Sifu Reviews
Earlier impressions on Sifu’s camera issues have not been resolved either, and getting cornered by enemies would be less punishing with a more sensibly directed viewable angle. For beat ’em up fans starved for new games to play, Sifu remains an obvious recommendation. Even those taken by its copious charms will want for more after they’ve seen it all, however.
Sifu is built around the idea of mastering a skill. Whilst this is the mantra of the protagonist, you will also play by this code and refine your skills after each attempt. The combat is sophisticated, containing enough variety and depth to be challenging yet accessible. Without any difficulty options, some may struggle as it requires time and patience, however, learn the mechanics and you’ll find one of the greatest and most rewarding fighters in the genre.
However, the fantastic gameplay, the beautiful graphics, and the amazing soundtrack just to name a few things make this an enjoyable experience. That being said, if you are not a fan of difficult games, I’d recommend renting this one first if possible because it is an extremely difficult game at the outset and will require a grind to be successful. But if that doesn’t bother you in the slightest, then come on in; the dojo is all set up.
Sifu is a well-execute marriage of gameplay and impressive aesthetics. Very entertaining and punishing, this is a game that requires attention, dedication and a little bit of strategic planning.
Review in Italian | Read full review
If don't mind some challenge, and if you enjoy combat-oriented gameplay with martial arts theme, then Sifu is something you should try on. It's a nice mix of Fighting Force and Sekiro.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Sifu doesn't pull any punches. It's a consistently challenging and demanding beat-'em-up, but persistence pays off. You'll be hard pressed to find a more rewarding game on PlayStation - especially one that's so visually striking and polished. Some quibbles with combat mechanics aside, Sifu is a knockout.
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 the epitome of a well-made martial arts video game that infuses cultural storytelling, brutal combat and a dash of roguelike. With its beautiful art direction, excellent soundtrack, and immaculate attention to detail, it is sure to rivet the attention of anyone interested.
Sifu is a completely satisfying fighting game. Its mechanics and levels are perfect, being a short experience but highly recommended.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Wanting to think of a comparison that is not too bold, one could argue that Sifu is literally like a diamond: shining, very hard and evidently not within anyone's reach.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Sifu is one of the best indie games of recent years. The passion that Sloclap clearly had for this project can be felt in every aspect of it. From its story it takes the conventions of the Hong Kong action genre, and gives it an interesting twist, although coming to the conclusion is a bit clumsy; going through its great visual and auditory presentation, which manage to transport us to a world that is based on our reality, but also shows us the corrupted minds of the villains; to its gameplay that nourishes beat'em ups by borrowing a number of concepts from rogue-lites, and adds an original idea. What we see here is top-notch.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Overall, I was pretty disappointed with Sifu. I know that it’s an excellent game. The combat is tight, feels really fluid, and is going to provide a nice challenge for people who want one. However, its gameplay loop and punishing aging system and multiplier, mixed with a lack of proper training and tutorial elements, ruined whatever enjoyment I felt at the start.
Sifu is a surprisingly robust and thoughtful action game that hearkens back to the quarter-munching arcade days of old, and Capcom's cult classic, God Hand.
Though Sifu features a few dialogue choices and scenes throughout its campaign where you don’t have to fight anyone, its surface-level engagement with martial arts film iconography betrays a lack of humanity that feels typical of works created well outside of the culture that they intend to depict. The game’s story grouses about the downsides of seeking vengeance, but this is plainly the work of people who like to fast forward to the fight scenes.
Despite an excellent combat system and intriguing world design, Sifu falls too short of its premise. Regardless of whether you’re playing it casually or going harder, the death mechanic is simply too punishing to be enjoyable. Perhaps with a fairer system, this would make for a better game.
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.
Arenas is more geared towards those who like to challenge hunt and make completionist runs on games.
As a whole, the Nintendo Switch version of Sifu is very good. The action fighting game has a reliable theme, good visual elements, interesting combat with smooth mechanics, a decent challenge level with a multitude of controls/moves, and a solid story.
Sifu is a difficult game, requiring you to master its complex combat in order to enact your revenge. But it could have used a bit more training before entering the arena.