I’ve said it before I’ll say it again, I have a handheld problem. I also have a controller problem. But one thing I haven’t mentioned is my steadily growing game problem. In Steam alone I’ve managed to pick up 540 or so games and still counting. While I may have enough games to last me a lifetime, that didn’t stop me from taking an interest in Abathor, a 2D action platformer. And when the team sent an early key over to take a look at the game, how could I say no?

So join in as I take my look at Abathor, the game I wanted, but didn’t know I needed.

Gameplay

As I mentioned in the introduction, you’re covering 50-plus stages of an action-adventure platformer. To me, I would say it really reminds me of those classic arcade games or something like Golden Axe (which I also have an affinity for). 

Throughout the increasingly difficult stages, you’re swinging your sword and fighting every enemy you find in an attempt to gain souls and currency to help power up your character for each stage. Eventually, you’re met with the boss, and when you struggle to beat it (I usually never beat a boss on the first go), you get that feeling that you just want to keep going. 

What’s nice is that Abathor supports up to four players in local multiplayer, and while I haven’t had the chance to try it out, the set of characters you have would certainly make for a fun combined experience. 

If you have the time, willpower, and possibly the friends, going through Abathor has so far been an incredibly fun experience.

Visuals and Sound

What can I really say about the visuals and sounds of Abathor? They’re incredibly reminiscent of the games from an era before I was born. And I particularly like how the atmosphere changes when you meet the bosses. While it may be a cliche seen in a number of games, it’s still one that I’d call a guilty pleasure.

As for the audio, it is a really nice score that adds to that sense of adventure. While during my time I found a few songs to be a bit repetitive, especially if I had to play through them a few times, overall I would call the soundtrack a win. If you plan to buy this game, I’d recommend grabbing the Atlantis Bundle just to have the soundtrack available for later. 

My Current Thoughts

At the time of writing this, I’ve only gotten a few hours into the game, and while there are certainly people who are putting dozens in already, I’m not quite there. Despite that though, over time this is a game I can see myself putting in a lot more hours in an attempt to reach those final levels. It’s a fun platformer that has a good learning and difficulty curve to it. Personally, the credit system for lives just makes me put even more focus into the game than I may otherwise would have.

Up until this point, I’ve played it three ways. On PC with my Gulikit KK3 Pro, on my AYN Loki Max, and streamed to my phone over Moonlight with the EasySMX M10. Of those three, the Loki Max has been my favorite so far, and despite being a Windows handheld, you will also be able to play it on Steam Deck.

With all the positivity, I do still have gripes. I found some platforms were difficult to see at first, leading to accidental deaths. While the chests are nice, the rewards definitely spray a bit far, leading me to lose some treasure, and at times it felt like I was moving just a bit too slow for my liking. Again, another personal preference or gripe for me. 

For $15 though, I would highly recommend grabbing Abathor if you’re looking for something with a classic challenge. And if you want the soundtrack to go with it, that’s an extra $5. As a final word, what are my thoughts on this game? The article probably would have been out last week if I had actually put down the game to write.

Abathor on Steam

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