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Full Steam announcements and update articles for this title.
We are delighted to present you with our creators' work on Absolum, a game with recognized gameplay depth.
Discover in these Game Camp 2026 conferences (French language) how the game was designed through discussions on UI/UX, game and level design as well as roguelike game mechanics.
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
We know our Rebels have been waiting and we’re beyond excited to let you know that you can fight for the future of Talamh together - right now - as full cross-platform multiplayer launches for Absolum, today!
It’s taken us a little while to get here, and we know you’ve been fighting alongside us as we prepared in the background. As a co-op multiplayer Beat ‘em Up, there’s a lot which goes into the background, and with Xbox Rebels joining the fight recently, our master code-crafters at Guard Crush have brought it all together, to bring you all together.
The fires of rebellion burn on all fronts, and we heard your calls. While cross-platform play has been on the way since launch, we’ve been polishing and tweaking, and making sure we could bring all platforms together.
And so, as of today, Rebels on Steam can now play with comrades on all platforms - including Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch!
Join the fight now, team up with Rebels on every platform, and show us your favourite co-op moments! Whether you’re on Reddit, Instagram, X (Twitter) or in the Dotemu Discord, we’d love to see how you use cross-platform multiplayer to stand up to the tyranny of the Sun King, Azra.
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
Well met, Rebels!
We’re proud to bring you around the campfire today with the incredible news that our resistance movement has secured 2 victories in the Pégases Game Awards for 2026!
Absolum was nominated for five awards in the Pégases celebrations this year, including Best Video Game, Best Game Design, Best Indie Game, Best Artistic Design and Best Audio. While you were taking the fight to Azra’s tyranny, we’re thrilled to let you know Absolum has won in multiple categories!
As a small team, we’re beyond excited to let you know that our rebellion has managed to fight off fierce competition to win the Best Indie Game award - something which is very close to our hearts. Indie titles live and die through their community, and we couldn’t be happier with our incredible army of Rebels taking up arms to fight for the cause. Your support has been vital in navigating our way to picking up this award and we can’t thank you enough.
Best Game Design is another incredible award to be nominated for, and we’re thrilled to have triumphed in a tightly packed battlefield. There were so many outstanding titles in the Game Design category, and we’re so proud to have made the top of the list to bring the award home in our first original IP.
It’s been an incredible awards show, and we’re so proud to have won 2 incredible awards for Best Indie Game and Best Game Design.
These are all dedicated to our incredible team, and our incredible Rebels - all of you who joined the cause to fight for the future of Talamh.
Thank you.
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
Our 1.1 update - Threads of Fate - is live NOW. Once again, we’re calling on our incredible army of Rebels to return to the fight, tame Talamh, and defeat the Crimson Order! The beacons are lit - shall you answer?
Threads of Fate brings four exciting new features for our rebellion:
All-new Mystic Ordeal challenges - Rebels can now work with Maugis to add new modifiers to your run. Change how the fight goes, and go up against various pre-set ordeals such as Boss Run, Horde Mode, Multiplayer Trials, and more! Too easy? We know our Rebels like a challenge. If that sounds too easy, you can also create your own Mystic Ordeals and share these with friends and the wider rebellion!
A twist in the tale with Corrupted Biomes - We’ve upgraded the Rifts system to deliver Corrupted Biomes, random areas which will be visible at the start of each run. Attack them to upgrade your challenge and attain improved rewards, or avoid them and stick to the safety of the known.
New ways to colour your adventure - with new skins and emote options for each of our four Rebel Heroes
Upgraded mounts - bringing new, improved abilities and harder-hitting punishment against the hordes of the Crimson Order
We’re counting on you to once again step up and show Azra that Talamh will not be ruled by the fist of tyranny! We’re also counting on you to join us on Discord, Reddit, and the various communities, to let us know your feedback on Threads of Fate and report any issues you may find.
In addition, we’re looking to tempt new members into our Rebellion! We’re happy to let you know that Absolum will be dropping with its biggest discount yet!
From February 16th, for a limited time, we’re dropping a 25% discount on Absolum for new Rebels!
In addition to the new features we have for Rebels to play around with, we’ve got a huge number of bug fixes, tweaks, improvements, balancing, and optimisations. In our 1.1 Threads of Fate update, you’ll be able to find:
The all-new Mystic Ordeals
Maugis’ pre-set Mystic Ordeals added (run modifiers to add bespoke challenges)
Rebels can also create their own challenges
Corrupted Biomes added
Available after defeating Azra - visible at the start of each run
Replacing the previous Rifts system
Mystic Ordeals can increase or decrease the number of Corrupted Biomes
Rebels’ complete stats are now accessible from the Soul Tree
A new devilish ambush has been set up by the Goblins in the Forest
A new arena has been added to the Versus mode in the Hub
We’ve also added new Soul Tree rewards, which will be available after completing a Mystic Ordeal:
New emotes
A selection of Inspirations for run starts
Elite mounts
New Skins
The Chicken is no longer targetable by enemies
All attacks improved with a Ritual of Time should now correctly spawn a Past Echo
Some trinkets are now flagged as "unique" (only one allowed per character).
Fixed the display of "OverLife" value if the Ladle trinket is sold while having extra health
The “Jungle Ambush” event should now happen consistently if a player has the related Quest and reaches the dedicated region
Fixed an issue with Past Remnant scaling incorrectly with Time Mox
The movement speed buff given by Necromancers charmed with the Mirror trinket will now last for the correct duration
All of Uchawi’s greeting sentences should now be played correctly
The Twin Horror bosses now have a portrait
Fixed a bug affecting Azra’s fight music
Duplicated Throwables can no longer be picked up from the floor
Fixed a softlock happening during the first encounter with Vikhana in the Hub
Fixed a softlock happening during the Azra phase 2 transition in multiplayer
Mounts will now get fatigue correctly when hitting The Beast
Fixed an exploit allowing infinite overpressure
Fixed the portraits of enemies coming through corrupted rifts
Yeldrim’s destroyables should now correctly award loot
All companions should now follow the player who hired them
Thorn Finisher no longer procs on Multi-target Hits
The Goblin Champion in Mist Forest is now notably smarter in his pathing
Fixed a bug for which Dash could not be canceled with Jump
The Interloper now has a shadow
Tutorial Clutshrooms now correctly stop their attacks when they hit
Fixed a freeze that could happen when having the Bandit Queen as an ally
Crustacean enemies will now react correctly when their attacks are deflected
Lowered Mana gains from all sources
Lowered Cursed Luck’s Luck gain per HP lost ratio
Lucky Charm is now a Rare trinket
Zafari’s mission can now be completed on the first boat run
Tweaked Bone Armor’s scaling to make it stronger at the start
The Young Fan in the Arena now always awards an Epic Trinket
The Museum Lore system has been revamped with more informations
Horror companions can now be walked through like other summons
Proximity Sparks now despawn at the end of a fight
Lowered the chance of chests spawning on Ritual of Chaos procs
Getting a Spark of Power before Maugis introduces Ultimate moves will now award a throwable star. Shiny!
