Many did not expect that one of the games made in Indonesia actually appeared on the main stage Summer Game Fest 2025 (SGF 2025). Game titled Acts of Blood is a project from the Eksil Team, which was worked on by a solo developer from Bandung with nine colleagues. Game genre beat 'em up It features brutal combat with a distinctly Indonesian setting.
Revenge Plot in Bandung City
Acts of Blood follows the story of Hendra, a law student whose life is drastically changed after his family is murdered by his father's business rivals. In an impartial and corrupt legal system, Hendra decides to take matters into his own hands. He discovers that the murder is linked to a much larger influential group.
In this game, players will follow Hendra's journey of revenge, hunting down one by one the people responsible for the tragedy.
The story in this game takes place in the city of Bandung, inspired by the developer's hometown. While not a one-to-one representation, the feel, architecture, and street details are made to resemble the city's atmosphere. These elements contribute to the game's dark and intense atmosphere.
Brutal and Dynamic Battle System
Acts of Blood offers an intense and fast-paced hand-to-hand combat experience. Players will face waves of enemies in each level, equipped with attack, block, counter, and finisher mechanics.
Key features:
- Dynamic Brutal Combat: Attack, block, and counter system with explicit finisher animations.
- Melee and Fire Weapons: Knives, sticks, pistols and rifles are available. Firearms only appear in certain areas and can also be used as melee weapons, including swinging. rifle towards the enemy.
- Interactive Environment: Nearby objects such as furniture can be destroyed or utilized in battle.
- Traditional Parkour: Players can run, jump and climb to set up strategic positions.
- Outfit Customization: Players can change Hendra's costume through wardrobe available in the apartment.
The combat system is designed to be accessible to casual players, while still providing depth for players who want to explore more complex attack combinations.
Inspired by Indonesian Action Movies
The developer mentions that Acts of Blood is a tribute to Indonesian action movies such as The Raid and The Night Comes for Us. The fighting style in the game is heavily influenced by action scenes from the works of Gareth Evans and Timo Tjahjanto. To create accurate choreography, an animator named David even attended silat training in Bali with Yayan Ruhian, one of the actors and action choreographers of the game. The Raid.
In addition, the combat system is also inspired by games like Sleeping Dogs and Sifu, combining elements strike, counter, and finisher typical, but with a deeper variety of combinations.
Acts of Blood demo on Steam
In the video Acts of Blood - Steam Demo Trailer which was released alongside the demo's release on Steam, players can see footage of the action with the Indonesian dubbingIt introduces the game's story atmosphere, fighting style, and local atmosphere.
Demo Acts of Blood is now available through Steam and can be played immediately. In this demo, you play Hendra on a special mission to infiltrate an illegal factory and take on the Butcher.
In addition to exclusive story missions, the demo also provides:
- Arena mode with waves of enemies
- Outfit customization is limited
- 10 mission-related demo achievements, arena scores, and combat challenges
This demo could be an interesting first look before the full version of the game is released.
Release Date and Platform
Acts of Blood is scheduled for full release on Summer 2026. The game will be available for PC platforms via Steam and will also officially launch on Xbox on the same day.
Stories Behind Game Development
Farjul, the lead developer of Eksil Team, mentioned that the project began with his desire to enjoy the creative freedom he had lost while working in a game studio. After starting the project in January 2024, he developed the Acts of Blood with nine of his friends.
In the process, the publisher and partners involved also fully supported the creative decisions, including the game's explicitly violent approach.
Farjul emphasized the importance of local representation. He wanted to show the atmosphere of other cities in Indonesia that are rarely seen in games, while introducing Bandung through a visual approach, environment, and distinctive architectural style.
Bandung was chosen for its geography and weather conditions that support the game's setting, from the cool city atmosphere to the transition between urban and mountainous areas. This combination also helped the design team to create a more varied level environment that didn't feel visually repetitive.
For its first project, Eksil Team has deliberately kept the scale of the game affordable. The story will focus on an intense and concise revenge narrative. However, the game also provides additional modes such as arenas, collectibles, and achievements to extend replayability. If the response from players is positive, they are open to making a sequel with the same approach. open world small scale such as series Yakuza.
Acts of Blood became the only Indonesian game present on the main stage Summer Game Fest 2025. With its distinctive Indonesian setting, brutal combat system, and strong cinematic approach, this game brings a different color to the genre. beat 'em up.
