Forestrike: Everything We Know

The action games genre has yet to peak, with developers still imagining new dimensions. It’s proving to be quite dynamic, unlocking new possibilities for the thrill of gamers. This time, it’s Skeleton Crew Studio carrying on its unique artistic style of combat and fantasy-based storytelling with Forestrike. The makers of Olija have partnered with Thomas Olsson. They are working on a karate-style 2D-pixel art kung fu game with a unique supernatural twist. They have yet to tell the release date or at least an early access date. But the bare announcement was enough to evoke anxiety. It all owes to the game’s meditative technique. And it forms players’ main combat mechanic. 

Dubbed the Foresight ability, this feature allows players to visualize combat first. They can see it from different perspectives and then choose the approach to use in the real fight. If that interests you, here is everything we know about Forestrike.

What is Forestrike?

Forestrike is an upcoming unique Kung fu roguelike video game from Skeleton Crew Studio and Thomas Olsson.  Devolver Digital, the publisher, announced the game on July 19, 2024, unveiling the title’s artistic and fantasy-based combat. Unlike most martial arts games, whose gameplay is often a scramble, the developers here designed a masterpiece. You first visualize the fights before you brawl it up with the foes. 

Story

For now, only a little is known about Forestrike’s story. But you will be fighting in a mythical world to free your country from the hands of an evil admiral. The game is developed by the same team behind the 2021 action-adventure title Olija. That explains why Forestrike’s storyline tends to blend with Olija’s. 

With the 2021 platformer, you play as the main protagonist, Lord Faraday. He’s trapped in a Terraphage after his ship gets wrecked by a whale. But despite being trapped in the collection of islands, it’s Faraday who still saves the day. He finds a map and rescues himself and the survivors of the evil-corrupted islands.

However, while the stories are related, Forestrike takes a slightly different approach. An evil admiral has captured the country’s emperor, and it is now up to the main protagonist to save him from captivity. It’s different from Olija, where the Lord frees himself and the crew. But as a novice martial artist, it’s an uphill task. 

Battle through the enemies that outshine you in every aspect. It’s a series of epic kung fu battles that you must win. Pretty much like the chilling revolutionaries always do in martial arts films. 

Gameplay

In Forestrike, you assume the role of a novice martial artist named Yu. You are the hero journeying to free the country’s emperor from the influence of an evil admiral. You will encounter many enemies as you journey to the capital. But you have the techniques from up to five masters and a secret meditative weapon. 

Embark on a thrilling tactical kung fu combat imbued with a supernatural twist. It’s the most exciting part of the game that makes playing Forestrike quite captivating. You will battle against various combos of enemy types. Notably, they outnumber you in every aspect. But your foresight ability got your back all the way through. 

Typically, the foresight ability helps you play or visualize the battles before they happen. You are still battling against the enemies encountered in the actual fights and battle them in advance. From your vision, you can see the optimal strategy to finish off your foes while taking minimal damage. 

For instance, you can visualize how to dodge an enemy that lunges at you and have them trample at a mate. You can then seize these teetering moments to grab a nearby weapon and deal with a deadly strike. You may need several meditative attempts to piece together the best approach. Once you master the right sequence, you can execute your moves in a real battle. And if you feel you pulled one of your best moves in the battle, you have a rewatch feature. Review the fight in slow motion to feed your ego or study your strategy for the next fight. 

Technically, combat in Forestrike feels much like a puzzle that you need to crack. Use your meditative technique and your fists to run the battle over in your mind. You can then identify an effective sequence to use in actual combat. Losing in combat means you will start over again, although your progress is permanent. You can always level up and customize your character’s move sets. You only need to pick techniques from any of the five masters. 

Development

Skeleton Crew Studio and Thomas Olsson designed Forestrike as an action roguelike and puzzle game. According to their official description, Forestrike is a tactical kung fu title where repetition is the key to victory. They announced it in July 2024, unveiling a visually striking fantasy world with pixel-art landscapes. Everything, from the characters to the vicious foes to the mythical revelations, looks handcrafted. 

Trailer

Tactical kung fu game lovers can catch a glimpse into Forestrike’s environment through the game’s official trailer. The trailer begins with a cool soundtrack reminiscent of martial arts films before a deep voice explainer begins. Yu sits with legs crossed like a monk in what appears like a temple. You can then see him sandwiched between hordes of enormous foes all ready to attack. The trailer is available on YouTube, and you can still watch it on Forestrike’s Steam page. 

Release Date & Platforms

At the time of Forestrike’s announcement, neither the developer nor the publisher provided an exact release date. However, the game is slated for release sometime in 2025 for Switch and PC via Steam. You can already wishlist it on Steam to stay updated. For those attending the Japanese Bitsummit event, there will be an opportunity to test the game’s demo, offering a first-hand experience of what Forestrike has to offer.

So, what’s your take on Skeleton Crew Studio’s upcoming release, Forestrike? Do you think it’s a perfect spin on the action games genre? Let us know your thoughts here on our socials or in the comments section.