This year’s Summer Game Fest had some explosive new reveals like Resident Evil: Requiem and offered new looks at upcoming games such as Death Stranding 2, Mafia: The Old Country, among others. But if we put aside the AAA craze, the indie titles also packed quite a punch, like Sifu.
Regardless of what you feel about the overall event, Geoff Keighley’s commitment to giving smaller studios a global platform and showcasing their titles at gaming’s biggest stage is commendable.
One of the standout indie titles was a third-person beat ’em up, and Sifu’s influence was oozing from it. Hell, it looked like it could be Sifu’s spiritual successor, too, but either way, it deserves all the attention it can get.
Acts of Blood is a new beat ’em up that looks like Sifu’s long-lost twin in the best way
The first trailer for Acts of Blood was revealed at Summer Game Fest 2025, and the fast-paced hand-to-hand combat is heavily reminiscent of Sifu in the best way possible. Watching the trailer, you wouldn’t be able to guess that it was developed by a lone developer.
Yes, you read that right. One Indonesian developer by the name of Fajrul FN-Eksil Team single-handedly created Acts of Blood, and it looks incredibly well-polished. From the combat animations to the weight in the devastating blows, everything looks superb, snappy, and high-quality.
What’s different from Sifu is the fact that you’ll be able to use guns and turn around the gameplay mechanics from a beat ’em up to a third-person shooter. But the similarities are visible as both games have a similar revenge story, melee-focused gameplay with a variety of weapons, and a setpiece inspired by Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy.
The trailer further showcases the environments and the types of enemies players will beat the life out of with protagonist Hendra. Traditional parkour is also confirmed for the game as players can not only use it to traverse their surroundings, but also integrate it into the combat to effortlessly take down opponents.
So many diverse mechanics in a title developed by a single developer is mind-boggling, and the result is a brutally gorgeous beat ’em up that holds back no punches. Slated for a summer 2026 release, a demo for Acts of Blood is already available on Steam.
While the game is still more or less a year away from release, if you’re fiending for a title that captures the essence of Sifu while also being original in certain aspects, look no further and install the demo right now. Fancy the full-fledged beatdown? Wishlist Acts of Blood on Steam.
Is a Sifu sequel in development?
While Acts of Blood will keep fans of beat ’em ups busy, the absence of a Sifu sequel is apparent, and it seems like it’ll be a while before we return to that world. However, the developers at Sloclap haven’t stopped cooking ever since delivering Sifu’s final update.
Their next game comes out later this month, and it’s a far cry from Sifu. The title is a 5v5 fast-paced immersive football experience called Rematch, which blows FIFA out of the water with its unique art style and mechanics, such as one-player control and gameplay that actively depends on skills and not stats.
Sure, you won’t be able to play with icons Messi or Ronaldo, but its appealing art style and engaging gameplay will immerse you, as if you’re on the real field with a ball at your feet, playing for your team to ensure victory. And if you’re looking for teammates, call up your friends and jump into Rematch’s team-based online experience.
So, what do you think about Acts of Blood being a spiritual successor to Sifu? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
