Knights in Tight Spaces
Knights in Tight Spaces
Game
Game2021
Fights in Tight Spaces
Developer Ground Shatter
Fights in Tight Spaces is a roguelike deck-building tactical game developed by British studio Ground Shatter and published by Mode 7 Games. The game was released in December 2021 for Microsoft Windows, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S after an Early Access period that started in February 2021. Ports for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were released in May 2023. The game is based on simulating the… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
302 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 2, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
82
LovedLoved
158 positive · 35 negative
95% range 76–87%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 158 | 35 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 42 | 2 | 47 |
| Lemmy * | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 5 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
2,542 of 2,769 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
81% recommend · 157 yes, 36 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 193 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (3,564 of 3,962 positive).
Players praise the stylish mix of deck-building and tactical combat. [1][2][3] Some find the balance and RNG frustrating, especially at higher difficulties. [4][5][6] Many enjoy the game but note limited replayability and repetitive stages. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [17]
It's really upsetting that this publisher is so terrible. Recently, they've added (poor, annoying) content from a DLC to the game which you can't disable without first buying the DLC. In other words, they've made the game worse and you need to shell out more money to fix it. It's a crying shame because the baseline game *was* good, but the rapacious greed of reforged has them actively degrading the experience in the …
- [18]
Super fun but also not what I expected at all. This is not a deck builder for busted combos and synergies, it's too well balanced, which I think is mildly unfortunate, what's the point of becoming John Wick if I can't be utterly unstoppable
- [8]
Cool concept and a golden egg of an idea. Very flawed execution. To be clear, I don't think these flaws come up too much until you start getting into the thick of it and trying to master the game. For my first 50 hours or so I had an absolute blast, then it started to get frustrating. The events are so bad you should always take the fights over the events, which makes the run drag on for a very long time, but if you …
- [1]
Fights in Tight Spaces is one of the coolest combinations of genres I’ve played in a while. It mixes deck-building, turn-based tactics, and action movie choreography into something that somehow feels both strategic and incredibly stylish at the same time. Every fight feels like solving a violent puzzle where positioning matters just as much as the cards in your hand. The game absolutely nails the “action movie” …
- [2]
Its minimalist visual style, paired with smooth and cinematic animations, creates a unique atmosphere that keeps the action engaging from start to finish. If you enjoy strategic planning and clever, turn-based combat, this is definitely a standout experience worth playing.
Summarised from 34 of the 292 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 12, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Fights in Tight Spaces talk about unique blend of genres with stylish action-movie feel; those who didn't talk about balance issues and frustrating RNG on higher difficulties. Which matters more to you?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Fights in Tight Spaces received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic. 93% of critics recommended the game, according to OpenCritic. Reception of the game in its early access state has been favorable, comparing the resulting gameplay to the James Bond, Bourne and John Wick films done by way of Slay the Spire.
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 302 · most liked first4. Fights in Tight Spaces This game is basically that one scene from the Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock movie where he plans out his moves in his head during a boxing match, except as a deckbuilding roguelike. Go discombobulate some folks!
positive · AI labelView post →One of my sons got me Fights in Tight Spaces for Father's Day, and I finally had time to play it and promptly stayed up way too late. In the most complimentary way possible: I wish I could take this game and put a "branching dialogue, reactive choices" story around it.
positive · AI labelView post →21) Fights in Tight Spaces. Incredibly stylish card based tactical fight game that is essentially 'what if we mashed together the bathroom fight scene of Casino Royale with the aesthetic of the opening credits.' Sadly hampered by pretty bad card design, but still a ton of fun.
neutral · AI labelView post →It's really upsetting that this publisher is so terrible. Recently, they've added (poor, annoying) content from a DLC to the game which you can't disable without first buying the DLC. In other words, they've made the game worse and you need to shell out more money to fix it. It's a crying shame because the baseline game *was* good, but the rapacious greed of reforged has them actively degrading the experience in the hope of squeezing blood from a stone. don't buy it!
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →boy all it took was about 10 minutes with the new Fights in Tight Spaces DLC for me to immediately fall back under that thing's spell. hell of a game.
positive · AI labelView post →🔸 Get to know us (in video form!) We're Ground Shatter 👋 Bristol-based developers of Bafta-nominated 👊 Fights in Tight Spaces💥 and currently working on ⚔️Knights in Tight Spaces🏹, a standalone game set in the same universe!
neutral · AI labelView post →oh hello!! we're Fights in Tight Spaces, a BAFTA nominated turn-based, deck-building, tactical fighting game 💥👊 (also a spiritual prequel to Knights in Tight Spaces!)