Thorn Dagger's base damage decreased
Splash Bubble size decreased
Cyclone jump now gives the possibility to jump cancel moves according to the ritual level – strikes at level 1, skills at level 2, and Arcana at level 3
Damage numbers can now be toggled on from the Options menu
Throwables can now be set to be thrown on Forward + Interact input to avoid wasting them on interactions by mistake
The player’s accrued Soul Tree bonuses can now be viewed from the Soul Tree menu
Added FX on some of Galandra’s Arcanas
Post-run map now hides the paths not visited
Updated UI for Versus mode
Added missing NPC portraits
Quest items will no longer appear in the inventory
Improved transparency of Tornadoes from the Ritual of Wind
Improved transparency of Brome’s Arcanas
Player indicators will now be hidden when emoting
Added a new introduction for Assist mode
The “hit” and “crit” symbols are now more distinguishable on ritual crystals
The Online shrine will give a visual cue when there are players looking for matchmaking
The Underking's track had its mixing updated and now slaps even more (Thanks, Mick!)
Brome
Ultimate clones can’t trigger Past Echoes anymore
Controlled Grab now works with rituals affecting throws
Decreased Drill Rush’s damage; raised its startup and recovery times
Projectile Dispel now spawns projectiles even when clashing into a non-projectile attack
Increased Sigil of Hate’s damage
Telekinesis now has a limit of 30 throwables at a time
Telekinesis throwables can now be destroyed, deal damage on rotation, and get picked up faster
Galandra
Sword Flurry’s third strike now does more damage and has less recovery
Impale now has an improved hitbox and travels further
Burial Smash is now more controllable and has less recovery time
Burial Smash now works with rituals affecting throws
Reaper Cyclone’s damage has been decreased
Missed Revenge Claw damage has been increased
Charged Sword’s damage has been increased
Charged Sword’s hitbox has been widened
Karl
Ultimate ability now deals more damage
Shrapnel Bullet now stuns more consistently
Hot Casings’ damage has been decreased
Javelin Bullet now sticks to walls longer
Dragonbreath Bullet now spawns fewer shells
Karl can now change direction while performing Dragonbreath Bullet
Cider
Ultimate ability now deals more damage
Rising Drill’s hitbox has been improved
Recycle will now award less mana per gadget
Duplicator now works with grenades
Grandery
Beach - The Spectral Dragon’s region is no longer guaranteed at each run
Beach - Defeating the Spectral Dragon now rewards a huge gold pack in addition to the classic end-level Ritual
Cave - The Mushtroll encounter is no longer guaranteed at each run
Cave - Replaced the Mushtroll’s Ritual reward with an Inspiration
Asterios
Marketplace - Ritual Shop in Asterios Marketplace now properly remembers what was selling when a player gets back to the main market square
Marketplace - Resurrection Token price lowered to 600 gold
Yeldrim
Darktown now looks way more lively.
Decreased the Underking’s life pool
Decreased all enemies’ life pool in multiplayer
Decreased the health of the Lizard King’s bubble
Ruzgar has now received an invitation to the ball at the Cultist Mansion
The Interloper’s hands can't be Elite anymore
Enemies that counter throws will do so more slowly
The Spectral Dragon now deals more damage
Alberich’s meteors now also cause pushback
Drones can now be grabbed
Decreased The Dead Guardians' damage and health
Gnolls will now taunt you during fights. Make sure to punish them accordingly.
Decaying Plants’ health has been decreased
Reduced the active frames on the Kretch’s smash attack
Dragons will now stand up faster after having been grounded
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
Hello Again Rebels! Welcome back to the resistance campfire as we’re keeping the flame of rebellion alive with Absolum nominated for FIVE Pégases Game Awards!
We cannot thank each and every Rebel enough for your support in keeping these fires burning. We’re so proud to be included here, and you Rebels have played a significant part in our journey! With winners drawing on March 5th this year, the Pégases Awards is a French celebration of the Video Games industry, with awards chosen by 3,000 in-industry judges!
We’re proud to have been nominated for:
Best Video Game
Best Indie Game
Best Artistic Design
Best Audio
Best Game Design
Even just being nominated is an incredible accomplishment, and we can’t wait for the show and the announcements on March 5th!
In the meantime, we’ll be dusting off our office record player to celebrate these incredible nominations with none other than the Absolum OST Vinyl! Our new official LP is out now, featuring tracks from the Absolum soundtrack composed by Gareth Coker, featuring Mick Gordon, Yuka Kitamura, Motoi Sakuraba, and Rachel Hardy!
The Absolum OST Vinyl is available now, and you can check it out on Kid Katana’s official site at:
https://kidkatana.com/shop/absolum-vinyl-edition
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
With a huge thank you to Rebel cells worldwide, we’re proud to celebrate our resistance reaching a stunning milestone of 500,000 Rebels! With each of you taking the fight to the tyrannical rule of the Sun King Azra, we literally couldn’t have done it without you!
To celebrate, we’ve got a date that you can join us to welcome the 1.1 Threads of Fate update to Talamh! You’ll be able to jump into new challenges, corrupted regions, upgraded mounts, and new customisation options as Threads of Fate hits PC and consoles on February 12th!
We know you’ve been waiting a little while, and we can’t wait for you to jump into an upgraded Talamh in February. We know you Rebels are also keen to hear about Cross Play functionality, and while it won’t be landing with 1.1, it is still something we’re working on and we’ll have more news coming soon.
With 500,000 of you Rebels on board, we can’t wait to see what you think of the Threads of Fate update. Your resistance journey in Talamh upgrades soon, including:
New Challenges - the new Mystic Ordeals add a little extra challenge for end-game Rebels. Select from pre-made challenges or design your own and share your challenge with the world.
An Evolving World - with corrupted biomes bringing stronger enemies and enhanced rewards for Rebels who face the challenge
Upgraded Mounts - bringing new, improved abilities and harder-hitting punishment against the hordes of the Crimson Order
Enhanced Customization - with new options for skins and emotes for all four of our Rebel heroes.
If you missed the news, read more about the 1.1 Threads of Fate update in our previous news.
We’ll see you again soon, Rebel!
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
Hail, once again, dearest rebellion fighters!
Since we first lit the fires of resistance in Talamh, we’ve been overwhelmed by the huge number of Rebels from all over the world who have come to join our cause. You have been instrumental in pushing back the hordes of the Crimson Order and weakening Azra’s tyrannical grip on the land. But, dear Rebels… The fight is not over yet. Absolum’s 1.1 update releases in Early 2026.
Our major rebellion update brings more than just tweaks and fixes. We’re bolstering Rebels with new functions, new content and more!
Our new Mystic Ordeals allow you to challenge yourself, as well as other Rebels around the world. After defeating the final foe (you know the one), Rebels will find new pre-set ordeals, delivering an additional layer of challenge on top of a regular playthrough.
In addition, as well as defeating increasingly difficult pre-made ordeals, you can customise your own challenge, and share your unique code with the world (we recommend using the Official Discord or the fan-made Sub-Reddit).
While you may have encountered randomised portals across your travels, these have now been absorbed by the very land of Talamh itself. Rebels will now face corrupted regions, visible within Maugis’ map. These new corrupted regions will contain stronger enemies, and will provide daring Rebels with greater rewards along your journey.
