SPINE Transforms Warfare into a Stylish and Thrilling Gun-Fu Adventure
I entered *SPINE* at Summer Game Fest 2025 with elevated expectations. The neon-lit avenues of Tensor City appeared to promise a rich, vibrant environment, and developer Nekki offered a sneak peek into the gameplay as Redline—a graffiti artist-turned-revolutionary—in their forthcoming cyberpunk action game. I found myself captivated. After spending 20 minutes with this chic gun-fu fighter, I departed believing that Nekki has created something unique—a game that not only pays tribute to [John Wick](https://www.cgmagonline.com/review/movie/john-wick-chapter-4-2023-review/)’s graceful violence but also transforms it into an interactive form of art.
*SPINE* allows players to take on the role of Redline, a red-haired creator whose existence is dramatically altered upon acquiring a sentient spinal implant. This isn’t just another cybernetic upgrade—the implant, simply known as Spine, serves as her combat ally in the battle against the oppressive Tensor AI regime that governs her city. The concept immediately brings to mind [The Matrix](https://www.cgmagonline.com/review/movie/the-matrix-resurrections-review/) and Neo’s odyssey, yet Redline’s narrative feels thoroughly her own, grounded in street art culture and urban insurrection, with a visual style that evokes Hong Kong and other Asian metropolises.
The combat system stands as the game’s most significant draw, gracefully merging martial arts with firearms in what the creators refer to as gun-fu. It brought to mind what [viewers witnessed in *Equilibrium*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0238380/) back in the early 2000s. Throughout the *SPINE* demo, guiding Redline as she sliced through waves of foes felt profoundly cinematic. She danced around adversaries with graceful agility, delivering powerful kicks and strikes before effortlessly moving into weapon-based finishes—and let me tell you, it’s spectacular. *SPINE* seems crafted to enable players to experiment and discover the full extent of its combat, rather than struggle with each fresh challenge, allowing them to star in their personal action film.
However, as you can discern by now, *SPINE* diverges slightly from the ordinary action game. Its distinguishing factor is its dedication to providing a one-of-a-kind cinematic experience. The third-person perspective sustains a letterboxed, film-like aesthetic throughout the majority of encounters, ensuring Redline’s electrifying combat style and eye-catching red attire remain prominent against the cyberpunk landscape.
### “Throughout the *SPINE* demo, guiding Redline as she sliced through waves of foes felt profoundly cinematic.”
Naturally, raw hand-to-hand combat represents only one facet of this gun-fu action title, and *SPINE* introduces an ample selection of options for dispatching adversaries. The weapon system injects tactical nuance without introducing overwhelming complexity. Redline begins every confrontation armed with a basic handgun and a can of spray paint—the latter utilized to temporarily blind oncoming foes. Scatterings of weapons throughout each level include shotguns and other firearms. Nonetheless, ammo depletes rapidly, compelling players to depend on melee techniques and environmental takedowns to advance. This scarcity generates tension and promotes inventive problem-solving, whether it involves hurling foes off rooftops or snatching their weapons mid-fight.
I was informed during my demo that the studio created its own animation engine, dubbed Cascadeur, which collaborates with Unreal Engine 5 to produce those fluid, film-quality takedown sequences. The outcome is combat that flows without clumsy interruptions or abrupt shifts. Finishing moves merge seamlessly into the action, crafting moments that genuinely encourage players to cheer. One particularly unforgettable scene exhibited Redline snatching a foe’s shotgun before instantly using it to execute a brutal finishing move—pure cinematic brilliance.
### “For action gaming enthusiasts who have longed for a genuine John Wick–style experience, SPINE seems set to fulfill that fantasy…”
While combat is a crucial element, it’s the game’s overall visual style that enhances the experience, embracing its cyberpunk backdrop without resorting to stale clichés. Neon graffiti accents add character to combat encounters, while Tensor City’s oppressive architecture forms the ideal setting for rebellion. The artistic direction underlines the game’s narrative themes, with Redline’s artistic roots influencing both the world design and her combat animations.
The boss fight that wrapped up the demo showcased *SPINE*’s challenge scaling. Battling an opponent with analogous cybernetic enhancements resulted in a notable difficulty spike, requiring heightened strategic thinking and precise timing. I’ll concede—I failed several times in my effort to defeat this other Spine user. Yet I appreciate how it all functions and how the developer structured the experience, helping the player feel empowered while daring to challenge their newly honed skills against formidable adversaries.
*SPINE* is set to release sometime in 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
