New Game of the Week! Acts of Blood is a violent brawler inspired by The Raid & Sleeping Dogs

Over time, various games have depicted hand-to-hand combat, but Acts of Blood is gearing up to increase the intensity of the violence. By blending a touch of Indonesian cinema into the violent scene, it aspires to echo the bone-crushing brutality found in films such as The Raid and The Night Comes for Us, among others.

14 years after its release, The Raid remains a towering example of exceptional action movies, and its subsequent sequels and adaptations have provided equally cunning entertainment.

As a devoted movie enthusiast, there’s something inexplicably gripping about Indonesian cinema. The level of raw, gritty violence it portrays is both unsettling and captivating, making me utterly unable to tear my eyes away from the screen.

Despite being cultural landmarks for the region, none have attempted to bring that same ferocity to video games. At least, until now that is. Enter Acts of Blood.

What is Acts of Blood?

At the heart of this game lies the intense action of Indonesian cinema, reinforced by intricate third-person fight systems that promise a thrilling brawler experience. It’s been tailored for casual gamers to navigate comfortably, yet offers a rich combat system with the potential for devastating combos and deadly power moves for those who seek it.

The game is based in the city of Bandung, which is the creator’s hometown. It tells the story of Hendra as he embarks on a mission for retribution. This narrative shares similarities with genres where the main character takes action, systematically tracking down and confronting those who have wronged him.

In this scenario, close-quarter fighting is the main event, where Hendra masterfully subdues hordes of criminals by rendering them unconscious, breaking their limbs, or propelling them towards hazardous objects in the vicinity. One enemy at a time, one powerful adversary at a time, Hendra will exact revenge on those who caused him pain.

Slated for release in the summer of 2026, “Acts of Blood” promises an array of personalization choices, hidden treasures to discover, and a multiplayer mode that encourages repeat play.

TopMob caught up with the game’s solo developer, Farjul, to learn all about it.

What the devs say about it

Working solo gave Farjul freedom

Ever since my time in junior high school in 2010, I’ve been creating games. However, when I transitioned to a professional role at a game studio, the experience shifted significantly. The unrestricted creativity I enjoyed while working independently was no longer present.

In January 2024, everything fell into place for me. I embarked on a fresh endeavor called “Acts of Blood.” What started off as an educational exploration has morphed into the comprehensive game development project you see today.

I embarked on this project mainly to rekindle the enthusiasm I once felt when creating items independently.

Recreating the city of Bandung

In many games, our cities, culture, and daily surroundings are seldom depicted. My aim was to alter this tiny piece of the gaming world, offering a reflection of our own environment.

I strive to convey the essence, the street vibe, architectural style, and local details that residents will identify with. This is my method of honoring my birthplace, while simultaneously offering players worldwide a peek into a city beyond just Jakarta, which is often the focus for Indonesian games.

As a gamer, I carefully designed my game’s setting to reflect my hometown on a global stage. Not only does Bandung embody the perfect backdrop for the game’s narrative, but its unique vibe and atmosphere resonate deeply within the game as well. Known for its consistently cooler climate due to regular rainfall compared to other Indonesian cities, I opted to incorporate a cool, bluish color palette with vibrant red accents in the game – a choice that feels incredibly fitting.

In a more natural and easy-to-understand manner: “Bandung’s ecosystem is quite diverse. It offers a mix of urban life with scenic mountainous regions. This unique combination provides an ideal setting for game designers to create a wide variety of level environments, preventing players from encountering monotonous city landscapes.

Violent gameplay inspired by Sleeping Dogs and The Raid

This game serves as an expression of my deep admiration for the action movies created by Gareth Evans and Timo Tjahjanto, essentially being a tribute to their cinematic masterpieces.

Our goal is to recreate the intense action and raw intensity found in those films. We’ve made it clear to our publishers and collaborators that we are fully committed to portraying violence, and they have been understanding and supportive of our decision.

David, our talented animator, personally participated in a silat workshop instructed by Yayan Ruhian, an actor/stuntman from The Raid movie. This gives us confidence that our team possesses both the expertise and enthusiasm to accurately capture the essence portrayed in those films.

The foundation of our fighting system is modeled after Sleeping Dogs, incorporating strike, counter, and finisher actions. But we feel that Sleeping Dogs’ combo strikes are somewhat straightforward, primarily relying on repetitive tapping or holding of a single attack key. To enhance the combat experience, we’ve incorporated some of Sifu’s complexity by introducing variations in our attack buttons, aiming to make our combat system more intricate.

The essential components of my game include:

1. A grumpy character
2. Combat and atmosphere similar to Raid games
3. Fighting mechanics reminiscent of Sleeping Dogs

— Fajrul | Wishlist Acts of Blood on Steam! (@Fajrul97) May 16, 2025

Aiming to ensure that the game is accessible for casual players, while also offering intricate combinations for experienced ones to delve into.

In our game, weapons are employed judiciously. Firearms make an appearance exclusively in designated zones where combat situations arise. Interestingly, these weapons can double as melee tools; for instance, you could physically strike an opponent with a rifle, adding an unusual feature to our gameplay experience.

For my initial major undertaking, I’ve decided to keep the scale workable. The tale will be concise yet impactful, focusing on a short but powerful revenge storyline. To increase its longevity, we’re incorporating achievements, collectibles, and arena modes into the design.

Plans for a follow-up

For the upcoming period, there are ideas in store. Should everything progress smoothly, it would be exciting to develop a follow-up, shifting the theme towards a compact open-world setting teeming with content. This new project might resemble the Yakuza series in style. However, let’s save further discussions about that for another occasion.

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2025-06-02 05:49