I can’t believe Knights in Tight Spaces managed to slip under my radar until now. Granted its predecessor Fights in Tight Spaces also went unnoticed by me, but I will blame its 2021 release on that one—trapped and confused as we were by a global pandemic and desperately hiding inside Animal Crossing: New Horizons. But if there’s one thing that I can enjoy about this miserable game industry is that it still manages to surprise me.
Thankfully, like its predecessor, Knights in Tight Spaces takes a fundamentally solid idea and applies an interesting fantasy filter on it. It effectively takes the most interesting element of combat in Dungeons & Dragons—the environment—and builds a tight, intricately designed game around it. And it works with aplomb.
I’m going to forego tradition a little bit with my review and not get into the story of Knights in Tight Spaces because, for what little of it there is, it sort of runs parallel to the gameplay rather than enforcing it in a meaningful way. While there is the connective tissue of a narrative, it feels a bit more “choose your own adventure” style that effectively provides the premise for the next fight—although players are given some choices that can yield different benefits.
And honestly, I was totally fine with this because the gameplay is where Knights in Tight Spaces really shines. If you missed its predecessor, it’s a turn-based deck-building action game where players combat multiple enemies in enclosed spaces. The majority of battlegrounds are small rooms and tight corridors, so there’s a little bit of luck, depending on what cards you’re dealt, but positioning and execution are tantamount to success.
“Thankfully, like its predecessor, Knights in Tight Spaces takes a fundamentally solid idea and applies an interesting fantasy filter on it.”
But what separates Knights in Tight Spaces from its predecessor isn’t just its fantasy aesthetic, but the mechanics that are synonymous with the genre. Rather than playing as a generic Fight Guy, players can choose one of three classes at the start—the standard Brawler, Ranger, or Rogue—and unlock more complex classes through progressing through the game. While each character plays fundamentally the same due in large part to the card-based combat system, things like stat differences, equipable weapons and even cards that are unique to each class make each one feel a little different and add more to the gameplay.
Not only that, throughout the course of their adventure, players will pick up party members that add another unique layer to the combat, every member uses the same card and energy pools, so how you place each character and utilize their positioning can make all the difference in a fight. It’s an incredibly satisfying experience that, like its predecessor, sets players up to feel like a group of medieval John Wicks. With the right moves and attacks you can face wave after wave of enemies without taking a single hit.
However, it’s not totally flawless. Because the combat system is based around cards, there’s a large degree of luck that comes into how well you can build your deck, and how stylish you can make each fight. Considering how much Knights in Tight Spaces utilizes environmental combat, it was a bit of a bummer that for almost the majority of my time with it, I didn’t get a lot of fun cards like the ones that let me smash enemies’ heads into walls or throw them out windows.
“The music really brings Knights in Tight Spaces to life as well. It combines orchestrated music with a sort of Hip Hop beat that gives each fight increased tension and a distinct sense of cool.”
Maybe things would have been different had I picked a different character—I started with a Rouge naturally—but you’d really think the game would have given you at least a few considering how much the battleground plays into every fight. It’s not really a deal breaker, but it was unfortunate. But Knights in Tight Spaces makes up for this minor shortcoming with an abundance of style and a genuinely engaging gameloop. The way each attack is animated in a really fun way—especially some of the more extravagant attacks—makes each fight feel really intense and action-packed.
Furthermore, it’s a monochromatic colour palette for characters contrasts nicely against the coloured and textured environments and gives the game a bit of a storybook feel. The music really brings Knights in Tight Spaces to life as well. It combines orchestrated music with a sort of Hip Hop beat that gives each fight increased tension and a distinct sense of cool.
Like I said, I was surprised by Knights in Tight Spaces, and every time I stopped playing it to write sections of this review, I found myself inextricably drawn back to it. Its gameplay is so incredibly digestible and so immediately entertaining that it’s a wonder why it isn’t on a handheld system like the Switch—especially considering its predecessor is. If you were a fan of the first one or are just looking for something genuinely fun and unique, then you should definitely give this a look!
