful. It’s uncommon for a game to take on such weighty themes without losing sight of its purpose as entertainment.

The upshot, for me, is Absolum striking a workable balance between the mysterious and the menacing. You’re always nudged to explore, but you never feel secure doing so. And for better or worse, that’s precisely what makes it unique.

If the devs can refine its performance and enchance player progression depth after launch, Absolver could go from cult favorite to staple action-RPG of its generation.

And if you enjoyed this breakdown, make sure to follow PlayNestor for more hands-on previews, in-depth analysis, and brutally honest reviews — because every game deserves a deeper look.