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[Absolver] is out! Dark Honor/For Souls Action PvP!
doomybear
Hi PeopleRegistered User regular
Hi PeopleRegistered User regular
Resources at the bottom!
Reveal Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX9dPFlEvnc
Launch Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0eypGqZtEQ
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
What is Absolver? It's an online martial arts game where you punch, kick, and sometimes stab other people, being developed by new guys SloClap. Players take the role of Prospects who join the Absolvers who maintain stability in the world. Everyone wears masks in this world, because why not? On your journey to becoming a real Absolver, your character will grow and learn martial arts and also slap a whole bunch of people along the way. Think of it as a kind of RPG online fighter thing.
The Standard Edition costs $29.99 - and the pre-order gives players a mask and outfit.
The Deluxe Edition costs $39.99 - and it comes with the mask and outfit, the soundtrack, and a digital artbook.
The Special Reserve Edition costs $74.99. It comes with the mask and outfit, a physical artbook, stickers, and a physical, wearable mask with mask stand. (no soundtrack apparently)
It's available on PS4, Steam, and GOG, and you can get the Special Reserve Edition here (if you go for this, make sure you select PC or PS4 correctly).
Here's a basic combat overview trailer thing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgOVrCEoIao
Here's stuff about multiplayer features:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT3iSAci2JU
Here's a forty-seven minutes of different Absolver videos edited together:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B19GWERxMk
The Game
So, if you don't want to watch those videos, here's some explanation as far as I understand the game so far.
Combat is, obviously, the main point of the game. The game is a brawler, and some have compared the gameplay to For Honor, but I've never played For Honor so I wouldn't know. Let's start with what everyone has in common: Characters can attack, guard, dash, feint, and move around. They have HP and stamina.
Characters' attacks come from two things: moves chosen from your combat deck and assigned to your stances. The combat deck is a collection of moves that you learn as you play the game - you can learn them by finding the enemy with the move, or you can find a mentor-friend who will help you learn it. Some moves will have special properties; for example, a jumping kick will avoid low attacks, and some attacks are guard breaking attacks. You assign these moves to four stances, and there is generally a chain of three primary attacks or an alternate attack. Moves can transition your character into other stances, or you can have the moves stay in the same stance. Alternate attacks end your chain of attacks early, and they can help keep you unpredictable.
If you time your attacks well, your character glows yellow and you perform your attacks a little bit faster. Feints can also be performed, and they are telegraphed with a big black shadow thing.
Every character also uses a special style, which comes with a unique defense, that helps define your character: the Forsaken style allows you to parry left or right, and a successful parry gives you an opening to attack. Kahlt lets your character absorb an attack without any knockback or interruption, and if your counterattack is successful, you regain your health. Windfall lets your character perform a quick duck or jump and empowers counterattacks after these dodges. Those are the three beginning styles - Stagger is a fourth style based on drunken boxing, and I don't know too much about it right now. Some moves are related to certain styles and get a bonus if match them (e.g. a drunken boxing style punch may match Stagger style and do more damage).
This game also has RPG elements: your character will level up and use equipment. Armor is important - heavier armor may provide more protection but also slow your character. The crystals you see in the videos are called tension crystals, and they are generated in combat. Tension crystals allow you to use powers, such as healing or an AoE knockback, or you can summon your weapon.
Most of the combat is unarmed, but there are two kinds of weapons that players can summon: swords or war gloves. These weapons get their own combat decks that you can customize. Weapons do more damage than punches and kicks, but if you get hit too much, you'll drop your weapon, which your opponent can pick up for themselves.
The bulk of the game is described as open world with seamless transitions between areas. You fight NPCs and stuff. Other players can load into your game, and they may or may not be friendly, and they may or may not be a higher or lower level than you. There is also a story about things. It's also a pretty place. Other than that, there appear to be endgame dungeons to tackle with friends, or you can PvP it up. And of course there is the fashion endgame.
For multiplayer features, players can join schools and gain ranks. Being under a mentor allows one to use moves from the mentor's combat deck, but only while being mentored. There are duels and combat trials and tournaments and ranked fights and stuff.