Choose your trail wisely to avoid or maximise these corrupted regions along your path. Rebels will also be able to alter the frequency of these corrupted lands through the new Mystic Ordeals - including corrupting the whole of the world should Rebels fancy the ultimate challenge (and an ultimate number of rewards).
Our new mount breeding programme has been incredibly successful, and we are happy to say that Rebels will also find new Elite mounts out in the world as well. Bigger, better, faster, stronger, and with new ways of dealing death to the Crimson Order.
Saddle up and get ready for the ride of your life! Elite mounts also come with upgraded attacks to help you power through the awaiting hordes. Find your new favourite not-quite-tameable best friend in the wilds of a region near you, coming soon!
We know that you rebels are always looking for new ways to get to know each other and communicate in game. Our new in-game emotes come with their own slice of style, and some of them even now come with their own unique voice lines, as well. Rebels can select their emote pack when choosing their hero at the campfire, to facilitate a little more communication among our Rebel cells.
In addition, you’ll also find each of our heroes now come with new skins which players can unlock through the sacred tree, or by completing challenges. Put a new stamp on your favourite hero with new designs available to unlock in game.
It’s been a little over a month since we first lit the beacon, and hundreds of thousands of Rebels have come to Talamh to answer our call for aid. We wanted to take a moment, once again, to thank you for joining our rebellion, and lending your skills, passion and personality to our resistance movement.
Whether you are chatting in our social spaces, sharing Absolum with your friends, leaving feedback and bug reports or just jumping in to show the Crimson Order that Talamh is protected - thank you.
May the Rituals be ever in your favour.
The Absolum Team @ Guard Crush, Supamonks, and Dotemu
Greetings Rebels!
As we celebrate our nomination for Best Independent Game at the Game Awards, we also wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who applauded Absolum’s creative blend of Roguelite and Beat’em Up. That is why we would be incredibly grateful if you took the time to nominate us in the “Most Innovative Gameplay” category at the Steam Awards!
You have until December 1st to cast your vote; we’re counting on you Rebels! The Absolum Team @ Guard Crush, Supamonks, and Dotemu
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
The great news keeps coming for our Resistance, and Absolum has been nominated for Best Independent Game at The Game Awards 2025! Another huge thank you to all of the Rebels who have joined our cause to make this possible - You can head to the official Game Awards website to vote, starting now.
We stand among some incredible titles, and it’s an honour to be listed among amazing experiences, including Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, BALL x PIT, Blue Prince, Hades II, and Hollow Knight: Silksong. Head out now and vote with your heart. Whichever way it goes, we’re proud to be included among such fantastic works, and we do appreciate each and every vote that you place for us among this worthy crowd.
Even better for anybody who’s not joined the rebellion quite yet. To celebrate our nominations at The Game Awards and the Indie Game Awards this year, we’ve launched a 15% discount available on Steam until November 24! If you’re still undecided, our Absolum Demo is still available on Steam, allowing you to get a little taste of our resistance.
A huge thank you to our community of Rebels and to the jury for selecting Absolum! We can’t wait to see you in Los Angeles on December 11th. Keep the fires of hope and rebellion burning, and may the rituals be ever in your favour!
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
Greetings Rebels new and old!
Firstly, thank you all for being here. Our resistance against the Sun King Azra would not be the same without you. Your feedback and support has been inspiring for our Rebel Leaders (the Guard Crushers), and we cannot thank you enough.
Our crusade against the Crimson Order continues today, as we deploy a set of fixes fresh from the campfire (some may call them “hot” fixes - you see):
We have fixed a soft-lock where Azra knocking companions off screen would hinder transitions
Fixed a soft-lock where counter-clashing Azra explosions would lead to an infinite clash loop
Fixed an issue where overpressuring would lead to infinite overpressure
We’ve stopped adding chamomile and lavender to the Chicken feed (and so they will now enrage as intended)
Fixed a transition issue in the Mowlai Village to prevent out-of-bounds issues
We’ve fixed the visual issue where save slots would not reach 100% (the issue here was just the display - no content was actually locked)
We’ve also given all companions a pep talk to boost their bravery - meaning they can no longer be dismissed by Morta Mima
We’ve also fixed an exploit centred around Brome’s ultimate and the Chaos Past Echo ritual
That’s all for today, but keep a weather eye on the horizon, Rebels! And, once again, please continue to give us your feedback for bug-fixes and your experience in Talamh in general. Your support for our Rebellion means more than you could know!
May the Rituals be ever in your favour, and the Root Sisters ever at your side!
The Absolum Team @ Guard Crush, Supamonks, and Dotemu
Hail, Rebels!
It’s not even been a week since you first lit the fires of resistance against our enemy Azra. Even with that, the whole team at Guard Crush, Supamonks and Dotemu would like to send you a rebellion-sized thank you for your incredible reception for Absolum.
You may have noticed, but we’ve been watching your streams, reading your reviews, lurking in the Discord and scouting online articles from the press and beyond. We’re so honoured that the love and work put into the game has been reflected in the scores, feedback and sentiment from Rebels worldwide.
We also wanted to take a moment to send an extra thank you to every person who worked on the game, and every Rebel out there who took time to jump into Talamh and send us their feedback; Absolum would not be what it is today without your efforts.
BUT - we’re not resting on our laurels. Buoyed by your shouts from the resistance barricades, the team are already actively working on a new content patch, and thinking about the future of Talamh and Absolum in the months (and years) to come.
With you all being trusted members of our Resistance, we know we can trust you to keep a secret. So, here’s the tiniest glimpse of what we’re preparing.
Besides this, of course, we’re also hard at work on hotfixes to address the most significant issues reported - and thank you again for taking the time to let us know. We’ll be back with an update on these soon, as well as our new content patch, so watch for the signal from our Rebel leaders over on the horizons of Steam, X (Twitter), Discord, Bluesky and beyond!
Thank you, once more, Rebels. Your support means more than you know.
May the Rituals be ever in your favour.
The Absolum Team @ Guard Crush, Supamonks and Dotemu
It has been a week since we first lit the fires of resistance in Talamh, and today we celebrate as within this week our now critically-acclaimed rebellion has officially passed 200,000 members. We are beyond proud to see the swelling number of rebels taking the fight to Azra on PC, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch, and the whole team would like to pass you their sincere thanks.
What’s more, we’ve been listening to the chatter among our loyal rebels, and your feedback is already making a difference to the world of Talamh! We’ve been thrilled to see such an incredible response coming in from rebels all around the globe, along with the enthusiastic press accolades we want to share with you today: WATCH THE ACCOLADES TRAILER NOW!
Please keep your feedback coming! Your positive and constructive observations help to shape our world and what’s to come next for Absolum. Whether it’s over on Our Official Discord or on the fan-built and quickly-growing Subreddit, it makes a genuine difference.
May the Rituals be ever in your favour.
The Absolum Team @ Guard Crush, Supamonks, and Dotemu
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
Fixed several stability issues around Lizard King and Sun King boss fights
Still some crash/softlock remaining around Sun King Azra, we're aware and are actively working on fixing them!
