Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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On this episode of Talkthrough, we chat with Thibaut Panchout, Level Designer and Game Designer at Dotemu, while playing through Absolum.

Watch Adam fight his way through Talamh as they discuss the inspiration for blending the beat 'em up genre with roguelite mechanics, designing the gameplay of Absolum, the game's secrets, and heaps more.

00:00 - Intro
01:06 - Explaining the format
02:14 - What does Dotemu think of the game’s reception?
03:57 - Why blend a beat ‘em up with the roguelite genre?
05:50 - Reminiscing about the arcade experience
07:04 - Let's talk about that art style
08:19 - Our first defeat - Introducing the rougelike format
09:02 - Inspirations behind the game’s aesthetic and lore
10:44 - Thibault’s involvement in Absolum’s development
11:56 - Finding the right balance with a roguelite
14:00 - Absolum’s engaging quest system
16:31 - The design philosophy behind hidden areas and secrets
18:34 - Adam’s first impressions
19:35 - Inspirations and intent behind the combo-focused combat
21:28 - Gazorg, Son of Zorg - Exploring boss fights and their particular brand of challenge
23:48 - Designing boss encounters to fit the roguelite structure
26:27 - Thibault’s favourite beat ‘em up games
27:44 - Implementing co-op gameplay into Absolum’s unique genre blend
32:41 - Thibault teases a stage secret…that Adam walks past
33:49 - Designing four unique and interesting playable characters
37:04 - Which character was refined the most, and which stayed the same throughout development?
38:46 - Were any characters left on the cutting room floor?
39:31 - The team’s inside joke surrounding the rotten meat throwable weapon
40:56 - Are there any secrets left in Absolum that players haven’t discovered?
42:28 - Merchant, vendors, and the ethos behind them
43:51 - Communicating through emotes is cool, but perhaps a little too involved
44:16 - …but are there emote-based secrets hidden in the game?
45:40 - Weaving systems and storytelling together
47:11 - Giving flowers to the game’s soundtrack and the team behind it
48:05 - The Underking - A great boss with an incredible musical track by Mick Gordon
50:55 - Thibault’s personal favourite musical track from the game
52:50 - Switching to an end-game save file
53:27 - Jumping into the end-game as Brome, the wizard frog
54:27 - Inspirations for the rideable mounts
55:26 - Finally uncovering that stage secret
58:16 - Balancing progression - permanent buffs versus run-based upgrades
01:01:04 - Thibault’s favourite upgrades, buffs, and combos
01:03:16 - What’s next for the world of Absolum?
01:05:06 - Delving into a Mystic Ordeal Run from the Threads of Fate update
01:08:49 - How co-development works between Dotemu, Guard Crush Games, and Supamonk
01:10:58 - Discovering a hidden secret area thanks to a little bit of help
01:12:29 - The tragic tale of the mushroom men
01:13:10 - Using the roguelite format to introduce dynamic stages
01:14:46 - The art of creating a canine enemy that doesn’t feel like you’re fighting Fido
01:16:34 - The crazy modifiers the team cut from Mystic Odreals
01:19:48 - The difficulties and delights in designing different biomes
01:24:22 - Optimising the game for Steam Deck
01:24:42 - From a bug to a feature - stories from the development of Absolum
01:27:43 - Our final thoughts and favourite characters
01:29:16 - Thibault’s most anticipated game of 2026

Absolum combines Dotemu and Guard Crush’s mastery in beat ‘em up gameplay with Supamonks' best-in-class art and animation. With its fast-paced action and endless replayability, Absolum will challenge you with multiple paths to explore and unpredictable encounters for a new experience each time you play.

Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/1904480/Absolum

Talkthrough is our video series that is part walkthrough, part interview and full of good vibes. Each episode of Talkthrough will see us chat with developers about their game while someone from WellPlayed plays through that same game, ideally for the first time.

Video edited by Jordan Garcia (https://bsky.app/profile/chillesauce.com)

Artwork designed by Simon Blackburn (https://bsky.app/profile/precisepath.bsky.social)