PA folks spreadsheet
Resources
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1daBCKJLmp8R-Lecohk--yGjLaiocSDDInZQdR4O8Zm0/edit#gid=1698220040
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB4dMlEL3zc
Reveal Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX9dPFlEvncLaunch Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0eypGqZtEQOFFICIAL WEBSITE
What is Absolver? It's an online martial arts game where you punch, kick, and sometimes stab other people, being developed by new guys SloClap. Players take the role of Prospects who join the Absolvers who maintain stability in the world. Everyone wears masks in this world, because why not? On your journey to becoming a real Absolver, your character will grow and learn martial arts and also slap a whole bunch of people along the way. Think of it as a kind of RPG online fighter thing.
The Standard Edition costs $29.99 - and the pre-order gives players a mask and outfit.
The Deluxe Edition costs $39.99 - and it comes with the mask and outfit, the soundtrack, and a digital artbook.
The Special Reserve Edition costs $74.99. It comes with the mask and outfit, a physical artbook, stickers, and a physical, wearable mask with mask stand. (no soundtrack apparently)
It's available on PS4, Steam, and GOG, and you can get the Special Reserve Edition here (if you go for this, make sure you select PC or PS4 correctly).
Here's a basic combat overview trailer thing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgOVrCEoIaoHere's stuff about multiplayer features:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT3iSAci2JUHere's a forty-seven minutes of different Absolver videos edited together:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B19GWERxMkThe Game
So, if you don't want to watch those videos, here's some explanation as far as I understand the game so far.
Combat is, obviously, the main point of the game. The game is a brawler, and some have compared the gameplay to For Honor, but I've never played For Honor so I wouldn't know. Let's start with what everyone has in common: Characters can attack, guard, dash, feint, and move around. They have HP and stamina.
Characters' attacks come from two things: moves chosen from your combat deck and assigned to your stances. The combat deck is a collection of moves that you learn as you play the game - you can learn them by finding the enemy with the move, or you can find a mentor-friend who will help you learn it. Some moves will have special properties; for example, a jumping kick will avoid low attacks, and some attacks are guard breaking attacks. You assign these moves to four stances, and there is generally a chain of three primary attacks or an alternate attack. Moves can transition your character into other stances, or you can have the moves stay in the same stance. Alternate attacks end your chain of attacks early, and they can help keep you unpredictable.
If you time your attacks well, your character glows yellow and you perform your attacks a little bit faster. Feints can also be performed, and they are telegraphed with a big black shadow thing.
Every character also uses a special style, which comes with a unique defense, that helps define your character: the Forsaken style allows you to parry left or right, and a successful parry gives you an opening to attack. Kahlt lets your character absorb an attack without any knockback or interruption, and if your counterattack is successful, you regain your health. Windfall lets your character perform a quick duck or jump and empowers counterattacks after these dodges. Those are the three beginning styles - Stagger is a fourth style based on drunken boxing, and I don't know too much about it right now. Some moves are related to certain styles and get a bonus if match them (e.g. a drunken boxing style punch may match Stagger style and do more damage).
This game also has RPG elements: your character will level up and use equipment. Armor is important - heavier armor may provide more protection but also slow your character. The crystals you see in the videos are called tension crystals, and they are generated in combat. Tension crystals allow you to use powers, such as healing or an AoE knockback, or you can summon your weapon.
Most of the combat is unarmed, but there are two kinds of weapons that players can summon: swords or war gloves. These weapons get their own combat decks that you can customize. Weapons do more damage than punches and kicks, but if you get hit too much, you'll drop your weapon, which your opponent can pick up for themselves.
The bulk of the game is described as open world with seamless transitions between areas. You fight NPCs and stuff. Other players can load into your game, and they may or may not be friendly, and they may or may not be a higher or lower level than you. There is also a story about things. It's also a pretty place. Other than that, there appear to be endgame dungeons to tackle with friends, or you can PvP it up. And of course there is the fashion endgame.
For multiplayer features, players can join schools and gain ranks. Being under a mentor allows one to use moves from the mentor's combat deck, but only while being mentored. There are duels and combat trials and tournaments and ranked fights and stuff.
