Sifu Reviews
Sifu gets a lot more right than not, and though I typically can’t stand to play games that force heavy-handed repetitive loops, I found myself enjoying Sifu too much to put it away for long. Playing Sifu is a cycle of emotions; it’s tough, fun, frustrating, and rewarding, not always in that order. I think Sloclap did a solid job overall and I would also point out that the game is priced very reasonably at about $50, too. If you enjoy detailed, authentic martial arts action, Sifu is not only one of the only choices out there, but it’s a great one.
Despite some frustrating design choices around progression and a camera which isn’t as consistent as I’d like, I had more fun with Sifu than the vast majority of action games on the market. At the end of the day, it just feels too good to play for me to deny. Even as I replayed levels dozens of times when I really wanted to see what was ahead, I couldn’t put the controller down. That’s the sign of a master right there.
Fans of Absolver will adore Sifu’s mechanics and style, but don’t expect the kind of stance-based combat Absolver did so well. Sifu is a strictly combo and skill based affair. You won’t fail for using the wrong move, you’ll fail for not observing your opponent and striking at the right time. Sifu is a game I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a whole new approach to the staling rogue-like genre.
With a high barrier to entry and not much of a story to tell, Sifu is going to have a limited audience. That audience will love it, but a lot of curious onlookers will be turned away at the door.
Excelling in tone, aesthetic, and creative vision, Sloclap delivered an experience I want to love unconditionally with no caveats. But with its punishing complexity atop the core systems and gameplay loop, as well as the lack of accessibility options, my relationship with Sifu is a complicated one at best.
Sifu is a complex, albeit rewarding action game that packs one mean punch. It’s a little too hard for its own good at times, but taking the time to overcome its challenges can be pretty fulfilling. That said, the game is grossly drenched in exoticism, which kind of puts a damper on things.
Sifu is a game that could have been something amazing, with its fascinating premise and superbly crafted and fluid combat mechanics and animations. However, the game’s frustrating need to make the gameplay ridiculously hard just left me tired and annoyed. Sloclap really needs to think about how they can make this game more accessible, possibly by including more shortcuts, an adjustable difficulty setting, or just lowering the impact of health lost from fighting your average foe. Hopefully they will bring in some patches that will address these issues, but as it stands, I’d wait before investing time in the world of Sifu.
Sifu preaches patience as it brutalizes your very existence in every way imaginable. But if you stick with it, and continue to learn from your mistakes, you'll eventually get your revenge and find the peace you were looking for.
If you're able to practice your martial arts, breathe in and have patience and persistence, you'll find a deep combat system, rewarding fights, and moments that make you feel like a flawless kung fu master.
Sifu delivers on its promises of being one of the best Kung-Fu games ever made. With incredible animation work, flowing combat, a beautiful art style, and great music; this indie beat-em-up, roguelite game deserves more than the cult following it will probably receive.
Through neoteric ideas around what combat can be, many of which were conceived with Absolver, Sloclap has carried the classic beat 'em up into the present with Sifu. It might be brutal and unforgiving, but it never feels cheap and it's a pleasure to continually learn the complexities of kung fu while bathing in the world's surplus of flair and ferocity. So push through and persevere, because there's one hell of a game on offer here.
Sifu is a must-have game for anyone who enjoys martial arts. It has a solid combat system, but its main disadvantage is a steep learning curve.
Sifu can often be satisfying when things come together and the action unfolds like a martial arts film but the difficulty will divide players.
Sifu is one of those games that sounds amazing in concept but is flawed in its execution. Playing as the unnamed martial arts master feels badass when it works, but once those deaths start to pile up, Sifu becomes such a punishing game that, more often than not, it will see you rage quitting the game for something more balanced and refined.
Sifu's unique aging mechanic and top-tier combat make the journey from a headstrong student to a wise kung fu master utterly thrilling.
Sifu has an extremely high skill ceiling and very deep gameplay, paired wonderfully with stylized visuals and great art. The gameplay is extremely refined, but Sifu's narrative just feels unfinished as a whole, and could have been the difference from Sifu being a lot more than what it is.
Sifu is definitely the 2022 current-gen spiritual successor to Karateka in plot and design, but with kung-fu, naturally. If you jive with that concept and its unrelenting challenges, go all out with this showdown.
When everything falls into place, and you hit that flow-state mastery of Sifu’s combat, it becomes one of the most unique and refreshing action games that we have seen in a while. Add in some beautiful artwork and great homages to kung fu classics, and this game is a winner. Its challenging and repetitious nature won't be for everybody; however, If you’re in the market for a game with mechanics that you can really sink your teeth into, Sifu is your best bet.
When taken as but a sampling of the entire experience, there does still linger some joy to savor in the combat and manner of challenge posed in Sifu. Set-pieces that unashamedly kick off with questions being asked and players put on the back-foot, even if said sequences never evolve beyond such basic a pitch as clearing out groups of foes.
Mastering Sifu's combat system takes a high degree of dedication and practice, but like a true martial artist, you must push through the practice pains before you reap any rewards.