Sifu Review

Sifu's aging mechanic makes this brawler a very unique experience.

Sifu is a martial arts brawler/beat 'em up developed and published by Sloclap and released back in 2022. Set in China, the player explores urban settings, brawls in 2 and 3D environments, and uncovers intel on the five martial arts masters that betrayed and murdered his sifu.

Sifu's central plot feels very simple on the surface; a young boy set on a path of revenge to avenge his father and bring his killers to justice. However, the more you play Sifu and pay attention to minutiae of the environments, you can observe that there is a recurrence of motifs and messages. Complexity in simplicity. Sifu plays very well with narrative dimension, in that there is a meta-commentary on the human experience of revenge and grief and is done by weaving it through dialogue and visuals (across multiple instances in the game from start to finish). Sifu then becomes this complex story that feels rich and profound, as well as being a very visceral martial arts brawler. I was impressed with Sloclap juggling these two key elements and it made Sifu a much more enjoyable thrill ride.

Arenas offers a multitude of tough challenges.

Revenge or Vengeance? The two terms are often used interchangeably but there is a distinct difference amongst them. Revenge is often a destructive path that one embarks on, is fuelled by emotion, and ultimately has a recurring effect. Whilst vengeance tends to have a wider scope or a greater moral code, often feeling emotionless and more based on a principle of fairness or balance, "an eye for an eye" perhaps? Sifu gives you, the player, the opportunity to kill or spare your father's killers. The power of choices in a game makes it feel like your character has agency and as if their choices have a causal effect on the world. It also allows a good amount of replayability for an otherwise rather short brawler.

Your ability to interact with your environment can level the playing field.

Interestingly, all of the bosses, the five killers, have all moved on from their past sins and have pursued other aspects of life. Whilst you, the player, have tirelessly fought and forged a hatred to end those who have wronged you. Who out of those two bodies of people demonstrate a more mature grasp on life and consequences? Fajar (The Botanist) now peacefully grows trees, Sean (The Fighter) trains skilled fighters, Kuroki (The Artist) has abstained from her old life of violence and embraces art and expression, Jinfeng (The CEO) runs a multi-million dollar business and Yang (The Leader) has opened a clinic to heal people's bodies, minds, and souls. There's a touch of irony there that I find whimsical. The villain that has no qualms about their wrongdoing and moves on with their lives in a carefree manner, whilst the hero is tormented by agony and forced to commit violence to subside that pain. It's a nice juxtaposition.

The martial arts looks graceful and feels visceral.

Sifu is a game that praises the beauty and strength of kung fu, specifically Pak Mei (a Southern Chinese style often compared to Wing Chun), the striking is fast, lethal and woven beautifully with the mechanics of the game. I would've liked to have some more diversity in the styles and forms that your opponents use. Perhaps not foreign styles to China like Taekwondo, Muay Thai or Capoeira (although there are elements with takedowns, low sweeps and spinning kicks), but instead the circular movements of Baguazhang, the explosiveness of Hung Gar or even the athleticism of Shaolin animal forms.

Being outnumbered in Sifu is commonplace.

Sloclap pays homage to iconic scenes and pulls influence from blockbuster martial arts films. The 2D hallway fight nods to the one-take corridor scene in Oldboy, the apartment in The Slums level feels pulled from The Raid and The Club level reminds me of John Wick: Chapter 1. Sifu celebrates the history and impact of martial arts media and isn't afraid to show it. Even moreso in the Arenas mode, which includes references to the Crazy 87 from Kill Bill: Vol 2, one mode with a bullettime slow-mo effect from The Matrix, and one challenge where you fight in the rain with an iconic white trilby from The Grandmaster. Sifu feels like a game created by martial arts enthusiasts for hard-core martial arts fans.

A nearby weapon can drastically shift the tide of combat.

By Lucas Barker, a casual gamer with a passion for games with visceral combat, thrilling gameplay, aesthetic environments, well-developed characters, and complex story plots. 2/9/25