A Personal Game of the Year Pick
Every year is packed with big PC game releases, but sometimes the most exciting titles are not the flashiest ones. For one PC Gamer writer, the surprise standout of 2025 was Absolum, a side scrolling beat em up that mixes old school arcade combat with modern roguelike design.
On paper, another retro inspired brawler might not sound groundbreaking. The same writer had recently reviewed Marvel Cosmic Invasion, a stylish throwback that nailed the feel of classic arcade fighters but struggled to keep players coming back. Absolum, however, stuck in their mind for all the right reasons and ended up feeling like a glimpse into the future of the genre.
Both games even share the same publisher, Dotemu, which has become a major name in reviving and evolving classic style action games. Where Marvel Cosmic Invasion leans heavily into nostalgia, Absolum experiments boldly with structure and progression while still staying true to what makes beat em ups fun in the first place.
Beat Em Up Meets Roguelike
The basic pitch for Absolum is simple. Take a classic side scrolling beat em up and fuse it with roguelike progression. In 2025, roguelike elements are everywhere, from card games to brick breakers, so this combo might sound obvious. But Absolum stands out because of how cleanly and carefully the two styles are blended.
Traditionally, beat em ups are short and focused. You can clear the campaign in a couple of hours, and replayability mostly comes from cranking up the difficulty and mastering the moves. That was fine in the arcade era, when games were designed to eat coins and challenge you with brutal difficulty. On modern PCs, players expect more structure, variety, and long term progression to keep them engaged.
Absolum tackles this content problem with a smart roguelike loop. A typical run still looks like a classic arcade mode. You walk into a screen full of enemies, brawl your way through, and face bosses at key points. The difference is that every run offers new upgrades to try, side quests to chase, and secrets to uncover. Even when you fail, your time is not wasted. Defeat feeds back into your camp, unlocking new options and nudging the story forward.
The world of Absolum reacts to your attempts instead of sitting still. Your choices during runs can open alternate routes through zones or change how certain factions and NPCs treat you. Unexpected events and encounters give each attempt a slightly different flavor. There is a strong hint of Hades here, where the repetition of runs is softened by a living world that acknowledges your progress.
Importantly, Absolum does not let progression systems overshadow the core combat. Getting further still comes down to skill. The meta upgrades you unlock at base are focused more on expanding your options than simply making your character stronger. Loot and power ups you grab in the field are only as effective as your ability to use them well. This keeps the feel tight and fair, and avoids turning the game into a grind fest.
The Joy of Combat and Why It Matters
Underneath the roguelike layer, Absolum is very much in love with classic beat em up action. You choose from a cast of distinct heroes, like Karl the dwarf, Galandra the warrior, Brome the frog wizard, and Cinder the aerial fighter. Each character has their own style, moves, and combo potential, inviting you to experiment and refine your approach.
The combat is not just button mashing. Absolum layers in mechanics borrowed from other action genres, including a satisfying parry and counter system that rewards precision timing. Learning enemy patterns, nailing parries, and turning defense into offense makes every encounter more engaging. Over time, you get that familiar arcade feeling of mastery as you flow from one enemy to the next.
Because each run pushes you toward different builds, routes, and challenges, the game nudges you to explore new tactics instead of just spamming the same combo. One run might focus on survivability and careful play, while another might let you go all in on risky damage boosts. The systems gently push you deeper into the mechanics, helping you discover that the game is much more than a simple brawler.
This is what makes Absolum feel like a possible future path for the genre. Rather than abandoning its roots, it uses modern design ideas to showcase why beat em ups are still worth caring about in 2025.
A Golden Age For Beat Em Ups
Absolum is also arriving at a great time for fans of side scrolling brawlers. Recent hits like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shredders Revenge and the River City Girls series have already helped revive interest in the genre on PC. There is also excitement around upcoming projects like Scott Pilgrim EX from the teams that worked on those earlier successes.
Within this modern golden age, Absolum stands out because it does more than just recreate the old arcade feel. It opens the door to new audiences who might never have touched a 90s style beat em up. By adding a thoughtful roguelike framework, a reactive world, and progression that respects player skill, it shows how the genre can evolve without losing its identity.
For PC players who love tightening up their gameplay, learning systems, and seeing a game world respond to their efforts, Absolum is an easy recommendation. It is a game about the simple joy of getting really good at punching, wrapped in design that keeps you coming back for just one more run. If this is where beat em ups are heading, the future looks bright.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/were-living-in-the-new-golden-age-of-2d-beat-em-ups-but-the-best-one-released-this-year-had-one-foot-in-a-different-genre-entirely/
