![]() ![]() ![]() Each target has its own dedicated level, really a series of fights that culminate in a boss encounter. The structure of Sifu is the player begins a quest for vengeance in a safe-house preparing to take on five targets: The Botanist, The Fighter, The Artist, The CEO and then Yang as The Leader. This system has so much potential, yet combined with the mechanical challenge, is painful. The Death Counter also carries over between levels. Luckily there’s ways to remove them, via beating certain enemies or using experience points for a fresh start. Player damage output increases with age, since older is wiser, though health declines as the body ages which is represented visually with wrinkles and grayer hair. If it sounds punishing, that’s because it is. Once hitting the maximum age “group” of 70, the next death is literally a run killer. If one has died five times in the same area at age 30, suddenly they are 35. It tallies up a Death Counter after each revival, taking that number and adding to the current age. Whenever their health runs out, The Pendant can resurrect. Although not quite enough to grant true immortality. One of Yang’s lieutenants, the machete-wielding mute Fajar, attempts to kill the playable character yet we resurrect because of a special talisman called The Pendant. The player can choose to be a male or female, then steps out of the shadows as a child with false bravery. Rushing a house with four henchman, Yang murders the father of our playable character who I don’t think has a name so I’ll just call them the protagonist. In a clever twist, the first section is played as the primary antagonist named Yang. An in-your-face combat riddle where one wrong move results in failure. Set in a solitary, nondescript Chinese city, it’s way more third-person brawler than flashy action game. There’s very little else to its story, barring quaint mysteries and underlying motivations. Sifu is openly, unabashedly, a classic revenge tale. The intention, better or worse, is mastery of its levels, systems, encounters and boss fights to complete the ultimate run towards vengeance. Especially not anyone without quick reflexes, dexterous digits and a whole lot of patience and time. It just doesn’t do too much.ĭeveloper Sloclap’s sophomore effort after Absolver is most certainly not a game for everyone. Though a predictable narrative, humdrum visuals and uneven systems detract from the experience. Overall there’s definite highlights, when a combat sequence works it’s a thing of beauty. It’s supremely challenging and much less often rewarding. Sifu is one such game that has promising mechanics yet suffers from major balancing problems that prove to be its ultimate downfall. Without the delicate give and take, experiences can be exceedingly frustrating and outright obnoxious. In kung fu and many forms of martial arts, balance is key. ![]()
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