Review – Forestrike – Gamerview

At first glance, it may appear to be a simple game with its pixelated look and 2D style, but the truth is that it goes beyond just a fighting game. The game is full of martial arts combat and challenges the player to master not only the blows, but also the mind and memory. What once seemed simple is gaining depth and it remains to be seen whether you can master this entire set while learning this story.

In this roguelite developed by Skeleton Crew Studio, the real fight doesn’t take place in front of the enemy, but inside the mind of the person preparing. This is the type of game that turns trial and error into choreography, and patience into power – perhaps bringing one of the best ways to make roguelite accessible, while still being challenging and, of course, exciting.

Meeting a samurai who predicts movements

As Yu, a martial artist and holder of the Prescience technique, we set out on a journey to free the emperor from the clutches of an evil admiral. The premise is inspired by classic films and has moments of great action, with space for reflection on the mentorship of the masters and also many jokes that balance the entire game well. Fortunately, everything can be followed easily, as the game is entirely subtitled in Portuguese.

The real adversary in this mission is the combat itself, the repetition, the “before entering” that usually decides victory. Forestrike mixes kung-fu combat with a roguelite loop and a puzzle twist. The great thing is the Prescience system: before fighting “for real”, you can mentally rehearse each encounter, testing actions, movements, understanding enemy patterns until you find a perfect sequence. Then comes the “real” version of combat – and you can still lose, which means starting over, fortunately with guaranteed progress.

In symbolic terms, the character acts as a warrior-monk who seeks inner as well as physical dominion, although it is easy to compare him to a samurai. In fact, there is an interesting detail: the rhythm and serenity of Prescience’s mental training are also very reminiscent of iaido (samurai art of drawing the sword with perfection and calm), something we see in, for example. In Forestrike, the spirit of the samurai does not wear armor, but maintains traditions in each blow and attempt to overcome.

In basic form, Yu has light attacks, strong attacks, dodges (although this consumes limited energy) and blocks. It can also attack with objects and even counterattack items thrown at it, such as rocks. All these commands get mixed up during combat, but there’s no point in thinking that this is a traditional beat ’em up. On the contrary: observing the type of enemy and their movements makes you choose exactly which blow to use to guarantee the best sequence. This expands throughout the game, as new techniques are unlocked, resulting in countless possibilities.

Forestrike’s countless chances

The first impression is that Forestrike’s anticipation is a little silly, and that you can move on straight to the real battle. Until you find yourself trying to make a perfect combination to avoid any damage to the character, since life is very limited. Trial and error integrates excellently into the narrative context and the roguelite itself, after all, who doesn’t want a chance to better prepare themselves so they don’t have to start the journey over again?

So far it’s clear that the game has much more to offer than meets the eye and it doesn’t stop there. There are hundreds of techniques to learn, and don’t think that the enemies will be the same in each game. The phases follow a narrative sequence, but the composition changes with each attempt, which ensures that each session is unique. Much of the progress remains; In fact, even if you lose some battles, there may be changes in the narrative, which gives a constant feeling of progress and helps to maintain the pace.

The game is also full of items to collect: countless adornments, concept art paintings, an enemy codex and hats. There is even a fountain in which the waters keep memories of their battles. In practice, these are videos that you can save about those perfect executions you performed. You can also consult statistics from previous matches; For detail-oriented people, there is no shortage of information.

In each match, you will be able to choose one of five Masters (who emerge as you progress through the story), each with their own martial school, assigning techniques that transform the fighting style. Choosing between them completely changes your stance in combat: one can provide the ki necessary for dodging, while another can teach specific blocks for stronger enemies.

As in , at times it is possible to acquire new techniques, whether attack, defense, effects during blocks or obtaining items. This also varies depending on the master chosen for the journey. It is also possible to recharge your energy in exchange for gold. Some lotus petals may appear on your path, and by completing five of them, you can revive after being shot down in a real fight. All of this shows that Forestrike is far from being a simple game.

Distrusting predictions

This more leisurely approach to combat is perhaps what he does best in the genre: every failure teaches, and every attempt matters, after all it always brings some gain and without realizing it, you spend hours trying to do the best fight possible and the funniest thing is that the predictions don’t always come out right, lol. It seems like the perfect type of game for the Switch, whether for portability or short sessions that require maximum concentration.

The game has a very attractive pixel art look, beautiful both on the laptop and on the TV and, even though it may seem simple, you can see Yu’s movements fluidly. It’s impressive how they managed to create such expressive animations with pixels. Something that is unfortunately missing is a review of the menu texts, where words with accents have hidden letters, it is worth adjusting the font.

Unlike titles like Sifu and Hades, which emphasize impact and frantic pace, Forestrike prefers calm and perception between movements, just like in Ghost of Yotei. He doesn’t want to impress you, he wants to discipline you. In the end, it ends up impressive, because it’s really very satisfying to achieve a perfect sequence of blows.

Yu’s journey is more interior than epic: each battle is a repetition that cannot be repeated, each new beginning, a step forward. Forestrike is an invitation to fail, and fail well until defeat becomes learning and movement becomes natural. All of this is worth the good hours of playing until you master and unlock everything the game has to offer.