Sifu Reviews
If Sloclap wanted to make Sifu hard, they could have done it without making players have to re-do most of the game from the beginning. Earning and keeping shortcuts should feel rewarding, but in Sifu it only seems like it is a solution to a problem the developers created.
Is it worth the effort? Like we said: The highs here are very high, the sense of potential mastery potent. (Game looks great, too, with a fluid, slightly cartoonish style.) But progress will take a certain bloody-minded persistence—and a willingness to overlook the game’s various crimes against authenticity. (To be clear: This is a team of French developers making a video game about what they think an Asian martial arts movie looks like; it’s so divorced from anything resembling a story about real people or cultures as to land somewhere at the intersection of stereotype and cliché.) With those caveats in mind, though, Sifu remains the kind of game it’s hard to stay away from for very long—for no other reason than a desire to take vengeance on it for what it did to you the last time you played.
Overall, Sifu is an amazing indie game that emulates martial arts perfectly in an interactive video game with flashy fights in cool environments, a satisfying learning curve, and a decent amount of content. I'll return many more times for just one more fight sequence, and the Switch version is perfect if you can overcome its unavoidable performance limitations.
Sifu is still a solid action game that feels tailor-made for those willing to put in the time to learn the systems. The subsequent patches have opened up the game to more players who lean on either side of the difficulty spectrum, but it remains challenging even if you try to make the game as easy as possible. The main adventure is a more than satisfying romp thanks to the deep fighting system. The new Arenas mode adds loads more life to the game, even if your only interest is seeing which movies get referenced in a given scenario. Players on both the Xbox platforms and Steam are rewarded for their patience with a very good game, while the Arenas mode alone gives owners on other platforms and stores a big reason to return to Sifu.
The Easy mode is a welcome reprieve, giving several more lifeboats before letting your drown, but even that has the ethos of "you will be testing your limits". But if ready to climb that mountain, players will be rewarded with some of the most refreshing hand-to-hand combat out there with inspired stylistic flair. If you enjoy the struggle, SIFU is in the upper echelon of video game fighting.
We haven't beaten a man this much in a while, fellas. Sifu is a wonderfully enjoyable production, except for a few minor problems.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Sifu's deep combat and ageing mechanics aren't for everyone, but those keen to roll with the kicks and punches will find one of the most satisfying and addictive brawlers of recent times.
Sloclap Studio has been able to create a work that not only offers a different experience in the Beat'em Up genre, but can even be referred to as one of the most prominent fighting titles of the last few years.
Review in Persian | Read full review
As much as it makes a large number of players complain and hate themselves, it becomes just as enjoyable and memorable for those who overcome all its challenges.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Sifu made me regequit handful of times and yet it quickly became one of my favorites, especially thanks to its bald and punishing learning curve, that pushes you into mastering all sorts of moves and combos. French studio Sloclap delivers a typical revenge story, that is wrapped in a clever level design and excellent gameplay mechanics.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
SIFU puts you in the shoes of a martial artist, and I mean it literally, as you will have to have patience and practice a lot to master your skills and time every single one of your moves precisely to be able to beat your enemies. It's not an easy game and probably not too appealing for everybody, but it certainly rewards patience and practice, and once you finally get into its core, you will have a hell of a good time.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Fans of beat-'em-ups or kung fu movies will instantly fall in love with Sifu. If you can handle replaying levels multiple times, it's a must buy.
Sifu is a memorable game. It is also a hard game that rewards patience and the willingness to perfect yourself. It is not perfect, but it is fair. One of the few negative aspects we encountered is the camera control that in some scenes it is not just a pain in the ass, but it can cost you an entire run. Another thing we would have oved to see is a more detailed character building, where the story is not just a frame for the action.
Sifu is a successful game whose biggest problem may be a very high level of difficulty. If you are not afraid of challenges and fights that may resemble grind - check it out boldly. The impatient may have a slightly bigger problem.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Sifu is a great beat em' up game that discourages mashing buttons. The combat system stands out as a mix between the Batman: Arkham series and Sekiro, with a heavy emphasis on precision. It is a demanding game that penalizes mistakes and rewards skill.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Sifu set out to be the kung-fu game of your dreams and for the most part I think it succeeds in being that. When you get into that perfect flow the combat and animation is just superb and this is complimented by some great art direction and a fantastic score. It’s really the difficulty and some unclear tells that hurt the game a bit and may be too much for some to overcome.
Sifu is an amazing action game with rich and challenging combat that constantly forces you to think about how to better face and survive certain situations. The low variety of enemies and the short duration are a little disappointing, but they are minor stumbling blocks for an excellent title.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
A brilliant take on the roguelike genre, Sifu is a game that is hard to beat, but even harder to put down. Timing, patience, and skill will see you to fulfilling your goal and exacting that sweet revenge.
Spectacular, brutal, and tense ride, unfortunately without a flashing finish line.
Review in Russian | Read full review
If there's anything that might make me hesitate from recommending Sifu to everybody, it's that its difficulty clearly makes it not for everyone. In addition to being a beat-'em-up, it's also a roguelike in some ways, where repeated failure is to be expected and almost embraced. Not everybody is going to be into that, and it's a shame because in addition to all the action, it's got a very cool art style and outstanding soundtrack. It also just "gets" fans of fighting movies and kung-fu. There's a sequence in the game's first level in an abandoned building where the camera perspective shifts from over the shoulder into 2D, left to right, in a nearly spot-on replication of the hallway fight from "Oldboy." You get to fight a hallway full of people; that alone gave me chills and makes the ensuing hardcore, hand-cramping fights to come worth it. Perhaps one of the best compliments I can give to Sifu's essence is this: Playing and improving in this game actually seemed to make me better at other games. What's more kung-fu than that?