Have you ever played a video game that both excited and infuriated you, but you can’t seem to put it down? That’s what the new release of Sifu has done to a lot of players! From game developers Sloclap, responsible for making a similar game Absolver, Sifu is a fighting beat-em-up, with a tried-and-true story plot. A martial arts master who’s out for revenge, as our main character hunts down those who were complicit in the death of said main character’s father and teacher. As I said, not an original story device, but it works. What really is the game’s selling point, is the combat system that we use throughout the game. The fighting mechanic is based on the real-life martial art, Pak Mei gung fu (Kung fu is the incorrect term used for Chinese martial arts.) It’s an “easy to learn, hard to master”, type of gameplay, which involves parrying, avoiding, and combos that punish opponents. But don’t think that this is a simple button-mashing game! This game may invite that sort of mindset, but upon facing up to seven enemies at once, you will quickly learn that button-mashing will only kill you faster. Which, by the way, brings me to another very interesting game mechanic. Your character has a Talisman that has several medallions on it. You can bring yourself back from death, but at the price of aging your body. For example, if you die at age 21 but bring yourself back, you come back older than before. Eventually, you can get up to your seventies before you eventually die forever.
Alright, I know that I said in the beginning, that the combat system can be frustrating, but it’s the same system that brings players back for more. Punishing you for your mistakes but rewarding you for learning from them. Also, there are tons of little nods to martial arts movies, such as Oldboy, The Raid, The Drunken Master, and more. The bosses are frustrating at first, but they all have a pattern to their attacks. When you master the fighting system, you really do feel like a martial arts master. I will say that sometimes, the camera is your worst enemy! Like, it can be in the most awkward positions, which can lead to untimely deaths, which can lead to broken controllers! The game also lets you go back to previous levels and beat them at a younger age, which is highly recommended! Trust!
Sifu is, for sure, a banger! Beautiful stage designs, secrets to unlock, and a combat system that is on par with the Batman Arkham games. I give Sifu an 8.5 out of 10! What’s your take on the game, if you’ve played it? Post your thoughts below, and till next time fellow blerds!
