Fights In Tight Spaces Exclusive Gameplay Breakdown ─ GameSpot Gameplay

Fights In Tight Spaces is the next game coming from the creators of Frozen Synapse 2 and Tokyo 42, and they're bringing their focus on tactics and split-second decision making to the scenario of a bare-knuckle brawl. As a turn-based, card-focused brawler, your every move is pulled from a selection of action cards from your deck, and you'll have to think several steps ahead before committing to your brutal counter-attack or grapple maneuver against an unsuspecting foe. In this exclusive gameplay video, lead game designer James Palmer breaks down a typical fight scene in Fights In Tight Spaces, and how one move can result in many different outcomes.

Just as the title suggests, you do engage in several battles in confined spaces. In keeping with the developer's roots within tactical games, the action takes place on a grid, with you and your foes taking turns. This approach allows you to get a bead on your opponents and plan out your next move. Added to this is the incredibly stylized, yet still brutal art-style that focuses on minimalism. Evoking a similar vibe to films like John Wick and The Matrix, you'll be able to employ many brutal martial arts moves like jumping kicks and slam takedowns, while even utilizing the environment to work in some extra damage. While you'll start with low-level grunts, eventually, the enemies will start bringing in guns and other weapons. With the focus on tactics, you can overcome their plans by using the environment and their formation against them, allowing you to bob-and-weave your way through the battles--granted you keep a level head.

What's interesting about the next game coming from Mode7, working with developers from Ground Shatter and SMAC Games, is that despite the sense of urgency in the scenario, you have the time to plan out your next move. Even with the odds against you within a claustrophobic space, there's a path to victory when making the right moves, which are shown in brutal, cinematic detail when utilized in the right way. Set for release sometime in 2020, Fights in Tight Spaces is a very different approach to a brawler, yet it still looks to maintain a sharp sense of style and tension, which should make for an exciting time.