Absolum Launches on iOS and Android at $8.99: Online Co-Op, PC Cross-Save, and Zero Microtransactions for Dotemu's Rogue 'Em Up
After carving its mark on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and most recently Nintendo Switch 2, Absolum officially lands on smartphones and tablets today, November 5, 2026. Published by Dotemu and co-developed by Guard Crush Games (the combat masterminds behind Streets of Rage 4) alongside animation studio Supamonks, the acclaimed "rogue 'em up" arrives on iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play Store) in collaboration with mobile porting specialists Playdigious.
A $8.99 Launch Price With Zero Ads and Zero Microtransactions
While plenty of action franchises compromise their pacing with stamina timers or gacha banners when transitioning to handheld touchscreens, Dotemu and Playdigious have opted for a strict buy-once premium model. Carrying a standard $11.99 price tag and available for $8.99 / £8.99 during its 25% launch discount window, Absolum delivers the complete experience upfront with no ads and no in-app purchases.
That commitment to parity stands out against recent mobile announcements that trim core features, such as My Hero Ultra Rumble heading to iOS and Android without console cross-play. Every branching route, boss encounter, and elemental ritual across the shattered world of Talamh is included out of the box.
Revamped Touch Controls, Full Gamepad Support, and PC Cross-Progression
Translating the frame-tight parries, clashes, and juggle combos of a Guard Crush Games brawler onto glass screens required a ground-up interface overhaul. Playdigious has built a fully customizable touch layout that lets players reposition and resize buttons to keep the battlefield clear. For those who prefer physical sticks and triggers, the mobile edition natively supports MFi controllers on iOS as well as standard Bluetooth and USB-C gamepads on Android.
Crucially, the mobile version retains two-player online co-op alongside Game Center and Google Play Games achievements. Beyond cloud saves across devices within the same OS family, Android players also gain Android-to-PC cross-progression via Google Play Games, making it effortless to start a run at your desk and continue your rebellion on the go.
Four Playable Rebels Against Sun King Azra and an All-Star Soundtrack
For newcomers stepping into Talamh for the first time, the story unfolds in the aftermath of a magical cataclysm that turned the populace against magic users. Seizing the chaos, the tyrannical Sun King Azra and his Crimson Order enslaved wizardkind, sparking a desperate uprising led by the high enchantress Uchawi and four playable heroes:
- Galandra: A fierce elven warrior who cleaves through enemy formations with a massive greatsword and dark necromantic strikes.
- Karl: A hard-hitting dwarf brawler combining bare-knuckle combos with blasts from his ancestral blunderbuss.
- Cider: A nimble fighter wielding dual daggers, built for high-speed dashes, aerial chains, and quick evasions.
- Brome: A humanoid frog wizard who controls crowd spacing with potent arcane spells.
Every run is brought to life by Supamonks' hand-crafted animation,confirming Dotemu's golden touch with 2D brawlers alongside upcoming projects like Marvel Cosmic Invasion and its tag-team combos,and an extraordinary soundtrack. Led by Gareth Coker (Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Halo Infinite), the score features guest compositions from Mick Gordon (DOOM Eternal), Yuka Kitamura (Dark Souls, Elden Ring), and Motoi Sakuraba (Golden Sun, Tales of series). You can check out all platform editions and full specifications on the official Absolum store page.
My Perspective
I couldn't ask for a better pairing than Guard Crush Games' combat design and Playdigious's mobile porting expertise. Having spent dozens of hours perfecting parries and aerial juggles with Galandra and Karl on console, getting that exact same responsiveness on a phone with a snap-on controller and intact online co-op for under nine bucks is a triumph. In a mobile market flooded with predatory microtransactions, paying once to carry a top-tier roguelite beat 'em up,backed by Gareth Coker and Mick Gordon's thunderous soundtrack,in my pocket feels like an absolute steal.
Based on the outskirts of New York City, Chaya 'Chayane' spent five years studying software engineering in Montreal before returning to her home state. A Full-Stack developer and Deep Learning AI architecture researcher, she explores neural networks and algorithmic optimization while engineering data pipelines for Retrocharting and Gamescharting alongside Grimtag. A gamer for over 20 years and an avid collector of Nintendo history and The Legend of Zelda, she explored World of Warcraft's Azeroth before bringing her deep technical background to video game analysis.
