Guard Crush Games and Dotemu have been partners for years, and we’re thrilled to continue working with them. Their contributions go far beyond simply programming the game. So, who exactly are they, and what role do they play in the development of Absolum?
Guard Crush Games is an independent game studio based in Montreal, renowned for their expertise in side-scrolling beat 'em up games. The studio was founded by a group of passionate developers with a deep love for classic arcade-style action games. They previously worked on Streets of Fury, a lesser-known but highly regarded beat 'em up featuring digitized character sprites.
Guard Crush is responsible for writing 100% of the code that powers Absolum. These talented programmers thrive on technical challenges, providing powerful editor tools and flexible code that’s perfect for game designers.
Their expertise extends beyond just coding. They play a crucial role in areas like UI design, game feel, and game inputs. Their contributions ensure that Absolum has a polished, responsive design that feels intuitive to players. Together with our designers, Guard Crush works hard to deliver the best gamepad experience possible, and we’re confident you’ll appreciate the effort.
They also know all there is to know about frames, identifying precisely what is required in order to offer the best combat experience, both in single-player and multiplayer modes. For example, latency can be a challenge: you want the game to feel smooth and responsive when playing with friends – something that several games struggle with!
Over the years Guard Crush has developed a powerful engine that is highly specialized in Beat ‘Em Ups, probably the best-performing engine in the genre.
In a world where many developers rely on Unity, this engine is a true gem. It allows us to push the boundaries of reactivity and intuitive game controls, something no competitor has access to. This is our secret weapon: the Guard Crush Games Engine.
For Absolum, Guard Crush had to design and build new tools to address the unique challenges of this beat 'em up, such as level verticality, precise hitboxes, and multiplayer synchronization. Some of these tools were carried over from previous games, and they will continue to be developed into the future! For instance, level design is crucial across all of our games, and the engine facilitates the process, enabling our level designers to tweak and alter every element to ensure the entire level is as compelling as possible.
A new challenge for Guard Crush with Absolum was integrating roguelike elements. Coding for a roguelite requires exposing and balancing many variables: move speed, HP, dash effects, etc. Roguelikes are organized chaos: you need to be able to combine everything!
Tracking quests and mission progress was another new addition for Guard Crush. We need to ensure that all your game progress is recorded and organized properly across saves. The quests need to be properly registered, followed and organized in order to make sure none of your progress is lost.
There’s a lot to say about this engine, but we want to keep a few secrets as well, hehe…
A huge thank you to all the talented coders at Guard Crush for their dedication and hard work!
Your feedback is very valuable to us and for the game's future. So, please don't hesitate to share it with us on the Steam forums, our official Discord, or in a review!
We can't wait to hear your thoughts on Absolum✨
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Praise the Blessed Mothers, rebels.