Fixed an unusual online issue where a desync could lead to save data being overwritten - as a side effect, desync should also happen less often from now on
For players having lost their progress, you can use the following workaround: The game generates a once-a-day save backup named .savebackup.bin at the same place the savefiles are, in %LOCALAPPDATA%/Local/WOF Save and Config (Steam), if a player reports losing their progress there's always a chance for them to recoup by renaming this file and overwriting any existing save.bin file with this backup file
Fixed an issue around the Infinity Mirror trinket involving wayyyy too many gnolls
Fixed an issue where fully unlocking the game content showed less than 100% completion in the save slot
Partial fix for the progress reporting as 94% instead of 100%, will be fixed completely in the next hotfix
Rebels, your time has come – Absolum is now AVAILABLE!
WATCH THE LAUNCH TRAILER NOW!
In the land of Talamh, magic is feared after a disastrous cataclysmic event, allowing the Sun King Azra to tighten his grip across the lands.
From the shadows, a band of rebels rises, aligned with mythical forces, to wield forbidden magic to shatter his tyranny.
Absolum features:
⚔️ Four Playable Fighters
Choose from four uniquely powerful warriors:
Galandra, the sword-clad fighter
Karl, the sturdy dwarf
Cider, the enigmatic fusion of human and construct
Brome, the magically gifted Mowlai (humanoid frog)
💥 Satisfying Beat ‘em Up Gameplay: Chain together rapid combos and spellcasting powers to unleash moves that feel as raw as they are strategic. Experience a combat system that demands skill and timing, encouraging you to craft new strategies in every run to successfully defeat enemy ranks.
🗺️ Rich Exploration: The lands of Talamh are an intricate tapestry brimming with secrets, stories and betrayals. Descend into the majestic mines of Grandery to the lush forests of Jaroba on the quest to revolt against the Sun King Azra.
🔓 Unlockable Advantages: Experiment with hard-hitting buffs during each run, such as elemental magic, and boost your stats with earned XP to gain new combat abilities and metaprogression, unlocking stellar alternate movesets for defeating bloodthirsty foes.
🎶 A Star-Studded Soundtrack: Each step of the journey is accompanied by a magnificent orchestral soundtrack by composer Gareth Coker (Ori series, Halo Infinite), including exquisite guest tracks from Yuka Kitamura (Dark Souls series, Elden Ring), Mick Gordon (Doom Eternal, Atomic Heart) and Motoi Sakuraba (Golden Sun, Dark Souls series)
🤝 Local & Online Co-op: Rally the rebellion and take down Sun King Azra’s tyrannical reign, whether you rise alone or join forces with a friend in couch co-op or online play.
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
Praise the Blessed Mothers, rebels.
The levels in Absolum have been lovingly hand-crafted by our talented team over several years. We’d like to take you behind the scenes and share the thought process behind some of the key level design choices we made during this process.
The world of Talamh is vast, with each region offering its own distinct color palette, identity, and atmosphere. We wanted to create an experience where every area feels unique, inviting players to explore and dive into a fresh chapter of their adventure. Our primary goal with level design is simple: to offer players a great journey.
Each region in Absolum introduces something new and exciting. Our design philosophy is to keep things interesting, surprising, and fresh. One of the best aspects of Absolum is how it balances different gameplay elements—combining intense combat, storytelling, exploration, and world-building in a way that keeps the player engaged. The rhythm between these phases is deliberately crafted to ensure that boredom never sets in.
For example, in Grandery, you might find yourself navigating a raft and battling goblins. In another part of the world, the ground could collapse beneath you, sending you into an entirely different environment! We’ve seen players get excited by moments like these, and we can’t wait for streamers to discover even more surprises along the way.
During development, showcasing the player’s choices was key. We wanted the crossroads in Absolum to feel natural and meaningful. Sometimes the decision is as simple as whether you want to go up or down. Other times, the choices are a bit more complex. But what matters most is that you, the player, are faced with interesting options. No UI is pushing you one way or the other (unless, of course, you check the map). Just like in any great RPG, a fork in the road isn’t just a visual cue—it’s a decision point. You may not always know which path is "right," and sometimes there’s no clear advantage to one over the other. But that uncertainty is part of the adventure!
We’ve learned that sometimes the interface or the objective can distract from the simple joy of a good old-fashioned crossroads moment. So we’ve intentionally kept it as natural and immersive as possible.
When you start a game, you’ll naturally go through multiple playthroughs, each run offering you a new experience. Our goal is to ensure that every run brings something fresh—even after 100+ sessions. For the first 100 runs, we want you to feel like you're discovering something new each time, whether it’s through different map layouts, quests, secrets, or bosses to face.
This is materialized through the map, but also through quests, things to unlock, secrets to find or bosses to defeat.
In level design, both quality and quantity matter. In a traditional beat ‘em up game, you learn each level one by one, aiming to master the most efficient way to progress. But in Absolum, we wanted every run to feel fresh and unpredictable. We’ve designed portions of the levels to have multiple variations, which are chosen at random. These variations are meticulously handcrafted to ensure your journey is always engaging and enjoyable.
At one point during development, we experimented with procedural generation. It was a popular trend in games, with the idea that each run should be totally unique. However, as we dug deeper into this approach, we realized that procedural generation requires an immense amount of content and can often lead to results that feel overly random and generic.
So, we decided to take a different path. Instead of relying on procedural generation, we opted for the more challenging—but ultimately more rewarding—task of handcrafting our levels. While the scenery may remain static, the combat encounters are meticulously designed, tested, and fine-tuned to make sure they’re always fun and rewarding. Our goal is for every new run to feel just as exciting as the first.
A special shoutout to our level designers—Thibaut, Hichame, Jordi, and Gauthier—for their hard work in bringing the world of Absolum to life.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse into our level design process. We’ve put a lot of love and effort into crafting these worlds and making sure each run is an adventure in its own right. We can’t wait for you to experience it yourself.
See you in Talamh,
The Absolum Team
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
Praise the Blessed Mothers, rebels.
In composing a track, what is the part that comes the most naturally to you? And what is the part you deem the most difficult?
YUKA KITAMURA: The part that comes most naturally to me is the overall image that forms as soon as I read the brief — the mood, the intro, the chorus, and the general flow all start to take shape in my mind.
What I find most challenging is striking the right balance between my own musical identity and the overall tone of the project, especially when working alongside other composers. I try to blend in with the world while still keeping a part of my voice present.
LISTEN TO YUKA KITAMURA'S SINGLE "MORTA MIMA" NOW!
The Silver Queen is one of the most tragic and mysterious bosses of the game. How did you approach composing a track for such a complex character and boss fight?
YUKA KITAMURA: When composing, I don’t just focus on the visual impression of a boss — I try to capture the complexity of their inner world, the emotions that can’t be seen. With the Silver Queen, I felt a deep joy in expressing her emotional journey — the kind of feelings that might have led her to stand against the player.
Rather than just a battle theme, I wanted the music to hint at her story, inviting the listener to imagine what brought her to this moment.
You have worked on many dark fantasy titles in your career. What do you feel are the main differences between the Japanese and the European approach to dark fantasy?
YUKA KITAMURA: I feel that Japanese and European dark fantasy each carry their own distinct sensibilities.
