Absolum's constantly enjoyable brawling and gorgeous artstyle are now being amplified by its newest "Threads of Fate" update. Hardcore fans are given a wealth of difficulty and gameplay modifiers to extend their time in Talamh and show off their skills.
When playing Absolum it takes moments to understand why it is one of the most phenomenal beat ’em ups available.
Made as a collaborative effort between Dotemu, Guard Crush, and Supamonks, those in the know should understand the weight behind two of those names. Dotemu has had its hands in the phenomenal Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge and the recent MARVEL: Cosmic Invasion. Guard Crush worked on the development of another recent beat ’em up classic with Streets of Rage 4, which Dotemu also published.
Absolum is undoubtedly one of the strongest brawlers that has been released in the last several years. Within seconds, its art direction–done by Supamonks–pops with color and style. This fantasy world borrows elements from across the spectrum, yet makes it unique and beautiful. Cracking skulls and unleashing skills is tight, precise, and insanely addictive. And as players keep stretching their tendrils into its mechanics, Absolum continues to open up, begging for more participation.
Released in October 2025, Absolum has become quite a success, selling 200,000 units in its first week and recently surpassing over 500,000 units sold. Upon release, the game received heaps of praise, including our own Will Silberman, who gave it a 9.
While I could go on and on about this fantastic game–completely in agreement with such a high score–what’s important to note is that Absolum has now released its 1.1 patch, entitled Threads of Fate.
Normally it would be worthwhile enough to make a note about a game’s update, especially if it is relatively popular. Bug fixes, performance improvements, and small content additions can be a great way to make the news, coax back older players, and likely charm newcomers into giving it a try. Absolum‘s Threads of Fate patch is noteworthy because of how it extends the core of the game, providing players an avenue to extract more enjoyment out of an already incredible piece of gaming.
For months, Absolum has been on my radar. I’ve been itching to play it, get a friend in on the action for some fantasy co-op. But I won’t lie, a little game by the name of Arc Raiders dominated the latter few months of 2025, not just for me but for about everyone.
Threads of Fate is the perfect opportunity to enter into Absolum. Because I’ve not experienced the game before, I can’t speak to the numerous amount of fixes and improvements that were made to the base product. That being said, the action was unquestionably smooth the entire time I played. Moreover, scanning over reviews from launch and the past couple weeks, criticism was levied at the game by many who noted technical problems. Four months has seemingly given developers crucial time to iron out most issues.
But what I noticed about Absolum reviews that were critical of the game were many found less enjoyment out of the game’s roguelite elements.
Though Absolum is primarily a beat ’em up, it is propped up by the elements that fuel roguelites and, by association, often keep players coming back for run after run. During a run of the game, players will be granted numerous buffs at varying intervals to help increase the power and efficacy of one of the four selected characters. These include straight boons to combo finishers, parries, and dodges, infusing them with magical abilities. Others include items that raise base health, increase damage when attacking in the air, or improving the amount of health replenished by food items.
There is a case to be made for a beat ’em up to rely primarily on skill. The punches, kicks, and other abilities a player can gain are static, not random, and potentially earned through experience or kills. Double Dragon on NES had Bimmy and Jimmy learn headbutts and stronger kicks after killing enough enemies. The game was still brutal. Shredder’s Revenge was just pure heroes in a half-shell chaos, moving from basic fodder to bosses level after level.
Absolum is still a beat ’em up but it’s also more. Can it suck having “bad luck” during a run and not getting the upgrades you want? Sure. Should you be able to get to the final boss without having to use special items to permanently boost core stats? Well… if you really were that good, you could.
Personally, I think a game like Absolum benefits from the semi-random structure of a roguelike. It features multiple paths players can take it one run, going through deep mines instead of a dwarf archive, fighting one boss over another. Players discover mild quests that unlock new items or new bosses. All of it ultimately leads to a final boss that, when felled, opens up more gameplay over time for replayability.
Because Absolum has these roguelite elements, it does make the game harder but it also allows a feeling of progression. I like a beat ’em up that features numerous levels and a runtime of a few hours. Here, the random rewards that players get can actually push them towards unfamiliar playstyles that may go against just mashing buttons. Enemies in Absolum can be easily juggled and there are ways to lean into that. Dodging into certain attacks can stun enemies and items can trigger elemental effects when successfully avoiding damage.
After about my third run of Absolum and growing familiar with the game’s language, I started to feel powerful. Not because I boosted my starting HP multiple times. Not because I unlocked better inventory at the shop by becoming a valued customer. It was because I learned how to pummel enemies, understood their attack patterns, and simply became more confident. I felt a little frustrated playing with a random person who was significantly more experienced and powerful than me. They rushed through stages and barely gave me time to breathe. And I felt horribly guilty when I kept dying at boss I had yet to meet. Even so, I felt significantly powerful and not just because another person was doing some of the heavy lifting.
Being a roguelite, Absolum feels like it has less of a traditional end. There’s always a sense of different configurations and new paths. But eventually, players are diving into a game they’ve beaten merely to have fun or perhaps assist newcomers online.
Threads of Fate is a fantastic update for the core game because it breathes fresh life into the structure of Absolum. Upgraded mounts and new cosmetics and emotes are introduced but it’s the Mystic Ordeals and the corrupted zones that are adding to Absolum. Outside of additional characters and entirely new regions and bosses, Threads of Fate is all about gameplay modifiers that grant players better rewards at the cost of increased challenges.
Boss rushes are now in. Stripping runs of end of level rewards is here. Raise enemy damage. Reduce players’ health. Make the game as hard as you please. Friendly fire. Life decay. Life steal. There are dozens of new options that players can choose from within these Mystic Ordeals, making Absolum razor sharp and deadly. Corrupted zones add extremely difficult enemies in places they normally wouldn’t appear, asking players to path out to avoid these spots are merely take them head on.
Yes, Absolum has roguelite elements but the Threads of Fate update gives players the opportunity to exert more control over the experience. Technically, a lot of it is for bragging rights. But those looking to actually challenge themselves who were “done” with the game now have the opportunity to make their own unique runs. It even allows the game to be easier to adjust more helpful elements found within the Ordeals.
As someone who has just now come into Absolum, I can see why it would have been nice to have the Threads of Fate content available back in October. Still, having it present now for free is nothing to turn your nose up at. This is an incredible game and should be considered one of the highlights of the genre. The core mechanics and beautiful art direction are so good that it makes the rest of the game shine.
Absolum has received an incredible shot in the arm with its new Threads of Fate update. While the core experience already proved that Dotemu, Guard Crush, and Supamonks have made one of the best beat ’em ups in recent years, providing players with new difficulty and run modifiers adds more life to an already healthy game. Just as fantastic as it was when it released in 2025, this newest patch provides an incredible reason for anyone to check out what Absolum has to offer.
