The text below was published on the Epic Games website.
The upcoming single-player action game SPINE blends John Woo’s flair, a dash of John Wick, and hints of Batman: Arkham Asylum. It all comes together in a chaotic whirlwind of “Gun Fu,” set against a gritty cyberpunk future.
Developer Nekki has created games using its proprietary animation software, Cascadeur, since its founding in Cyprus in 2002. SPINE‘s director, Dmitry Pimenov, revealed the studio often uses its titles to showcase the animation prowess of its technology.
“We felt we needed to create a game emphasizing camera work, animations, and weapon mechanics,” he said. “That’s how the Gun Fu combat concept emerged.”
For the uninitiated, Gun Fu is a close-quarters combat style merging gunplay with martial arts. Originating from Hong Kong action maestro John Woo in his 1985 film A Better Tomorrow starring Chow Yun-fat, its popularity later surged in the U.S. through films like Desperado and The Matrix—and most recently, the driving force behind the John Wick franchise.
Games have likewise embraced the style extensively, from Max Payne’s bullet time to Bayonetta’s over-the-top combat and Pistol Whip’s rhythmic action. “SPINE’s pitch is a free-flowing cyberpunk action game centered on Gun Fu,” explained Pimenov. “It follows protagonist Redline, who gains a powerful sentient combat implant named SPINE that heightens her reflexes and enables her heroic feats.”
The game controls evoke Batman: Arkham Asylum, with face buttons handling attacks, combos, dodges, and blocks, while triggers manage shooting, crowd-blinding spray paint, and melee defenses.
SPINE‘s Summer Game Fest demo opens in a rundown bar where Redline is framed for multiple murders. She kicks, whips her pistol, fires mid-air, and spins through crowds—using red-and-blue threat indicators overhead to dodge bullets. Rapidly swapping between melee strikes and staccato gun bursts amplifies its Gun Fu inspirations. Weakening an enemy while crowd-dancing triggers a cinematic takedown by pressing both bottom face buttons.
Action initially unfolds in tight third-person perspective before shifting to a top-down view in crowded spaces—an ode to John Wick‘s famous sequences.
“We treat each mission as its own short film,” noted Pimenov. “Hence, different missions feature different inspirations. During pre-production, I outlined scenes I wanted—rooftop brawls, train-top fights, dojo clashes—then built a cohesive narrative around them. This takes place in a walled city-like area. It’s an early-game mission focused on teaching mechanics.”
The camera dynamically frames fights autonomously, letting players focus solely on combat strategy.
The demo prioritizes action over story, though Nekki teases an engaging narrative where Redline and her AI implant battle an “oppressive AI regime.” Observant players may note VR headset-clad NPCs mindlessly swaying in certain areas.
The climax pits players against boss Edda Kopp: a slender gun-wielding fighter clad in black, capable of vanishing mid-fight. Before the encounter, Pimenov tactfully inquires about arachnophobia—a warning justified when Kopp deploys spider-like crimson drones that crawl from ceilings, scuttle underfoot, and detonate like landmines. This unnerving hazard amplifies the duel’s intensity.
SPINE is slated for 2026 release on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC.
