Behind the Characters of Absolum: A Dotemu Interview

In an insightful discussion, the creators at Dotemu offered a glimpse into the intricate journey of conceptualizing and developing the distinct characters for their upcoming beat 'em up title, Absolum. They revealed their ambition to fuse the nostalgic essence of classic fantasy genres with contemporary design philosophies, ensuring each hero resonated with a modern audience while maintaining a familiar charm. The conversation highlighted the meticulous attention paid to every facet of character development, from defining unique combat styles and visual aesthetics to navigating the complexities of hand-drawn animation, all aimed at crafting a deeply engaging and visually rich gaming experience.

The core concept guiding Absolum's character creation was to reimagine traditional fantasy roles, making them relevant and appealing today. Maxime Mary, the art director, explained how inspirations from beloved titles like Golden Axe and Dungeons and Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara served as a foundation. From this, they sculpted four playable characters: Galandra, the warrior, depicted as a non-sexualized female figure; Karl, the dwarven brawler, portrayed as the last of his kind, subtle yet formidable; Cider, the rogue, reimagined as a prosthetic ninja; and Brome, the frog wizard, injecting a blend of humor and mystery. Each character was crafted to subvert expectations, offering fresh interpretations of archetypal roles.

Jordi Asensio, the lead game designer, detailed the process of crafting each character's gameplay identity. Starting with familiar D&D archetypes, they introduced unique twists. Galandra, for instance, possesses a necrotic arm, hinting at a darker past, while Karl wields a blunderbuss instead of traditional dwarven weaponry. Cider, the agile rogue, utilizes mechanical prosthetics and a grappling hook for distinctive movement and combat, appealing to players who enjoy technical mastery. Brome, the frog wizard, brings a blend of ranged magical attacks and surprising close-quarters combat capabilities, evolving his toolkit throughout the game.

The development of character movesets was a collaborative process, often beginning with a broad design concept like 'a rogue.' Visual and gameplay directions were then brainstormed, leading to initial sketches by Maxime Mary. Once a design was chosen, extensive sessions were dedicated to devising compelling moves that fit within the game's framework. The Guard Crush Engine, used previously for Streets of Rage 4, facilitated rapid in-game testing, allowing for quick adjustments and additions. Cyrille Lagarigue, the technical director, emphasized giving each character a distinct 'theme' for their moves, from Karl's blunderbuss-driven ranged attacks to Cider's gadget-focused arcanas, ensuring visual design elements translated directly into gameplay mechanics.

Readability was paramount in designing Absolum's characters, especially given the game's inked, comic-book art style. Maxime Mary explained the challenge of preventing the busy screen from flattening the action. They addressed this by limiting true black lines to characters and interactive objects, ensuring clear silhouettes for crucial anticipation frames and attack animations. The distinct shapes of characters—Galandra's triangular, spiky form versus Brome's rounded figure—further aid in visual differentiation and reinforce their personalities. This meticulous approach to visual design ensures players can easily track the action amidst dynamic combat scenarios.

Despite the careful pre-planning to minimize modifications, some aspects, particularly Galandra's sword, underwent significant changes during development. Initially, its power made it challenging to balance, leading to discussions about cooldowns and stamina gauges that ultimately proved detrimental to gameplay flow. This iterative process, though difficult, led to the creation of a dedicated 'skill' button for all characters, a core design element that provides strategic depth without hindering action. The experience with Galandra's sword also informed the design of other characters' skills, with most serving as enemy-pushing maneuvers, save for Cider's grappling hook, which functions as a unique combat initiator.

Cider, often seen as the roster's most innovative character, was designed to be a fast, agile rogue. The goal was a 'combo pixie' archetype, excelling in aerial combat and mobility. Her grappling hook cemented her role as the technical character, offering experienced players advanced ways to express their skills. The design of arcanas—equippable special abilities—further enhanced player choice, allowing even within a single character, different playstyles. This modular approach ensures that players can tailor their experience, whether they prefer area-of-effect attacks like mines or specialized aerial combos, keeping the gameplay fresh and rewarding.

The creative team employed various animation techniques to enhance character readability and impact. Maxime Mary highlighted the use of 'smears,' a common cartoon technique where a limb is stretched during fast movements to exaggerate action and convey speed. This intentional distortion clarifies a character's intent and movement, especially in a game with many enemies and effects. Additionally, limbs might be enlarged to emphasize an attack's power, like a hand growing before a grab, further reinforcing the visual storytelling and ensuring every action is clearly communicated to the player. The game's narrative designer, Gautier Knittel, directed voice actors Emily Barber (Galandra), Trev Fleming (Karl), Samantha Béart (Cider), and Dario Coates (Brome), adding depth and immersion to the characters, a feature not originally planned but passionately advocated for by the team.

Brome's identity as a frog wizard skillfully blends the classic mage archetype with a surprising capacity for close-quarters combat. While he starts with solid basic attacks, his evolution favors arcana and ranged abilities. Upgrades allow him to charge arcanas, deflect projectiles, and even use telekinesis, making him a powerhouse at range despite his ability to hold his own in melee. The final roster's voice cast, including Emily Barber, Trev Fleming, Samantha Béart, and Dario Coates, contributes significantly to the game's immersive world. Although voice acting was not initially envisioned, the team pushed for it, recognizing its potential to add life and emotional engagement to the adventure. Their dedication resulted in a vibrant world where the characters truly come alive.