European works often explore large-scale fears rooted in mythology, religion, or fate — sometimes portraying the struggle against overwhelming external forces. In contrast, Japanese dark fantasy tends to focus more on the unseen — concepts like “on’nen” (grudges) or “kegare” (spiritual impurity), which quietly distort the world from within.
Personally, I resonate with this idea of unseen emotional weight, and I think it naturally influences how I approach expressing darkness in my music — not just as something loud or powerful, but as something deeply layered and quietly unsettling.
Your compositions are often praised for the sublime use of arcs, especially violins, and the Silver Queen makes no exception. Do you have a particular relationship with this instrument?
YUKA KITAMURA: The violin is probably the instrument I've been connected to the longest in my life. I feel it’s especially well-suited for expressing delicate, feminine emotions — both in terms of its range and its timbre.
For a character like the Silver Queen, who carries both grace and sorrow, the violin felt like the perfect fit. Its ability to express both softness and sharp intensity made it a natural choice to portray her inner world.
As Absolum is a whole new IP, what were the music influences and references you used to compose your track?
YUKA KITAMURA: For this track, I spent a lot of time listening to Gareth Coker’s music again. I was deeply inspired by the balance he creates between beauty, energy, and drama — his sound has a strong narrative presence.
According to your experiences, what makes a Boss Battle music memorable?
YUKA KITAMURA: I think what makes a boss theme memorable can vary from person to person. But for me, it's when the music feels truly connected to the character and their story — when it feels like it belongs only to them.
As a guest composer, do you find it hard to compose something that will both resonate with your own sound and the soundtrack crafted by Gareth Coker?
YUKA KITAMURA: I was first deeply moved by Gareth’s music through Ori and the Blind Forest, and I’ve listened to many of his works since then. So being invited to join a world where he is the central musical voice was both exciting and a little intimidating.
Through exchanging ideas and being part of the recording process, I gained a much clearer understanding of the elements that make up his sound — his delicate sense of structure, his emotional clarity — and the whole experience became a valuable learning opportunity for me.
Can you describe how the collaboration went with Gareth, and the recording process?
YUKA KITAMURA: We exchanged demos while aligning his musical direction with my own intentions for the track. Each round of feedback added new layers of depth, and the process was both challenging and creatively fulfilling.
During the recording sessions, we paid close attention to the nuances of the strings and vocals. Among many inspiring moments, I was especially impressed by Gareth’s brass work — the way he layers sounds and controls dynamics carries a unique beauty and tension that really stood out to me.
What is your usual approach on crafting the sound for a Boss Fight?
YUKA KITAMURA: When I begin working on a boss theme, I first think about what kind of impression I want the music to leave on the player. Then I start searching for a sound or texture that could represent the boss — something that captures their essence.
One of the things I often do before composing is creating a kind of “mind map.” I write down keywords related to the character — emotions, imagery, symbols — and connect them like a web. While expanding those ideas on paper, melodies or structural concepts often begin to take shape in my mind.
It's less about building music from the top down, and more about discovering the emotional and sonic landscape before it fully becomes sound.
I feel like the violin in most of your work echoes the often-tragic story of the Bosses, while the voices singing seem to emphasize the importance of the fight in the global story of the protagonist, but that’s just my own interpretation. What would be yours? Do you think of your music as a storytelling tool?
YUKA KITAMURA: The subtle tension and movement that arise when string melodies intertwine felt perfect for expressing aspects of the boss — her inner conflict or past — that may not be fully visible through gameplay alone.
Vocals, on the other hand, represent emotions that have built up inside her, resonating like thoughts or memories. They’re not spoken, but felt — as if her soul is reaching out through sound.
To me, music is a way to convey what cannot be put into words. I write with the hope of gently passing along the emotional undercurrents that lie beneath the surface of the story.
PRE-SAVE ON PLATFORMS & PRE-ODER ABSOLUM'S VINYL!
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
Praise the Blessed Mothers, rebels.
A little-known secret in the world of game development is the crucial role producers play in bringing a game to life. Many players may not realize how essential they are to ensuring a game’s excellence, so we want to take a moment to shine a spotlight on our producers and explain why they’re absolutely vital to our success! A huge thank you to Micke and Guillaume, our incredible producers at Dotemu, and to Matéo at Supamonks, who expertly handled the art production with dedication and care.
At its core, the producer’s job is all about coordination. For example, how do you create a new character for the game? Every step must be carried out in the right order. Here's a simplified breakdown of how studios typically approach this process:
Game Design – The initial concept for the character is written.
Concept Art – Visual designs are created.
Animations – The character’s movements are brought to life.
Code Integration – The character is implemented into the game.
Sound Design – Voices and sound effects are added.
Testing – Everything is tested to ensure it functions correctly.
In this process alone, at least six people from different disciplines are involved in the creation of a single character or enemy. The producer’s job is to ensure that each team member performs at their best and that the final result meets the highest standards of quality.
As a game designer, it’s critical to have the freedom to focus on your core expertise. If you’re bogged down with budget calculations, scouting freelance partners, or managing the sound list, you can’t devote the attention needed to your craft. This is where the producer steps in, taking care of all the side tasks so that the design team can stay focused on what they do best.
A great producer always keeps an eye on the future. They ensure that upcoming milestones (development checkpoints) are clearly defined and understood by everyone on the team.
Developing a game is a marathon, not a sprint, and these milestones help break the process into manageable stages. The whole team needs to know exactly what they need to do to hit each checkpoint and keep the game moving forward.
Absolum is a monumental project—packed with content and high expectations for quality from Dotemu. We aim for it to be a standout title in our long history of beat 'em up productions. That’s why we’ve carefully chosen only the best talent for the job: the best designers, the best programmers, the best artists, the best musicians, and the best project managers.
Managing a game with multiple studios involved presents its own set of challenges. Different work cultures, different visions, and different structures all need to be harmonized. Throughout this process, I’ve worked hard to inspire a sense of unity within the team. Whether it was through day-to-day collaboration or the use of management tools, we communicated openly, worked on Slack, and did our best to avoid becoming isolated or working in silos.
Supamonks played a crucial role in mastering the engine. They took a hands-on approach to learning how to implement and optimize the engine for the best possible animation sprites. Over time, they became almost fully independent in working with the engine for art production. Even our background artist, Manuel Tanon-Tchi, consistently amazed us by introducing new features that further elevated the game.
When it came to worldbuilding, narrative and art had to work together in perfect harmony. It was a truly collaborative, two-way process. Our artists brought their creative ideas to the table, which in turn inspired the writers to explore new character nuances and backstories. This exchange of ideas enriched the narrative and led to exciting new visual concepts that seamlessly integrated into the story. The result? A game world that feels alive and interconnected, where every detail serves a purpose.
Thank you for reading and see you next time for a new devlog!
The Absolum Team.
Dive into the latest Absolum gameplay trailer and get a deeper look at the action-packed world of Talamh — today’s trailer showcases Absolum’s dynamic combat system, stunning fantasy landscapes, and intricate character builds. With an innovative overhaul of classic beat ‘em up mechanics, Absolum introduces meta progression and combat customization, allowing players to experiment with unique abilities and buffs.
You’ll take control of four diverse heroes — the dwarf Karl, the agile skirmisher Galandra, the rogue Cider, and the powerful wizard Brome — each bringing their own skillset and motivations as they journey through a land filled with danger and cosmic horrors.
