Sifu | Gameplay Review (PS5) | Game of the Year 2022 | Game Award 2022
94#sifu #sifu2022 #gamereview
Sifu | Gameplay Review (PS5) | Game of the Year 2022 | Game Award 2022
Since Bruce Lee conquered Hollywood, kung fu became the magical term associated with the most spectacular fight scenes from various movies. From the very same movies we know that in order to master this martial art you have to spend a huge amount of time training, while also learning about yourself, about discipline and flawless focus. Sifu is the game that will make you feel like a kung fu grandmaster, while also showing how difficult the road to perfection is.
Sifu is the perfect metaphor for kung fu it is a very clean, focused and technical games that reminds us of a perfectly executed martial art demonstration. The small French team of Sloclap released their most mature title up to this point, that unlike their precious game, Absolver, focuses only on the essential. The game might be short, but it does not mean that exploring the five different areas and confronting each of the bosses will not take up a lot of your time. Unless you are a kung fu genius with the controller.
The game starts by introducing the hey antagonists and offers you the chance to create their profile. By the end of the prologue, you will realize that the reduced level of difficulty is thanks to the fact that you are actually going through the tutorial that lets you pencil if your worst enemy is going to be a respectful yet deadly foe or a loudmouth bastard. The prologue does a great job to immerse you in the atmosphere of the game and teaches you the basics of the easy to learn hard to master combat system.
After choosing the gender of the protagonist you will actually control through the entire game the real adventure starts is a game that mixes effortlessly roguelike and beat’em up elements and throws you in the deep form the start. There are no shortcuts, there is no easy mode, and you will always be outnumbered. You are the underdog that no one would bet on, the kid who has to learn by making a lot of mistakes until he perfects his own style.
In order to support your quest to achieve martial arts perfection the combat system in Sifu is extremely precise. The defensive and offensive moves are very well balances, and the system was conceived in order to encourage you to mix them up.
You cannot rely only on defense or offense, and you have to master evasion, shirking and parrying. It is crucial to quickly analyze your opponent and chose the right answer to their attack. But even if you manage to do this you will have to be on your toes and switch things up in the middle of the fight, since your opponents are not just more powerful but also, they are smart.
No one stands around waiting for you to finish the opponent you are currently engaged with. The AI is always on the lookout for openings and tries to surprise you and overwhelm you. When you get a breather, you will have to combine light and heavy attacks that have different rhythms and can be chained together in various combos. You will need to kick and punch to make your enemies lose their balance, so they become vulnerable. Everything works together respecting clear rules structured in a system that requires you to think as much as you need to have lightning-fast reflexes.
The end result is an extremely dynamic and spectacular system, that is also very punishing. You will die a lot until you manage to figure things out. But dying is not the end of the road, it is merely a milestone that helps you hone your abilities. Each death costs you years of your life in a steep progression. One death one year, two deaths two more years, 3 deaths three more years wasted.
The Good:
Tight controls and well-thought-out game mechanics
Minimalistic yet very stylish art direction
Immersive and perfectly synced soundtrack
The Bad:
Unforgiving, the smallest mistake is instantly punished
Camera control in some situations is too loose
The story and characters could have been more immersive
Conclusion:
Sifu is a memorable game. It is also a hard game that rewards patience and the willingness to perfect yourself. It is not perfect, but it is fair. One of the few negative aspects we encountered is the camera control that in some scenes it is not just a pain in the ass, but it can cost you an entire run. Another thing we would have oved to see is a more detailed character building, where the story is not just a frame for the action.
But all these are just minor inconveniences when we look art Sifu as a whole. It does not feel like an indie game, but still, it is not for everyone. You need patience and you need the ability to get over the countless moments when the game frustrates you to the limit of exasperation. It is all part of becoming a kung fu master, a path reserved only for a few.
Review:
STORY = 7
GAMEPLAY = 9
CONCEPT = 9
GRAPHICS = 8
AUDIO = 8
MULTIPLAYER = 0
FINAL RATING = 8
Review: VERY GOOD
Other Videos By Studio 47G
Other Statistics
Sifu Statistics For Studio 47G
Studio 47G presently has 276 views for Sifu across 1 video, with his channel publishing less than an hour of Sifu content. This makes up less than 0.02% of the total overall content on Studio 47G's YouTube channel.