Absolum is a fantasy beat 'em up for iPhone and iPad that folds side-scrolling combat into repeated runs: defeat sends you back to choose another route, improve one of four playable heroes, and try again to overthrow a magical tyrant.
Choose a fighter. Galandra and Karl are available from the start, with upgrades to pick as you fight through a run. Branches lead toward different encounters and side objectives, so returning to familiar ground can mean pursuing something you left unfinished. Gamepressure's review of the original release describes basic and strong attacks feeding more powerful moves, with temporary upgrades changing what a character can do during that attempt. The mobile edition supports solo play or online cooperation with one other player.
I'm drawn to the routes, with some reservations about the progression. Gamepressure enjoyed discovering new branches but found repeated checkpoint bosses and the need to earn basic stat upgrades frustrating. Those are observations about the underlying game, not a test of this iOS port. Playdigious confirms a touch interface and controller support; the US review feed was still empty when checked.
Absolum looks most promising to me for players who want a brawler they can learn across several attempts, especially with a cooperative partner. Expect familiar fights to remain part of that learning.