CHECK OUT THE TRAILER NOW!
Carefully time your attacks to break the guards of enemies, punish their advance with a devastating super power attack, and experiment with buffs like elemental magic to mix and match combat abilities to your liking. Treasures purchased at inns can also help recover from rough encounters or give you the upper hand for the battles ahead.
Trying a range of builds and shop items is key to reaching new areas in Absolum, including the land revealed through this trailer – a flourishing, verdant vista home to dangerous creatures like the nomadic canine humanoids known as Gnolls, and lorded over by a mighty, run-ending boss.
Explore branching pathways, uncover quests, and battle challenging bosses in a world brimming with adventure and lore. Unlock powerful upgrades and items, and build your own strategy to fight against the evil forces threatening Talamh.
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
Praise the Blessed Mothers, rebels.
Narrative design is at the heart of what makes Absolum so compelling, and we’ve made it our mission to tell a rich and immersive story, weaving intricate lore into our beat 'em up to bring Absolum’s world to life in new ways!
But how do we convey this world to you, the player? Who’s behind it all? Let’s take a closer look!
In Absolum, players will uncover the game’s rich narrative through a variety of sources. Whether it’s reading lore, listening to character dialogue, or simply interacting with the environment – every detail serves to immerse you deeper into the world.
Discovering Talamh
Every run you make in Absolum is an opportunity to uncover new aspects of the game’s lore. We’ve designed it so that at least something new would be revealed every time you play, at least during your first 50 runs.
As you explore, you'll uncover hidden paths, encounter new NPCs, and discover secret areas. Many of the game’s quests require you to progress across multiple runs, rewarding you for persistent exploration and curiosity. The narrative structure is designed to keep you moving forward, always offering something new, whether that’s delving deeper into known locations or discovering entirely new places and characters.
An Evolving World
The world of Absolum isn’t static, it reacts to your actions. We don’t want to give too much away about this, but know that your decisions will influence how the world evolves, shifting both the challenges you face and the opportunities available to you.
Safe Spots
Throughout the game, you’ll encounter safe spots to rest, hire mercenaries, or accept new quests. These safe spots are teeming with life, and you can talk to a variety of different characters there – every safe spot features its own custom art and layout!
Dialogues & Secrets
NPCs are more than just quest-givers—they hold intriguing insights into the world of Talamh. Some offer alternative perspectives on the ongoing conflict, while others might reveal quests tied to hidden storylines. Every character has a story, and if you dig deep enough, you’ll unlock secrets that give you exclusive rewards and new paths to explore.
2 players
In Absolum, even the dialogues change based on which character you’re playing in multiplayer. This adds an extra layer of depth, making the experience even more engaging when you team up with a friend.
The Challenges of Narrative Design
Creating a narrative that fits into a fast-paced beat ‘em up was no small feat. We wanted to balance intricate lore with the fast rhythm of the game. Dialogue had to be sharp and concise, providing value without slowing down the action. The result? Short but impactful exchanges that enhance the experience without bogging down the pacing. In Absolum, you can expect dialogue that’s just as quick and punchy as the combat itself.
Pacing & Player Progression
As you progress through the game, the story adapts to your journey. Whether you’ve played for 2 hours or 20, the narrative structure ensures that you always have access to essential information to understand the world and follow the plot. The Hub reflects your progress, and each decision shapes the unfolding story. This design ensures that both new players and veterans can enjoy the narrative at their own pace.
The immersive world of Absolum is the result of a long and complex process. Three different narrative designers worked on the game:
Matthew Ritter
Fanny Renard
Gautier Knittel
Each brought their unique vision and expertise to the project, shaping Absolum into the world you’re about to experience. We’d like to take this moment to thank them for their dedication in crafting such a compelling and living world.
Stay tuned for more insights into the world of Absolum in our upcoming devlogs. Until then, happy exploring!
Cheers,
The Absolum Team.
Your feedback is very valuable to us and for the game's future. So, please don't hesitate to share it with us on the Steam forums, our official Discord, or in a review!
We can't wait to hear your thoughts on Absolum✨
> Important note on Demo saves:
> This demo is a standalone experience. Your progress will not carry over to the full game, but we promise that the journey will be worth it.
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
Praise the Blessed Mothers, rebels.
The Absolum OST features an incredible lineup of composers, including Gareth Coker, Mick Gordon, Yuka Kitamura, and Motoi Sakuraba—a dream team that has come together to craft the perfect soundtrack for our game.
WATCH OUR COMPOSER DIARY!
At Dotemu, we’ve been fortunate to collaborate with one of the best partners in the industry: Kid Katana Records. For years now, they’ve been instrumental in helping bring our projects to life, handling everything from the distribution of physical OST editions to connecting us with incredible talent. You might already recognize their work from titles like Streets of Rage 4 and TMNT: Shredder's Revenge.
When we began developing Absolum, we knew we had to work with the best in the business. That’s where Tarafa and Rémy, the co-founders of KKR, came in. In their efforts in assembling the lineup for the Absolum OST, they truly have outdone themselves, bringing together legendary names like Gareth Coker (Ori, Halo Infinite, Prince of Persia), Yuka Kitamura (Dark Souls, Elden Ring), Mick Gordon (DOOM Eternal), and Motoi Sakuraba (Golden Sun, Tales of...).
Gareth Coker is our lead composer, and his role in shaping the overall sound of the game has been nothing short of essential. While we’re thrilled to have such extraordinary guest composers, it’s Gareth who has been the cornerstone of the entire score, ensuring that every note aligns perfectly with the world of Absolum.
Working with a composer of Gareth’s caliber can often lead to the temptation of reusing familiar themes, but with Absolum being our first original IP and a bold reinvention of the beat ‘em up genre, we were committed to creating something entirely fresh. Under Gareth’s guidance, we ventured into uncharted musical territory, using the score not just to enhance the visuals, but to truly elevate the experience of gameplay.
Let us introduce you to the dream team:
Gareth Coker is a British composer known for his evocative and emotional video game soundtracks. He gained widespread recognition for his work on Ori and the Blind Forest and its sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps. His compositions blend orchestral grandeur with delicate, atmospheric melodies, creating immersive musical experiences.
Yuka Kitamura is a Japanese composer, best known for her work on FromSoftware’s Dark Souls series, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring. Her compositions blend haunting orchestral arrangements with intense, dramatic themes that heighten the tension and atmosphere of the games.
Mick Gordon is an Australian composer known for his intense and dynamic video game soundtracks. He gained worldwide recognition for his work on DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal, where he fused heavy metal with electronic and industrial elements.
Motoi Sakuraba is a Japanese composer known for Star Ocean, Golden Sun and Dark Souls. His orchestral work has made JRPG history, going on to influence the entire video games industry.
Creating the music for Absolum presented a unique challenge. With our game’s structure, we needed to strike the right balance between escalating intensity during combat while having moments to breathe in between. It was a lengthy process of playtesting, refining gameplay rhythms, and matching the tempo of the music to ensure everything flowed seamlessly. What sets Gareth apart is his hands-on approach. For him, composing is more than just writing music—it’s about forging a deep connection with the game experience. He wasn’t just thinking about the visuals; he was focused on the feel of the gameplay, ensuring the music resonated with every aspect of the experience.
