Forestrike Review – Stylish Foresight, Flawed Progression

Forestrike Review

Martial arts lend themselves to the rogue-lite genre, where mastery comes through repetition and learning from failure. While Sifu had you age with every defeat, Forestrike lets you catch a glimpse of the future, planning each move to take out every enemy on screen in one fluid, cinematic sequence. Will this manage to replicate the clinical, cinematic fight that kung-fu fans have been waiting for, or will it turn into a messy brawl that sacrifices precision and style?

You play as Yu, a martial artist gifted with the rare ability of Foresight. With this unique skill, you set out on a journey across the country to free it from the Admiral’s influence. Along the way, you’ll train under several masters, honing your craft to take on the many enemies determined to stop your quest to conquer evil. While the story follows a conventional arc, it provides a strong premise that keeps you invested. Story beats are methodically woven between your runs, reinforcing the theme without ever becoming overbearing. As a result, the game effectively captures the feeling of learning and gradually mastering your art.

Ready to Rumble

Each run consists of several encounters, which require you to eliminate each person in the area in quick and swift fashion. In order to do this, you must take advantage of your specialist skill to plan your method of attack. While combat is central to the experience, each scenario also acts as a puzzle. You must determine who, when and how to attack in order to overcome the unfavorable odds. Success grants you the opportunity to choose from a variety of boosts, giving you an edge in subsequent battles. You can also visit shops during your adventure to purchase upgrades and items to help you prefer what’s next. This creates an engaging and addictive loop, capturing that essential “just one more go” feeling that every great roguelike needs.

Each master has specific skills that alter your approach to runs. Some require you to focus on dodging, whereas others instill you with lightning to enhance your attack. The goal is to complete runs with every master, unlocking abilities as you progress. Unfortunately, the meta-progression is where Forestrike falls short. Permanent upgrades are few and far between, which slows the pace. Instead, advancing relies more on the mastery of mechanics. While there’s a strong foundation, refinements are needed to make growth feel more rewarding and less dependent on sheer skill alone.

Be Water

Fights are well designed with each opponent possessing a unique attack, which will determine how you react. Some carry weapons that you can disarm and use against them, while others launch projectiles that you can rebound or dodge so that they connect with other foes. Other enemies have the ability to block or unleash a large strike, requiring you to weigh up how to tackle each encounter. When an enemy rushes in, you can counter with a lethal strike or dodge, sending them tumbling into the crowd behind you. The game is packed with scenarios like this, which reward patience and sharp timing, truly reflecting what it means to master the art of fighting.

Although your objective is clear, additional challenges also add variety to encounters. Tasks such as only using light attacks or eliminating everyone in a time limit reward you with coins that you can spend at the store to bolster your abilities. It’s a nice way to incentivize you to approach battles in different ways, as the reward will give more options throughout your run.

Outside of battles, you can explore the monastery. Talking to each of your masters gives insight into the world, fleshing out the narrative. Rooms open up as you progress, adding extra elements to the experience. You can also jump into your menu to look over all the mechanics and scour all the stats as you roam the area.

Slick and Stylish

I absolutely love the visual style. The chunky pixel art evokes classics like IK+, capturing beauty through simplicity. Visual cues are cleverly integrated, with colors representing specific maneuvers so you can anticipate and plan each encounter. The sound effects and music complement this perfectly, reinforcing the game’s tone and helping to build a cohesive, charming aesthetic.

Forestrike is a wonderful idea that just needs some refinement in its meta-progression. Encounters are an absolute thrill, blending combat and puzzle elements to make each fight feel intense and rewarding. While you earn plenty of bonuses throughout a run, permanent upgrades are few and far between, which slows the overall pace. As a result, you’re left with a satisfying but occasionally stagnant loop that leans more on player skill than long-term growth.

***PC code provided by the publisher for review***