Absoloot

Absoloot is a fast-paced arena fighting game where 2-4 players battle across maze-like stages filled with weapon pick-ups and hazards. Set in diverse locations like saloons and pyramids, players choose from 12 unique characters—each with distinct weapons and abilities—to compete in deathmatches, treasure hunts, or king-chasing modes. The game supports local couch co-op with gamepads and online multiplayer, offering chaotic 2D-scrolling shooter action with dynamic maps and explosive power-ups.

Absoloot: A Fractured Legacy in the Indie Arena Shooter Pantheon

Introduction

In the crowded landscape of indie multiplayer brawlers, Absoloot (2017) arrives like a forgotten relic—a curious artifact excavated from a time when couch co-op was enjoying a nostalgic resurgence. Developed by the enigmatic Latinas Tomatos and published by Dagestan Technology, this 2D arena fighter promised chaotic local multiplayer fun but left a fractured legacy. Was it a hidden gem or a cautionary tale of ambition outpacing execution? This deep-dive review unpacks Absoloot’s design, context, and cultural footprint to answer whether it deserves a place in gaming history—or oblivion.

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Development History & Context

Studio Vision & Technological Constraints
Born from the indie incubator of the mid-2010s, Absoloot emerged during a renaissance for local multiplayer games. Titles like TowerFall Ascension (2013) and Broforce (2015) reinvigorated the genre, proving that small teams could thrive with tight mechanics and social play. Latinas Tomatos, a developer shrouded in mystery (with no prior credits), aimed to capitalize on this trend with a budget-friendly arena shooter. The game’s vision leaned into simplicity: accessible controls, a whimsical “treasure war” premise, and retro-infused pixel art.

Technologically, Absoloot adhered to minimalist specs—a deliberate choice to accommodate low-end PCs and ensure smooth local performance. Its engine prioritized responsiveness over graphical fidelity, a necessity given the 2D physics and projectile-heavy combat. Yet, this simplicity came at a cost: online multiplayer, labeled as “beta,” felt like an afterthought, relying on peer-to-peer connections without dedicated servers. In an era where indie darlings like Rocket League mastered both local and online play, Absoloot’s half-baked netcode cemented its status as a couch-centric novelty.

The 2017 Gaming Landscape
By 2017, the indie scene was saturated with pixel-art throwbacks, making differentiation critical. Absoloot launched alongside titans like PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and Cuphead, drowning in a sea of attention. Without marketing muscle—Dagestan Technology’s portfolio leaned toward obscure Russian-market titles—the game faded into obscurity. Its Steam page, devoid of trailers or developer outreach, epitomized a “build it and they might come” naivety.

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Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

A Paper-Thin Premise
Absoloot’s narrative is less a story than a contextual scaffold: four factions—Archaeologists from Winfield, Hellocreeps, Kwade Bende, and P.R.M.D.—clash over treasure in anarchic skirmishes. Dialogue is nonexistent; lore is relegated to menu blurbs. The Archaeologists evoke Indiana Jones-esque adventurers, while the Hellocreeps channel B-movie monstrosities. Yet, these factions lack depth, serving only to justify visual variety.

Thematic Underpinnings: Greed as Gameplay
Thematically, Absoloot mirrors the absurdist materialism of WarioWare’s microgames. “Treasure” is both MacGuffin and motivator, reducing conflict to cartoonish avarice. This aligns with the game’s tone: weapons include a “pumpkin-gun” and “sweet-gun,” juxtaposing violence with whimsy. However, the absence of narrative stakes—no endings, no character arcs—limits emotional investment. Unlike Smash Bros., where fighters embody gaming history, Absoloot’s heroes feel disposable, their traits (speed, health) purely statistical.