Gareth also understands the narrative power of music. He intentionally reintroduces key musical motifs at pivotal moments throughout the game, creating a sonic story that complements the gameplay and adds emotional depth to the journey.
So, how does the collaboration work? Here’s a closer look:
Gareth is the principal composer, crafting the majority of the soundtrack. He’s worked closely with our studio, ensuring that the music amplifies the atmosphere and emotional impact of each moment. Christophe Hogommat, the game’s sound designer, has been a crucial part of the process, collaborating with Gareth to ensure every sound and note is perfectly integrated into the game.
On the guest composer side, Sakuraba, Yuka, and Mick have each contributed unforgettable boss tracks, each layered with depth and intensity. Their music helps elevate those critical moments in the game—marking the dramatic shift in rhythm and reinforcing the epic nature of each boss fight. When these tracks hit, you’ll know it’s time for a legendary battle.
And of course, a huge thank you to our sound designer, Christophe Hogommat. From sound creation to mixing and mastering, Christophe has been integral in bringing Absolum’s sound to life. His meticulous work behind the scenes ensures that the game’s audio enhances every aspect of gameplay.
We can’t wait for you to hear how these compositions come together in the game, but in the meantime… you can go listen to Absolum’s first four singles available right now! (with more on the way!)
Cheers, The Absolum Team
PRE-SAVE ON PLATFORMS & PRE-ODER ABSOLUM'S VINYL!
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
Praise the Blessed Mothers, rebels.
Greetings, rebels!⚔️
The wait is almost over – Absolum is coming soon to Steam, and we’re thrilled to share the official pricing details with you!
Many of you were wondering about the price, so here it is: Absolum will be priced at $24.99 / 20,99£ at launch!
Keep in mind that the price varies from region to region.
Not sure whether Absolum is right for you? We’ve got you covered – try out the free demo and experience a taste of our Rogue ‘Em Up formula right now!
Absolum’s demo features:
⚔️ Three Playable Fighters
🔓 Unlockable Advantages
🗺️ Rich Exploration
💬 Rewarding Quests
💥 A Climatic Boss Fight
🤝 Co-op/multiplayer supported (strongly encouraged!)
Important note on Demo saves:
This demo is a standalone experience, so your progress will not carry over to the full game, but we promise the full journey will be worth it.
Already convinced and looking to grab a physical edition? We’ve partnered with Silver Lining to offer Standard and Special Editions of Absolum for PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. These physical editions will launch alongside the digital version on October 9th!
The Special Edition, available via Silver Lining Direct, includes the following content:
Four Exclusive Metal Pins – Featuring designs of Absolum's outcast heroes.
Full-Color Art Booklet – Packed with stunning illustrations and concept art straight from the developers.
Poster-Quality Artwork – A bold, high-quality print that brings Absolum's world to life.
Four Character Cards – Spotlighting the key characters from the game's world.
Collector's Box – A specially designed Special Edition collector's box.
Dive into the demo and let us know your feedback! Your thoughts are invaluable as we continue to shape Absolum's future. Share your feedback with us on the Steam forums, our official Discord, or in a Steam review.
We can't wait to hear your thoughts on Absolum✨
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, and TikTok!
Praise the Blessed Mothers, rebels.
Guard Crush Games and Dotemu have been partners for years, and we’re thrilled to continue working with them. Their contributions go far beyond simply programming the game. So, who exactly are they, and what role do they play in the development of Absolum?
Guard Crush Games is an independent game studio based in Montreal, renowned for their expertise in side-scrolling beat 'em up games. The studio was founded by a group of passionate developers with a deep love for classic arcade-style action games. They previously worked on Streets of Fury, a lesser-known but highly regarded beat 'em up featuring digitized character sprites.
Guard Crush is responsible for writing 100% of the code that powers Absolum. These talented programmers thrive on technical challenges, providing powerful editor tools and flexible code that’s perfect for game designers.
Their expertise extends beyond just coding. They play a crucial role in areas like UI design, game feel, and game inputs. Their contributions ensure that Absolum has a polished, responsive design that feels intuitive to players. Together with our designers, Guard Crush works hard to deliver the best gamepad experience possible, and we’re confident you’ll appreciate the effort.
They also know all there is to know about frames, identifying precisely what is required in order to offer the best combat experience, both in single-player and multiplayer modes. For example, latency can be a challenge: you want the game to feel smooth and responsive when playing with friends – something that several games struggle with!
Over the years Guard Crush has developed a powerful engine that is highly specialized in Beat ‘Em Ups, probably the best-performing engine in the genre.
In a world where many developers rely on Unity, this engine is a true gem. It allows us to push the boundaries of reactivity and intuitive game controls, something no competitor has access to. This is our secret weapon: the Guard Crush Games Engine.
For Absolum, Guard Crush had to design and build new tools to address the unique challenges of this beat 'em up, such as level verticality, precise hitboxes, and multiplayer synchronization. Some of these tools were carried over from previous games, and they will continue to be developed into the future! For instance, level design is crucial across all of our games, and the engine facilitates the process, enabling our level designers to tweak and alter every element to ensure the entire level is as compelling as possible.
A new challenge for Guard Crush with Absolum was integrating roguelike elements. Coding for a roguelite requires exposing and balancing many variables: move speed, HP, dash effects, etc. Roguelikes are organized chaos: you need to be able to combine everything!
Tracking quests and mission progress was another new addition for Guard Crush. We need to ensure that all your game progress is recorded and organized properly across saves. The quests need to be properly registered, followed and organized in order to make sure none of your progress is lost.
There’s a lot to say about this engine, but we want to keep a few secrets as well, hehe…
A huge thank you to all the talented coders at Guard Crush for their dedication and hard work!
Your feedback is very valuable to us and for the game's future. So, please don't hesitate to share it with us on the Steam forums, our official Discord, or in a review!
We can't wait to hear your thoughts on Absolum✨
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
Praise the Blessed Mothers, rebels.
Greetings, rebels! ⚔️
Today, we’re absolutely thrilled to reveal that Absolum will launch on October 9 – but that’s not all!
With the announcement of our release date, we’re delighted to introduce you to Brome, Absolum’s fourth playable character – he joins and completes Absolum’s playable cast!
WATCH OUR RELEASE DATE TRAILER!
Absolum’s release date trailer debuts Brome, a Mowlai (humanoid frog) and wizard prodigy on a mission to preserve the future generations of his people.
Marred by witnessing the devastation and enslavement of his people, Brome is torn between his species’ spiritual education and succumbing to rage from the injustice he’s witnessed – but he now leaves a life of fear and hiding behind, and joins Galandra, Karl, and Cider in their fight against the deadly Sun King and his Crimson Order!
Brome travels by levitation, using his staff for melee combos, ranged and AoE spellcasting, and – of course – hoverboard-style gliding.
Important note on Demo saves:
This demo is a standalone experience. Your progress will not carry over to the full game, but we promise that the journey will be worth it.
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
Praise the Blessed Mothers, rebels.
Our vibrant world would be nothing without its artists! Let’s meet them.
