Have you ever been to one of those restaurants that have a tasting menu? Like those fancy five course meal type places. No? Me neither but I feel like the best way to describe Sifu is by comparing it to a five-course meal.
Just like a master of the culinary arts, Sifu demands that the player becomes a master of the martial arts. Each level a dish which you must figure out and master to get the full understanding of why it tastes, I mean, plays so damn well.
Much like games such as Devil May Cry and Bayonetta the progression of the game is lateral, meaning there’s no major upgrade that’s going to make the game easier for you. Instead, the player grows, their reflexes and understanding of the game becoming sharper as they play.
Sifu does not play around when it comes to teaching you a lesson, the unique progression/death system in place that ages your character whenever your health reaches zero takes you for a ride as your first go through the second level will probably leave you a ripe 64-year-old before you even know it. Your ass will be kicked and you either take it or learn how to dish it back.
Each level is designed amazingly for players experiencing it for the first time as well as players who’ve been knocked around so much that they just need to cut through it with unlockable shortcuts. Your decision making is key here, as you can possibly miss out on one of three chances to level up using your age, XP, and level score throughout the stage.
Within the five levels in the game, you get an explosion of personality and style, you can almost smell the places you fight through. My favourite smell has to be the third stage: the museum. You just know behind the air freshener and blood from all the fighting is the acrid smell of paint thinner and cocaine.
At the end of every level you get a killer boss fight that is a culmination of all the challenges you faced throughout the level. Two phases are all you need when these dudes will sweep you off the floor, bonk you on the head and watch you age so they do it again. This game is purposefully designed to be ran over and over again so you can get that sweet perfect run. Where the parries are on point, the damage is minimal and the bad guys have been turned to mush. That’s when you feel like the flavour explosion truly hit, when you can breeze through a stage that previously turned your insides out with rage.
The story is nothing too crazy but it serves its purpose well enough, think Kill Bill style gauntlet of baddies who have special powers and a penchant for kicking your shit in. A pretty straightforward revenge plot with a cool secret ending as well for the replay points, Sifu wears the martial arts influence on its sleeve through its references. My favourite is always going to be the hallway fight that is just straight up lifted from Old Boy. Like, fuck yeah, of course I want to plow through some baddies in the Old Boy hall.
So, if my five-course-meal analogy hasn’t made you feel completely lost and me look like an idiot yet just listen here, buster. Play Sifu if you love a good fight. The camera could do with a little fixing but that’s pretty much my only gripe with the whole experience!