neutral · AI labelView post →HELLO BLUESKY! We're Fights in Tight Spaces, A strategy game that blends deck-building, turn-based tactics, and thrilling animated fight sequences in classic action-movie settings. 👊💥 Overcome the odds to defeat your adversaries. (we also totally didn't forget our login deets till now)
neutral · AI labelView post →FiTS demands you to play tactically in unbalanced RNG situations. Especially on higher difficulties you need to play perfectly, but the game has apparently zero balance. You can enter death spirals on runs where you know you're not winning, and it's a long slog from the first missions to the later ones. Health doesn't reset at the beginning of new stages either. Bad luck and RNG is a greater threat than the enemies. As you level up you unlock new cards to make custom decks with, but the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Best Friend of Size Five Games from The Swindle dev team @lottemakesstuff.pink has a new game coming out in 3 hours and it looks AMAZING. A little bit 'Fights in Tight Spaces', a little bit 'Into the Breach', a little bit 'Devil's Kiss' and visually gorgeous store.steampowered.com/app/1900250/...
neutral · AI labelView post →Hey thanks for quoting me in this! Quick correction - I was the original publisher of Fights in Tight Spaces, not the developer - that was @groundshatter.bsky.social. The game is currently published by Reforged Studios. Thank you!
neutral · AI labelView post →[GOG] Fights in Tight Spaces: Complete Edition ($6.99 / 80% off). UPDATE: I found out 3 hours after posting this deal that they released a 2nd DLC - K9 Division. The complete edition on GOG is incomplete. Just more Civilization naming shenanigans.
neutral · AI labelView post →Playing a game called Fights in Tight Spaces at the moment and it's a really fun small scale deck builder turn based strategy rogue-lite (bit of a mouthful) Here's a quick video of a replay. It's currently cheap on steam and there's a prologue demo too if you're interested.
positive · AI labelView post →Fifteenth: Fights in Tight Spaces 👊 Developed by GroundShatter is an amazing game that I've played on my Steamdeck more then any other game. Its the perfect turn-based strategy game that is simple visually but is incredibly satisfying and amazing to watch.
positive · AI labelView post →If you like the idea of Slay the Spire more than the actual game, Fights In Tight Spaces combines it with tactical positioning and movement in ways that I find much more compelling. And for $5? That's a great price!
positive · AI labelView post →Knights in Tight Spaces expands on every part of the Fights in Tight Spaces' template, but an abundance of new ideas swamps the clarity the original game had. Our review: www.eurogamer.net/knights-in-t...
neutral · AI labelView post →YES. This is also the one problem with Fights In Tight Spaces. Build an entire game out of throwing enemies around and making them fall off cliffs, but then the multistage boss at the end is immune to forced movement.
negative · AI labelView post →I wouldn't recommend it. It is stylish, and clearly is meant to make us think of John Wick and SUPERHOT, but the gameplay doesn't really let you be John Wick. But, it doesn't let you be anyone really. Like, I never felt very strong in my 'run', and I figured it was a run based game too late. I think I've made some unoptimized choices, or just got unlucky, because I'm poor as hell, and there's no way for me to catch up to the enemy. Just for one example, I'm fighting ninjas in a tight space,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →43/42. Fights in Tight Spaces / Knights in Tight Spaces (2021, 2025, PC). Strictly speaking, they're about the same game, but filtered through separate genres (action movies vs. D&D TTRPG's): deckbuilders premised around choreographing your own action scenes.
neutral · AI labelView post →The Jingle Jam 2024 Games Collection. Donate 45 bucks to charities and get 18 games Shadows of Doubt Wildfrost For the King 2 Frostpunk Sticky Business Fights in Tight Spaces Scorn Eternights Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers Death Sprint 66 Orcs Must Die 3 Submachine: Legacy Hadean Tactics Patrick's Parabox Mars First Logistics Another Crab's Treasure Citizen Sleeper Two Point Campus
neutral · AI labelView post →Fundamentally, there's a cool concept here, and I really do want to like this game. However, the game suffers from a few key issues regarding it's system that hold back the card-based street brawling action. First, the game cannot seem to decide whether to be a roguelike or not. The game seems to encourage multiple playthroughs, but the amount of missions means it's not nearly as pick up and play as it seems. If each of the missions constituted a run rather than every single mission back to…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am so late to the party. No one told me how much fun Fights in Tight Spaces was! This addictive card game is basically like playing out a scene from a martial arts movie in turn-based fashion! It's essentially a Brodie simulator! This was met with universal approval in the PoI Bullpen!
positive · AI labelView post →Fights in Tight Spaces- While the second game, Knights in Tight Spaces, expanded on the foundation laid out here this is still incredibly worth playing, especially if you want a more focused deck builder without party management. The thrill of clearing a room in as few moves as possible is divine.
