Sifu Reviews
Every year there is always that one indie game that feels as a standout amongst the rest. I’m not saying that Sifu is a perfect game or anything, but despite my minor complaints, I genuinely love this game for all it is. Sloclap set out to make a game that captures the very essence of Kung Fu. A foundation they started with Absolver that has flourished into a well defined experienced, held by its addictively fun combat, and stylish visuals. Did they deliver? A resounding yes, as Sifu is an absolute must-play.
Sifu puts you in control of your own kung-fu film, with an exhilarating combat system and style galore.
For every beatdown you take and every run lost to the ether, Sifu always maintains there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Sloclap has crafted an astounding, rewarding experience, one that serves up engrossing combat and intricate visual / music direction to accompany each fist of fury. Even with only five levels to beat, this doesn’t mean there isn’t any nuance or sense of scope to them. Every level is filled with vibrant atmospheres that sell the notion of a kung-fu adventure. Sifu’s narrative shortcomings are unfortunate, but overall this is a tapestry of martial arts excellence. Is Sifu the best kung-fu game ever made? It wouldn’t be a stretch to think so.
It's as much a combat puzzler as it is a button-mashing beat-em-up, and has proven itself to be one of the best brawlers in recent memory. However, Sifu goes one step beyond that, offering an addictive, highly replayable, and all-consuming game that will undoubtedly stand among the best of 2022. Even after you've beaten this game, you'll feel the urge to go back, knowing you can do better.
Sifu was reportedly made as a love letter to martial arts movies, but it manages to go beyond that label and appeal to a much wider audience. Even with its moments of repetition and a bit aggressive grinding, its precise combat system is fun and creative, in addition to bringing the player a whole feeling of really being in the protagonist's shoes. It's an essential title for anyone who likes to challenge themselves and wants to feel firsthand what an aspiring martial artist has to go through to achieve their biggest goal.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
It’s not very often you come across a game with a concept as unique as Sifu. The aging mechanic is an interesting take on roguelikes that provides some serious challenge. The difficulty may be a little high at times, but satisfaction of overcoming the challenge is worth it in the end. With its fast paced action and amazing environments, Sifu is an incredible game that all gamers should give a chance.
An incredible showcase of combat mechanics, at the same time an homage to martial arts cinema and beat 'em up games and a truly unique and fresh take on the roguelike formula.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Sifu is a tightly designed kung-fu fighter that doesn't pull any punches on difficulty.
Sifu is a rare gem that deserves to be discovered, tried out and evaluated subjectively by the widest possible pool of users. Just like our experience with Returnal, we find ourselves in front of a product that, besides marking the maturity of its development team, departs from all those clichés indispensable to grab the largest number of users and stands only on its originality and on the skill of its creators in packaging a title that does not give discounts and does not compromise. Sifu is a collection of genres that come together in a satisfying game, punishing in some ways but never unfair. It's a celebration of beat 'em ups, and martial arts cinema, adorned with a distinctive and inspired artwork that exudes style from every pixel. We're sure it won't appeal to everyone who tries it, but it's only right that it should, to avoid a general flattening of the experience that titles like Sifu want to keep varied and, above all, original. For all these reasons we have decided to give Sifu our Award.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Sifu is a sheer delight to play with its immaculate gameplay and breathtaking graphics. Be prepared to get your butt kicked though, but if that appeals to you as much as it does for me, then this game should be at the top of your must-play list.
Sifu is the perfect representation of why the martial arts genre is so beloved by many and tackled through various mediums through the years. The amount of detail in the moves shown in this game empowers the player, making you feel like you can take on the world. The difficulty may be a turn-off to some, but the difficulty options added recently make it a more accessible game in comparison to how the game first launched in February, giving a chance for more players to experience how much of a gem this game really is, and how much it can inspire future games aimed at delivering a similar experience.
Except for camera problems and the occasional minor bug, I have nothing to complain about the game. Yes, one might argue that the absence of procedurally generated location games is detrimental, but the title with the locations it has worked great as far as possible. Sifu thus takes a recommendation of 9 points out of 10. The difficulty is pleasantly balanced, so the good old statement "git gud" really applies here.
Review in Czech | Read full review
Sifu does two things extremely well. The first of those is its callback to the old school era of Kung Fu movies I grew up on, with the second being delivering a brilliantly crafted and breakneck-paced combat system that manages to be enjoyed long after other elements of the game wear thin.
Sifu is a Kung-fu masterpiece that puts you right in the shoes of a martial arts master. Though you’ll have to put in the hard work to get there, it is a rewarding ride that comes with a real sense of accomplishment when you reach the end. It’s striking art style, fluid animation, brutal combat, combined with it’s unique death & rebirth mechanic comes together to create a game that is truly fun and rewarding to play.
If you are looking for simple and direct action, run away from this game. But if you are a persevering player who likes to be put to the test, here you will find one of the most exciting titles of recent times as hard and irresistible as the martial arts themselves.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
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.
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
If you’re a huge fan of beat-em-ups or crazy martial arts action Sifu delivers, but you’ll need to work for it!
Sifu is an absolute blast, with incredibly fun bone-crunching combat and a well-designed world that forces you to improve with each run-through. Unfortunately, Sifu's difficulty and punishing systems just hold it back enough to miss the mark on its potential as a masterpiece.
Sifu will test your patience, but learning how to coolly dismantle a room full of goons with virtual kung fu is worth the pain.