PA folks spreadsheet
Resources
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1daBCKJLmp8R-Lecohk--yGjLaiocSDDInZQdR4O8Zm0/edit#gid=1698220040
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB4dMlEL3zc what a happy day it is
doomybear on
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Posts
You pretty much nailed it. This game has a lot going for it, and each wave of information has made it more and more appealing to me. I tried really hard to like For Honor, and I'm hoping this won't require as much effort. Or any effort.
The openish world aspect adds a lot, which I was kinda skeptical about before I got to play it for a bit. It feels great, and seems to have a lot more depth than it initially appeared.
I preordered, for $26 or something. I couldn't figure out what it's going to actually retail for but I'm on board regardless
Looks very appealing.
Could also be a good way to level up alternate characters. I'm not sure if you can learn multiple styles on the same character or not
Also, this comes out the same day as the big XCOM 2 expansion...
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
It plays somewhat like 3rd person action games like Shadow of Mordor, Darksiders, etc but at a slower pace, less flamboyant, more deliberate, way more technical. Absolver is more about finding a rhythm, and anticipating your opponents moves to either avoid attacks or beat them to the.... punch? It's pretty cerebral. Definitely one of those easy to pick up, hard to master types. The controls are simple but the stances, feints, and combo mixups provide a lot of depth.
For Honor suffered because of the limited move set and the strict class roles. Here you can mix styles and attacks in thousands of combinations, and the only way to distinguish between "classes" is by defensive moves. The combat feels good, like it has some weight behind it instead of just pushing buttons and watching your character do things. I have very high hopes
They've got a few older videos of Absolver on there too.
Where is everybody planning on playing? I preordered on PS4 but at $30 and with full controller support I could potentially convince myself to double up.
I hope this game helps dispel the idea that any title less than $60 is inferior to full priced. PC guys don't think that way but plenty of console-only people definitely do.
2 weeks!
Just pre-purchased after seeing this thread pop up and wanting to support devs making risky decisions. I'll be playing on PC and my steam name is the same as my forum name ( fsmith1 ) so feel free to add me.
Here friends, have a nice video by ScottJund
Nope, it's all strikes. It'd be nice to have had some throws, though.
No. It's a purely fast-paced striking focused fighting game. There are weapons however.
FFXIV - Milliardo Beoulve/Sargatanas
..wait. Blocking isn't a thing either aside from the parry/dodge mechanic? Uh, wow.
FFXIV - Milliardo Beoulve/Sargatanas
Huh, I've only seen mediocre reviews for this. Pushed me from a "Think I'll pick it up" to a "Maybe I'll wait and see"
Also, do you have all defensive options or do you get one of block/parry/dodge depending on your style? The one video on styles makes it seem like the latter..
http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/absolver
Seems to be doing okay on metacritic at 78.
Guard breaking attacks cover that third option.
Plus you can select alternate attacks (one for each stance) that can be used at any time while in a given stance by pressing a button, and can completely change the flow of your regular combos.
Defense seems to be block (I'm not sure if there's a high/low block), vertical dodge, horizontal dodge, and parry.
I have only played for like an hour, and my impressions of the game are good! Controls are taking a little while to get used to, since I'm still used to Dark Souls trigger button attacks.
Edit: The lack of a map is getting to me, though.
Who needs fancy when you can just punch forever then earth quake to reset them???
I've not bought the full release yet, but it aligns pretty well with what I saw during the brief beta I got to try. An interesting combat system that seems like it has a lot of depth and potential, but it sounds like they didn't change many of the things I was concerned about i.e. underdeveloped social systems in their quasi-mmo, a lack of direction/story for PvE, and little explanation of that interesting combat system.
It seems best to approach it like a more traditional arcade fighting game: go in knowing it's a complex system that won't be fully explained, and knowing the appeal is the fights. You need to have the desire to figure out the systems and expect the pull to be improving in PvP. Like Ryu, you need to get meaning and enjoyment from improving your skills against other players, because the shell around that system is a bit bare.
It should be enough for plenty of people. After all, arcade fighting games are still pretty popular. I'm going to give it a bit of time and see how things shake out; it still sounds very promising.
The duels I've fought have been thrilling, satisfying experiences, win or lose. If cheap OP tactics exist I haven't run into them.
Love it love it love it.