positive · AI labelView post →I have remade the popular game Fights in Tight Spaces in Wareware
neutral · AI labelView post →This game is a lot of fun. It's a Roguelite tactical RPG called Fights In Tight Spaces. You play as a special agent fighting off random baddies with card battler combat. Super addicting. Everyone should give it a shot.
positive · AI labelView post →Playing a lot of Fights in Tight Spaces this week, which is a delightful action movie-themed deck building computer game. The strategy is deep and addictive. This exchange cracked me up: "I never thought I'd have to say this but Berlin has a ninja problem." "Don't we all?" Perfect action dialog.
positive · AI labelView post →Masters of Orion 2 XCOM series and similar turn based tactical games like Xenonauts 2 and Phoenix Point (most recently Star Wars Zero Company) Age of Wonders 3 City of Gangsters Fights in Tight Spaces Phantom Brigade Jagged Alliance 1 through 3 (but not Back in Action) Shadowrun Returns and Dragonfall
neutral · AI labelView post →Super fun but also not what I expected at all. This is not a deck builder for busted combos and synergies, it's too well balanced, which I think is mildly unfortunate, what's the point of becoming John Wick if I can't be utterly unstoppable
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game! Phenomenally frustrating but, once you learn the patterns, it simply becomes challenging.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Enjoyed the early areas, but the later acts just add annoying enemies that are more irritating than interesting to play against. The decks are also too slow to unlock.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Rabbit is streaming Fights in Tight Spaces, a martial arts um... strategy game? I'm not sure what to call this, but it's cool so far! www.twitch.tv/rabbitzot
neutral · AI labelView post →If that was the only innovation, it would still be enough for me to give a "yeah, this is worth checking out" to Oresa. This is a level of engagement which you don't normally see unless a game is going full Fights In Tight Spaces with it, and FiTS is no longer a pure Slay The Spire-alike per se.
neutral · AI labelView post →Been playing it a few hours. So far the tactical part feels very similar to Fights in Tight Spaces but more forgiving. Puzzly, lots of interactions with environment. The writing is really well done and the humor and tone are wonderful in the way only brits can do it. There is something about an out-of-work elite strike team having to rely on public transport and using the lead wizard's mom's apartment for HQ while they are still taking everything seriously.
neutral · AI labelView post →[Humble] Luck of Draw: Roguelike Deckbuilders - Holiday Encore ($12+). 6 games below for $12.00 - Alina of the Arena - Banners of Ruin - Collection - Dicey Dungeon - Chrono Ark - Luck be a Landlord - Tainted Grail: Conquest Plus 1 more game before for $18.00 - Fights in Tight Spaces
neutral · AI labelView post →It's satisfying when it works, but drawing the wrong cards when you're in a tight spot (which is pretty much always) gets depressing quickly. I love the concept, but deckbuilding doesn't fit well with the kind of precision tactics that would make the game truly enjoyable and satisfying.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →23. Fights in Tight Spaces (2021). Arcade design philosophy never died, it only found new niches, particularly in indie space. Here, you'll find games that combine disparate genres like roguelikes, deck builders and tactical action games to create James Bond sims, as you do.
positive · AI labelView post →Feels like this should be an April Fool's joke, but it isn't In spy video game news 🕵️, "Fights in Tight Spaces" just received a sequel called "2 Fights in 2 Tight Spaces" It shadow dropped during the PC Gaming Showcase The game is out now on Steam in Early Access #Steam #SpyVideoGames #indiegame
neutral · AI labelView post →My verdict on Fights in Tight Spaces is that it's a fun tactics game, but a pretty bad deckbuilder roguelike. Deckbuilding feels bad when the odds of getting the moves you want are so low, and runs take too long. Roguelike runs should never be 2+ hours!
neutral · AI labelView post →Though this game is fun, and I will continue to play it from time to time, I do not recommend it. To complete and entire run from beginning to end requires such tight and precision play and deckbuilding that if you mess up even once, you're entire run is basically over. Twice I've had a deck that sweeped multiple rooms only to be destroyed cause it takes a long time to recover compared to other roguelikes. I recommend it if you just wannna play it as a time pass, I do not recommend it if…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →8th game, Fights in Tight Spaces Mixed feelings. Stylish and fast deckbuilder, both attacks and movement are restricted to cards dealt, leading to interesting player decision making But I really wish this wasn't a roguelike, though I can see why it is Still a recommend, just for the cool factor
neutral · AI labelView post →Fights in Tight Spaces is one of my favorite computer games. I could not get into Knights in Tight Spaces. It feels wrong in a way that didn't soften with time. The Far Sails sequel was the same. It just never had the same feeling of quality as the first game, controls felt wrong.
positive · AI labelView post →I just looked, Fights in Tight Spaces is the 12th most played game in my Steam library by hours played. Buy it! The rest are RPGs & Helldivers 2.
