Sifu Reviews
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 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 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 a completely satisfying fighting game. Its mechanics and levels are perfect, being a short experience but highly recommended.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
When it comes to judging the Switch version of Sifu, things get a little tricky. At its core, it is still the same Sifu, and it's coming with all the extra content that has been pushed out since release, so fans and newcomers alike will still have the same great experience getting to grips with its frantic and reactive combat, but is it the best version of Sifu? Not really. If you've played Sifu on PlayStation or PC, there are a few noticeable differences that do detract from the experience and demote this version to last place. All things considered, it is still the same Sifu, and playing it in the palm of your hand is a satisfying and powerful experience that shouldn't be ignored if you have not played Sifu before.
Sifu was one of the best games of the year when it launched on other platforms, and it's no different now on Switch. Its hardcore combat that pushes you to the limits of your skill, paired with a smart ageing mechanic, makes for one of the most satisfying gaming experiences in the beat 'em up genre. While the Switch port is obviously a bit downgraded from the PS5 version, it's still a more than valid option for Nintendo-only gamers and those keen to try this kung-fu brawler out on the go.
“Sifu” is a no-nonsense arcade brawler that can be played in short bursts or long sprints, depending on the commitment to perfect each level run. Despite its high skill ceiling, it offers a rare treat in video game martial arts: a brutal balletic presentation — if played well enough. If anything, it’s worth playing just for the first level.
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.
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.
A rewarding experience from its start, Sifu delivers challenge after challenge, all of which are too exciting to turn down.
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.
Sifu remains an excellent third-person roguelike that taps into classic kung fu combat. With its multiple free updates thus far in 2022, patient gamers should be assured that now is the best time to try one of the most accessible but still challenging roguelikes of the year. Sure, the Switch's port is probably a suboptimal experience compared to the PS5's hardware. But, it runs pretty well on the Switch, and it's quite fun despite the graphical quibbles one may expect from the Switch's hardware. SLOCLAP has done a pretty good job with this port and free updates, making Sifu a shoe-in for those wanting a souls-like experience on their Switches.
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.