It should probably go without saying, but from the very inception of the franchise, Tight Spaces have been important to us, whether that’s the levels in the games, the names of the games, or marketing ideas that ultimately lead to us dancing in a nightclub toilet.
Controlling the environment is one of the key design pillars of the game and is taken to a whole new level in Knights in Tight Spaces, so here’s a quick 101 on how - and why - to do that.
Voids
The game closely follows action-movie logic and physics, which means that once you throw a bad guy out of the door of a tavern or over the ramparts of a castle - they are gone for good. Out of sight = out of mind!
So the first thing to know about are “voids”, any tile that exists on the board where - if a character is pushed, kicked, or generally manhandled - they are instantly knocked out. But be careful, because voids are just as dangerous to you as they are to enemies, your whole run could be over with a careless placing of your character and an ill-timed enemy push attack.
Positioning the enemies and your own characters in such a way that you can get some easy ring outs is the fastest way to cutting through a large bunch of enemies when the odds get too stacked against you.
Obstacles
Wall, tables, railings, bartops, anvils, you name them, they’re kicking around somewhere. But what do all these things have in common? They are immensely satisfying to smash someone’s head into. If you push an enemy into a wall or obstacle, it does extra damage, that’s a given; if you’re one of those Brawler types then you probably have access to the Head Smash card - a powerful combo finisher that does significant damage to any enemy adjacent to an edge; or perhaps if you just want to look cool, a bunch of wall-based movement attacks give you access to extra damage and extra action-movie flair.
Enemy Positioning
The other action movie rule we live by is that goons… are goons. And once lined up to attack, they are going to attack regardless of who is standing in front of them. In fact, once activated, you can make the enemies - no matter how powerful - unleash their attacks on their colleagues, turn the tide of a battle, and be really satisfying in the process. So before you bother wasting your own punches on an enemy, work out first whether you can make another enemy do it for you, you won’t be disappointed.
Engagement Range
Not everything needs to be up-close-and-personal, different attacks have different ranges and it’s important to remember that when you’re planning your turn: whether it’s opening the space with a Quick Kick to clear the way for a long-range attack, or flipping out of a melee to allow a safe distance for an aimed bow attack, or using an always-justified Flash Kick to deal a chunk of damage and avoiding a Counter response.
Party Positioning
The introduction of the party system has made the whole space-control element of the game even more important. Before you act, think about the consequences of those actions. Can you trigger a Support Attack? Can you move an enemy into a position where another character can effect a ring-out? Or will you accidentally put another party member in danger?
As you control your characters, control the space, and manipulate the enemies to enact your whims, you will learn that it’s no longer just about picking which cards to use in which order, but picking which characters will use them, and how subtle changes in strategy will unlock further tactical options. With a bunch of extra abilities that include indirect targeting, proximity based effects, and new movement options (teleport!), placement within the fight spaces is even more important than ever. And we’re looking forward to you discovering them for the first time!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2315400