When it released in 2022, Sifu changed the concept of the beat-em-up. A genre long associated with retro classics like Streets of Rage, it was synonymous with pixel art and 2D side scrolling. Sifu made it more complex, more cerebral, and faster paced – one of the best and most original new games in years, Sloclap's breakout hit now has a spiritual successor. From Hotline Miami and Cult of the Lamb publisher Devolver Digital, Forestrike is a new kung-fu roguelike with the same ion for martial arts as Sifu.
Developed by Skeleton Crew Studio, roguelike game is foresight.
Through years of experience and thoughtful meditation, Yu has gained the ability to mentally perceive battles repeatedly until he figures out the correct movements and attacks to come out on top. In gameplay, this means you can experiment with fights without the consequences of death if you're wrong.
As a roguelike, the encounters and runs themselves will be randomly generated with each run, and Yu's death will mean starting over from the beginning, adding extra stakes to making sure you plan your attack correctly from the beginning. Just because you can see the future doesn't mean you'll know how to make it a reality.
We're still waiting for a release date for Forestrike, but you can already at it to your Steam wishlist now. Boasting gorgeous pixel visuals but impressively deep combat and systems, it looks like the perfect mix between classic and contemporary.
We've also got more of the best fighting games to keep the fists flying.
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