As you’re likely aware, 2025 promises to be a groundbreaking year for Chinese games gaining traction on the global stage. Leading the charge are Phantom Blade Zero, Lost Soul Aside, and Tides of Annihilation—titles that are eagerly anticipated by Western audiences. Additional releases include Where Winds Meet, The Perceiver, Ballad of Antara, and Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, which are also expected this year. All share a common thread: they are action-heavy titles with Souls-like elements, which might sometimes leave Western players yearning for something different from China. Fortunately, today I bring you details of a game occupying a different genre. No, it’s not the record-shattering Mecha Break on Steam, which hit 317,522 concurrent players during its demo last month, but The Hidden Ones. This is a fusion of beat ’em up and arena fighting, but at its core, it’s an adaptation of a Chinese webcomic and animation named Hitori no Shita: The Outcast. It’s a tribute not just to Chinese martial arts but also to the philosophy of Bruce Lee. I had the privilege of trying it during the Pre-Alpha Test a few weeks ago, and I have but one sentiment: Be water, my friend…
Since its announcement at the close of 2023, The Hidden Ones has been on my radar. I recall feeling a hint of envy when American media and influencers got hands-on time with it in December 2024. It wasn’t until the Pre-Alpha Test sessions from February 27 to March 10 that I finally had my turn, although this coincided with my testing of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which took precedence, explaining why this preview comes a bit later.
For those unfamiliar, The Hidden Ones is adapted from a 2015 Chinese webcomic by Dong Man Tang, which was transformed into an animation in July 2016 under the name Hitori no Shita: The Outcast. Despite its Japanese-sounding title, it was co-produced by Chinese and Japanese studios, Pandanium x Namu Animation. The animation comprises 12 episodes and is available in France on Crunchyroll. If you’re a fan of combat, intricate choreography, and polished animation, it’s worth watching. The game, developed by Chinese studio MoreFun owned by Tencent, aims to translate the quality and style of the source materials into a digital experience. The standout feature of The Hidden Ones is undoubtedly its smooth animations, making gameplay feel like watching a live-action anime. The fluidity and array of combat moves are impressive. The developers have drawn inspiration from kung-fu, Tai-Chi, and Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do to craft choreography reminiscent of Hong Kong cinema’s golden era.
BE WATER MY FRIEND
Structurally, The Hidden Ones is an Arena Fighter, heavily inspired by the Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm series. As such, mastering the game feels straightforward for those accustomed to VS Fighting titles. However, MoreFun Studio has packed it with nuanced mechanics like dodging, parrying, and a break feature. Basic attacks easily form combos, and upon completion, opponents are pushed back slightly. Players can ‘cancel’ a combo during its middle stages by utilizing the RB button for dodging, extending the attack without knocking back the adversary. This action, however, consumes stamina, ingeniously discouraging spamming. Interestingly, parrying and blocking don’t drain stamina, and a perfect parry provides a strategic opening. A yellow bar below the screen’s center indicates the counter window.
Conversely, some attacks marked by a red light cannot be parried or blocked—only dodging prevents damage. Timing a dodge correctly introduces a sleek slow-motion effect, allowing for counterattacks. A blue light denotes less powerful moves, which can be mitigated. Naturally, there are devastating signature moves with variations depending on which character you play. Combat in The Hidden Ones focuses heavily on timing and endurance management, imbuing the battles with a compelling rhythm.
TAI-CHI MASTER
The Pre-Alpha Test highlighted engaging battles with other players, yet The Hidden Ones truly shines in its well-crafted Story mode. This mode follows the webcomic and series narrative, and MoreFun Studios has emphasized expanding the roles of previously minor characters, promising surprises for anime fans. I was frankly impressed with the Story mode’s depth, a rarity in fighting games, which traditionally link arena battles with cutscenes. The game’s developers have imbued Story mode with thoughtful considerations and modern beat ’em up elements, alongside missions featuring chases, QTEs, and wall-jump segments. Beyond battles, players face boss fights, stealth missions, and puzzles. While not open-world, the linearity ensures seamless storytelling without wasting time.
Beyond Story mode, The Hidden Ones offers two additional modes: Duel mode allows players to utilize the complete character roster, each with unique abilities and techniques. In Trial mode, players face a gauntlet of all the bosses from the Story mode, including an infamous sinister version of Sun Wukong, swapping his magical staff for a stone pillar. This fight, described as intensely challenging, adds significant weight to the gameplay. While The Hidden Ones doesn’t yet have a precise launch date, developers are targeting a Q3 2025 release. The game has been in development for some time and intends to rejuvenate the arena fighter genre, one that has seen little evolution over the past two decades…
