See the embedded tweet here

"Five Gods of Kung Fu" is a story-driven Beat 'em Up with a totally unique control scheme. Developed by Gregor Bestelmeyer, the game was released on July 31, 2024. In a conversation with the studio, Bestelmeyer shared some of the inspirations and post-launch plans for the game.

When asked about the inspiration behind "Five Gods of Kung Fu" and how he incorporated traditional fighting game inputs into the action gameplay, Bestelmeyer explained: "I grew up watching Kung Fu movies and still love them to this day. Jackie Chan classics like 'Drunken Master' and 'Snake in the Eagle's Shadow', epics like 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', and even modern masterpieces like 'Kung Fu Hustle' are among my all-time favorites. I especially love the mix of Kung Fu and comedy. On the other hand, I have been a Tekken fan pretty much my whole life, and Lei Wulong, with all his stance transitions, was a clear inspiration. 'Five Gods of Kung Fu' is basically all about different stances. For example, the Snake Style has enhanced damage and knockback properties if you perfectly time your input, which is similar to Tekken's electrics."

Regarding balancing the five ancient fighting styles to ensure each offers a unique and engaging experience, Bestelmeyer detailed the mechanics of each style: "The first four fighting styles you can learn each have a different main mechanic. Snake Style features a perfect input mechanic that allows you to break through your opponent's defenses. Tiger Style lets you parry enemy attacks, leaving them open to heavy-hitting charge moves. Drunken Style lets you gather momentum by either dodging or drinking, which makes all your attacks increasingly more powerful. Mantis Style allows you to trap your enemies' limbs, rendering them defenseless and open to counterattacks. The fifth style I’m leaving as a little surprise at the end."

Since the game's release, the community's response has been positive, and the studio is attentive to player feedback for future updates. "I feel quite lucky to have such a positive response to my first game. All feedback so far has been incredibly nice and constructive. I’m obviously collecting all reports about bugs or quality of life issues, but I also received some really great ideas for features from players, which I can’t wait to add," Bestelmeyer said.

Regarding post-launch goals, Bestelmeyer highlighted that the initial focus will be on fixing bugs, adding translations for other languages, and improving quality of life features, such as custom keybinding. He also mentioned plans for free content updates and the possibility of porting the game to consoles. "If there is enough player interest, I would love to work on an expansion! I already have a lot of ideas in mind for it," the developer concluded.