Now that the beat-em-up genre has been firmly established yet again, it’s time for hack-and-slash adventures to get a turn. Volgarr the Viking II drops next month from Digital Eclipse. And this week brings Abathor, a spirited adventure from Pow Pixel Games.
Anyone who grew up with the likes of Rastan and even Golden Axe will get what Abathor is all about. You move around platforms, hacking enemies alone or with friends. Along the way, you can obtain power-ups, including a screen-clearing attack for the ages. You’ll need them too, because the bosses are definitely a threat.
It would’ve been nice to have drop-in/drop-out with co-op; and the gameplay won’t resonate with everyone. But if you grew up wanting to be Conan (or Red Sonja, mind you), Abathor is a rip-roaring good time.
Atlantis Is Waiting
It appears the Gods aren’t too pleased with the people of Atlantis. With their bad behavior, they call upon numerous monsters to clean house. But not everyone is guilty here, and soon four heroes step up to close the Gates of Abathor. They include a beefy barbarian, a defensive style warrior, a fast-moving femme fatale and a wizard. Together, they must work to overcome the odds and save the doomed city.
That’s what sets Abathor apart from other adventures of this type – playable characters. There are four in all, each with different techniques and abilities. Each one brings something to the table, with our particular favorite being Kritias, the female warrior. But to each their own, obviously.
The gameplay takes getting used to, especially with weighty jumps that make aerial strikes less than effective. Once you do, however, you’ll find Abathor to be a worthy hack-and-slasher. It’s fun to play, and the boss battles provide a great challenge to keep you on your toes.
What’s more, you can buy additional power-ups to help your character. However, they do only last through your current turn. You also get a limited screen-clearing ability, ala Golden Axe, to help turn the tide. Use it sparingly, though.
Abathor does support solo play, but the game supports up to four players – old-school style! You can start a bout with all four people and enjoy local couch sessions with ease. Be warned, however. There’s no drop-in/drop-out style of play. So if someone wants to join in, you’ll need to end your current game. Hopefully Pow Pixel Games can add the option with a patch.
There’s lots of territory to cover here, and the game is a blast either alone or with friends. Just give yourself time to get used to the controls, and you’ll feel that “warrior glow.”
A Swell Looking Throwback
Along with gameplay that delivers in an old-school style, Abathor also has visuals and sound to match.
The graphics don’t go overboard, nor do they need to. The world of Atlantis has retro-style inspiration throughout each stage. Plus the animations are good (albeit simple) and the effects are fantastic. It also holds up pretty well in four-player set-up as well, and the menus are easy to navigate.
Likewise, the soundtrack is pretty epic, with lots of tunes to entertain during your quest. The sound effects are okay, nothing overboard but fitting with the theme. I was just hoping for more warrior battle cries. Maybe that’s just the Conan fan in me. AGGGGGGH!
Abathor’s a Sharp One
Pow Pixel Games has left a good mark on the hack-and-slash genre with Abathor. Despite slight gameplay differences and slight co-op hiccups, there’s a lot here for players. The co-op is good fun, though the game delivers on solo action, too. It also looks and sounds awesome, and trying out all the characters (to find a favorite) is fun.
Hopefully some things get fixed with the next update. But Abathor offers more than enough to pick up a sword and join the fight. Do it for the Atlanteans!
GAMERHUB RATING: 4 (out of 5) JOYSTICKS
Many thanks to Pow Pixel Games for the review code! You can get Abathor now for Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation and Steam!