Supamonks is an animation studio based in Paris, France. They’ve delivered amazing artistic work, in collaboration with our game and narrative designers. They were brought into the project very early on, and helped build the foundations of what Absolum is today!
By producing all the art content throughout the game, they are absolutely vital to the production.
These are all the artists who have worked on Absolum (we hope we haven’t left anyone out!)
Art Direction by Supamonks
SUPAMONKS
CEO
Julien Bagnol Roy
Head of Studio
Annaelle Decaëns
Art Director
Maxime Mary
Main Producer
Matéo Boudras
Producer
Azouz Menguellat
Producer
Morgane Lemaire
Lead animator
Leonard Bismuth
Animator
Charles Badiller
Animator
Suzon Heron
Animator
Martin Hurmane
Animator
Audrey Guibert
Assistant animator
Julien Lin
Assistant animator
Lucille Rizzo
Assistant animator
Louise Boucher
Lead environment artist
Manuel Tanon Tchi
Environment artist
Leopold Gelbard
Lead effects animator
Pierre Malenfant
Effects animator
David Wegmann-Serin
SUPAMONKS - Additional Talent
Storyboard
Florent Remize
Motion design
Robin Desnoue
Environment support
Sebastien Iglesias
Environment support
Hugo Pablo Moreno
3D support
Thibault Magrit
3D support
Simon Reynaud
3D support
Kimico Baeyens
2D support
Mehdi Tebbakh
2D support
Florent Thailhades
Art Intern
Lauryne Grissin
Art Intern
Camille Bardaud
Thank you to all of them, it’s almost impossible to showcase the vast amount of artwork that has gone into making the game what it is today.
Maxime is our Art Director, everything goes through him.
He’s responsible for the game looking as good as it possibly can. Obviously, he’s also a super-talented artist. He has dedicated countless hours to creating sprites for the game.
One of Supamonks’ first tasks was character design, and working on how our heroes are presented to the players. This is a very important step for the animation: we want just the right attention to detail for a rational time spent in animation.
Animation is a tricky one. You want the game to feel fluid, but you also want to make it rationally doable. If the game is too heavy on fluidity, you risk spending an unfeasible amount of time on it. At the same time, Absolum wouldn’t be as fluid as it is without the impressive amount of frames that have been created! We are extremely grateful to Leonard and his team, who rose to the challenge and found the perfect balance.
Pierre is our main FX artist, responsible for making the design AND art of the game work perfectly together. We needed to have everyone work hand in hand to make sure the FX are placed, integrated and triggered correctly. This is extremely important, but also challenging to coordinate!
At Dotemu we have our own designer, Laurane, who also does a lot of work around the interfaces and icons produced for the game. She’s working hand in hand with both the programmer and the art director Maxime to make sure everything is consistent.
Working with an animation studio offers another great perk: it makes it that much easier to produce a truly epic trailer. We showcased it in March, and the response has been absolutely stunning: 30k wishlists in our first month! Thank you to Sebastien Iglesias for your work as trailer director on this.
Manuel is our main environment artist and, oh boy, nothing can prepare you for the incredible amount of environment art in Absolum!
One of the hardest things about the environment is polishing everything, because there’s just so much content. We’re quietly confident you’ll be more than impressed by how good and immersive the environments look.
We could spend countless hours speaking about the art of Absolum, but the best thing would be to just get the artbook we’re planning… hehe…
Anyways, that’s all for now, rebels -- but stay tuned, we'll be sharing more insights on Absolum's behind-the-scenes in the upcoming week!
and, to keep you waiting...
Your feedback is very valuable to us and for the game's future. So, please don't hesitate to share it with us on the Steam forums, our official Discord, or in a review!
We can't wait to hear your thoughts on Absolum✨
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, and on Discord!
Praise the Blessed Mothers, rebels.
Greetings, rebels!⚔️
We're glad to see that you've been enjoying your time in the lands of Talamh so far – it has been heartwarming to see your response to the game!
We also wanted to thank those of you who took the time to write detailed feedback about the demo; it has been of great help as we work towards the game's final version.
Today, we've come bearing great news!
For those who hadn’t the time to vanquish the Underking, experiment with different combos, unlock every advantage, or clear every optional quest yet, don’t worry – we’ve got you!
Even though the Steam Next Fest just ended, Absolum’s demo will remain available for a few weeks, leaving you additional time to roam the region of Grandery!
And for those of you who have already been convinced by the game...
We've partnered up with Silver Lining to provide you with physical Standard and Special editions of Absolum for PlayStation 5 and Switch, which will be releasing alongside the digital edition when it launches later in 2025!
The Special Edition, available via Silver Lining Direct, includes the following content:
Four Exclusive Metal Pins – Featuring designs of Absolum's outcast heroes.
Full-Color Art Booklet – Packed with stunning illustrations and concept art straight from the developers.
Poster-Quality Artwork – A bold, high-quality print that brings Absolum's world to life.
Four Character Cards – Spotlighting the key characters from the game's world.
Collector's Box – A specially designed Special Edition collector's box.
Your feedback is very valuable to us and for the game's future. Please don't hesitate to share it with us on the Steam forums, our official Discord, or in a review!
We can't wait to hear your thoughts on Absolum✨
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, and TikTok! Praise the Blessed Mothers, rebels.
Rebels, the time has come!
Absolum's first-ever demo is now LIVE! Whether you're flying solo or fighting alongside a friend, it's time to dive into the game and get a hands-on glimpse of what our Rogue ‘Em Up formula is all about!
Absolum’s first-ever Demo will feature:
⚔️ Three Playable Fighters
Take your pick from three distinct heroes:
Galandra, the sword-clad fighter
Karl, sturdy dwarf
Cider, the enigmatic fusion of human and construct
🔓 Unlockable Advantages
Boost your stats with earned XP and gain new abilities and elemental powers to tailor a hard-hitting moveset to your playstyle.
🗺️ Rich Exploration
Explore the lands of Grandery, a mountainous, jagged coastline where a delicate harmony between goblins, humans, and dwarves has been shattered by greed and fresh bloodshed.
💬 Rewarding Quests
Reach deeper into Absolum's fascinating world by discovering and clearing optional quests, gaining intel and treasure alike
💥 A Climatic Boss Fight
Test your fighting skills against The Underking, a titan-sized, maddened ruler armed with a wide-reaching pickaxe that spews flames and lobs crushing boulders!
🤝 Co-op/multiplayer supported & encouraged!
Important note on Demo saves:
This demo is a standalone experience. Your progress will not carry over to the full game, but we promise that the journey will be worth it.
Are you ready to fight for the future of Talamh?
Your feedback is very valuable to us and for the game's future. Please don't hesitate to share it with us on the Steam forums, our official Discord, or in a review!
We can't wait to hear your thoughts on Absolum✨
And you can also find us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, and TikTok! Praise the Blessed Mothers, rebels.
About
This page aggregates Steam news feeds, patch notes, and developer announcements for Absolum, sourced from official Steam community posts.
Major updates, balance changes, and seasonal events often correlate with player-count spikes — cross-reference announcements here with the live charts on the main Absolum statistics page.
Articles link back to Steam for full changelogs. SteamScope refreshes news entries as new posts are published to the game's Steam hub.