positive · AI labelView post →"Knights in Tight Spaces is an incredible follow up to an already amazing game." @enothestrife.bsky.social gives the Fights in Tight Spaces follow up a 9/10. www.thesixthaxis.com/2025/03/04/k... #gaming #gamenews #videogames
neutral · AI labelView post →I think FTL might have been my overall favorite game of the 2010's. Anything with a space setting can immediately get my attention, but I think it also managed to be just the kind of roguelite gameplay I love, too. Fights in Tight Spaces and Nitro Kid are the closest I've seen to Into the Breach's puzzly/must-think-ahead style. Both are card-based battlers, though.
neutral · AI labelView post →I think at the sale price of like 5 dollars this was a nice buy. It has an interesting art-style and interaction between your cards and on board animations. However, I can't imagine playing this game for more than like 20 hours. The cards largely can very easily be fit into tier-lists of "necessary" and "useless" and there just isn't enough variety in the card and relic pools to really define runs. Add to this that you feel disadvantaged not starting at the "Biker" (there is a "story") mission…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →www.twitch.tv/lachesis_vtu... continuing Fights in Tight Spaces! Introducing a new feature where I allow you, yes you, the viewer to decide what character I am playing as I stream (like for my commentary, not in the game). Also I have cooked up a secret agent name you are going to want to hear
neutral · AI labelView post →14) Fights In Tight Spaces Tactical deckbuilder stylized akin to Superhot, this is a cool little strategy game that forces you to think carefully about your moves and order of operation. Can't just rely on building a specific deck, you HAVE to be adaptable. A good brain-tickler, highly replayable!
positive · AI labelView post →I have a blast playing this game. I've seen reviews talking about the deckbuilding aspect of the game... and I don't see the issue. You can draft your starting deck. Once there, the bonus you get for each level are efficient enough, some more momentum, improved combo, bonus movement cards, you end up feeling powerful. I will say that trying to block attacks quickly falls behind as a valid strategy, given how powerful opposing attack get. But dodge and movement are often enough. It's a good…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fights in Tight Spaces is a single-avatar game, but does cool things with the tactics/deckbuilder mashup and has absolutely no plot to speak of
neutral · AI labelView post →Fights in Tight Spaces started out as an Only Fools and Horses game
neutral · AI labelView post →RoboCop: Rogue City is a great fps that captures the setting (and stars Peter Weller!) and Knights in Tight Spaces is a sequel to Fights in Tight Spaces, which is basically Slay the Spire as a tactical combat game. Good deal on this one.
neutral · AI labelView post →I'm late but: Fights In Tight Spaces. I thoroughly enjoy their daily challenges, and save my replays when I have a spectacular run with no damage.
positive · AI labelView post →Fights in Tight Spaces is awesome. Randomly came across that game during a Steam sale and it was surprising and really interesting. Definitely recommend.
positive · AI labelView post →Nobody told me that there is a new Fights in Tight Spaces game. I can only assume it’s cause everyone hates me and wants me to die.
positive · AI labelView post →accidentally pressed backspace instead of enter and reset the fight but the tutorial didnt care and tried to force me to push a guy but he was too far away, so i softlocked the tutorial within like 10 minutes. music is good and gameplay is good. fun so far
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fights in Tight Spaces is a tactical deckbuilder roguelike with a lot of polish but not enough immediacy. The visuals are very striking, but the actual gameplay information is hard to read. Not only is the text hard to see, but overall the play area is littered with tooltips and arcane symbols. The sound design and animations are very satisfying though - every punch and kick feels visceral. Ultimately I put the game down because encounters were just too long, with too much tiptoeing around…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a game I keep coming back to. It is easy to play in small or long sessions, and plays very well on the steam deck. One tip I want to share for this game is this: Play the game until failure, don't just quit to main menu and start a new game if you think the mission is bust. You unlock new cards with each level, and you get levels with the points awarded from the game. However, you don't get the points when you start a new game. You have to fail, or win. For quite a while I was…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A game I love to bits got a new DLC, Fights in Tight Spaces! They added a dog, he's such a good boy! Gonna stream it tomorrow!
positive · AI labelView post →Rough question. I really love Fights in Tight Spaces because it is a perfect game for playing on long boring business calls where I still have to pay attention. Balatro is great for helping my hands stay busy while podcasts lull me to sleep, 8 hate poker but I love deck building.
positive · AI labelView post →Taking a quick break from shouting out #indiegames in this week's Steam visual novel fest to mention this: "Knights in Tight Spaces" has just released, so you can pick up this pseudo-sequel to the spy video game "Fights in Tight Spaces" on #Steam now There's even a bundle with both games together
neutral · AI labelView post →
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