Spine preview: An impressive cinematic Gun Fu brawler

The gaming market is incredibly competitive. There’s a vast wealth of titles beyond the AAA headliners but it’s not easy to stand out from the crowd when you’re coming up against games with multi-million dollar marketing budgets. To do so, you need to be so much more than a ‘good’ game. You need something that makes you wholly unique, and I can safely say that Spine has that by the bucket load.

Developed by indie studio Nekki, Spine is an upcoming single-player action game. You’ve likely heard the term ‘Gun Fu’ being thrown around in recent years. It’s essentially a style of combat that sees the Chinese martial art of Kung Fu with guns incorporated. While it’s something that’s been growing in popularity for quite some time, it’s arguably been popularised by the acclaimed John Wick franchise, spearheaded by the legendary Keanu Reeves.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Spine’s developers at this year’s Gamescom, witnessing around 30 minutes of gameplay, and the project was pitched to me as this, ‘What if John Wick was a game?’ It’s a winning formula that I can’t believe the gaming industry hasn’t already pounced upon, but that will only work in Nekki’s favour as Spine offers something that’s unique, fluid, and incredibly satisfying.

Take a look at Spine in action below.

In Spine, you’ll assume the role of Redline, a rebellious street artist fitted with a sentient combat implant known as Spine. There are no prizes for guessing where it’s situated on her body. Redline has decided to rise up and fight against her city’s autocratic AI regime, all whilst searching for her captured brother - so there’s a timely message in here, given the fears of AI within the industry. Throughout her journey, Redline will have to face off against street thugs, mafia bosses, and trained assassins.

Anyone who’s sampled John Wick or other Gun Fu media will know how satisfying it is as a combat style to watch. There’s a fluidity and preciseness to it - almost playing out like a dance. That’s been beautifully captured in Spine’s combat system which, I have to say, was a real treat to witness. Redline’s technologically-enhanced spine allows her to flip about with little issue. The way in which she springs around her enemies, taking them down with an array of kicks and punches is incredibly gratifying.

And that fluidity travels through into her finishers. There’s no awkward pauses whilst you press a certain command. Yes, you do have to trigger those finishers but those transitions are seamless. In one particular finisher, I witnessed Redline steal her opponent’s shotgun before instantly finishing them in a rather gruesome blow. Never have I ever wanted to let out a Keanu Reeves-esque ‘Yeah’ more so than in that moment.

Credit / Nekki

You may think that guns, kicks, and punches are all of the tricks in Redline’s arsenal given the genre of Gun Fu, but that’s not the case. I mentioned that Redline was a street artist. Well, that comes into play in the combat as Redline can spray paint at any moment somewhat blinding her enemies, buying you more time. As a nice little touch, the paint colour is randomised, making for a vivid ever-changing experience.

This is a linear game, so Redline will essentially work her way through neighbourhoods of enemies which gradually increase in difficulty. I was given a glimpse at one of the late stage bosses who looked formidable but developers assured me that Spine is equipped with various difficulty settings to cater to all preferences.

As for the aesthetic of those neighbourhoods, Spine has a neon futuristic setting that I sense Cyberpunk 2077 fans will find themselves feeling right at home in. Given that the game has been created in Unreal Engine 5, it won’t come as a surprise when I say that it looks incredible. The cityscapes that developers have created will not leave you disappointed.

What perhaps most dazzled me about Spine though, and I didn’t think the fluidity of the combat could be topped, is the camera work. For the most part, I don’t think many of us tend to think about the camera work in games. We’re so used to playing either via first or third person points of view that we largely control ourselves. Spine has opted for something far more cinematic, although it is still third person. Developers sat down to watch some of the greatest Gun Fu and Kung Fu action movies out there, incorporating the camera methods they saw used into the game from great sweeping motions to top down and side-on angles. When you’re fighting as Redline, the camera moves around you in a number of different ways creating something that wouldn’t look out of place on the silver screen. It’s incredibly impressive to watch.

Spine is unlike anything else I’ve ever played. With its cinematic approach to combat and its translation of the Gun Fu genre to the gaming sphere, I think the developers at Nekki have got something very special on their hands. This is a title worth keeping an eye on.

Spine remains without a release date but will launch on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.