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Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Core Loop: Chaotic, Yet Shallow
At its best, Absoloot delivers frenetic 2D combat. Players navigate maze-like arenas littered with spikes, mines, and randomly spawning weapons. The controls—simple jumps and directional shooting—are instantly graspable, ideal for pick-up-and-play sessions. Five game modes, including Treasure Hunting (collect loot while fending off rivals) and Chasing the King (target a designated leader), add variety.

However, cracks emerge swiftly:
– Weapon Balance: The 12 weapons range from useless (the sluggish “rifle”) to overpowered (the screen-clearing “sweet-gun”). Random spawns exacerbate this, rewarding luck over skill.
– Character Imbalance: With 12 heroes across four factions, disparities abound. Fast, fragile characters dominate deathmatch, while tanks flounder without support.
– Progression Void: No unlocks, perks, or meta-progression. Matches feel isolated, lacking Rocket League’s cosmetic carrots or TowerFall’s scenario-based challenges.

Multiplayer: A Double-Edged Sword
Local multiplayer shines as Absoloot’s sole triumph. Cramming four players onto one screen evokes GoldenEye 007’s split-screen heyday, with framerates holding steady even during explosive chaos. Yet, the requirement for gamepads beyond two players—a budgetary limitation—alienates keyboard-only users.

Online, however, is a ghost town. The “beta” tag proved prophetic: lobbies were barren at launch, and peer-to-peer connections suffered from lag. Without bots (a glaring omission), solo play is impossible, rendering the game unplayable for isolated users.

UI/UX: Functional, Not Inspired
Menus are serviceable but barebones. Character select screens lack lore or ability breakdowns, reducing choices to stat comparisons. The absence of tutorials—critical for understanding modes like “Chasing the King”—forces players into trial-by-fire confusion.

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World-Building, Art & Sound

Pixel Art: Charm Without Cohesion
Absoloot’s aesthetic is a pastiche of retro influences. Four biomes—a saloon, castle, pastoral “sheep” field, and pyramid—offer visual diversity, but theming stops at surface level. The pixel art is competent yet generic, evoking Metal Slug’s detail without its personality. Animations are stiff, and environmental hazards (spikes, mines) lack impact.

Sound Design: A Missed Opportunity
The soundtrack blends chiptune beats with forgettable loops, failing to elevate tension or humor. Weapon sounds—puny “pews” and “pops”—undercut the chaos, while character barks repeat ad nauseam. In a genre where Nuclear Throne’s shotgun blasts felt cathartic, Absoloot’s audio fizzles.

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Reception & Legacy

Launch & Critical Silence
Critics overlooked Absoloot entirely—no professional reviews appeared on Metacritic or OpenCritic. Steam user reviews (via RAWG) were polarized:
– Praise: “A blast with friends! Pure couch chaos.” (Stalon)
– Criticism: “Dead online, no bots, wasted potential.” (Userilla)

The game’s commercial fate remains murky. With no sales data and a peak Steam concurrent player count rumored in the double digits, it vanished from digital storefronts by 2025.

Influence & Industry Impact
Absoloot’s legacy is negligible. It offered no innovations to the genre, overshadowed by contemporaries like Crawl (2017) and Stick Fight: The Game (2017). Yet, it serves as a case study in indie pitfalls:
– Local Multiplayer relies on Circumstance: Without online infrastructure or bots, niche multiplayer games die quickly.
– Depth Trumps Novelty: Players crave progression hooks, even in party games.

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Conclusion

Absoloot is a textbook “almost.” Its energetic local multiplayer and whimsical weapon variety hint at a party classic, but shallow design, imbalance, and technical neglect doom it to obscurity. For historians, it epitomizes the risks of indie development in an oversaturated market—a game built for couch co-op in an increasingly online world. While its $1 price point (per Steam reviews) made it a curio for bargain hunters, it cannot be recommended as anything but a footnote. In the pantheon of arena fighters, Absoloot is less a king than a court jester: briefly amusing, swiftly forgotten.

Final Verdict: A flawed relic of indie ambition—playable with friends, but irrelevant alone. 2/5 stars.