Sifu Review (PS5)
“I know kung fu.” — Neo
As a part of March’s free PlayStation Plus Essential games, Sifu stands out as one of the more promising for this month’s lineup. Personally, I’m not a huge Formula 1 racing guy, a Hello Neighbor 2 guy, nor am I a Destiny 2 DLC kind of guy (the other 3 offerings from the March 2024 lineup.)
But playing as a kung fu apprentice fighting baddies in present-day China? I could always use an ass-kicking distraction in my life.
Wikipedia’s introduction to Sifu describes it as “a 2022 beat ’em up game developed and published by Sloclap. Set in modern-day China, players control the child of a martial arts school’s sifu who seeks revenge on those responsible for their father’s death.”
And I gotta say, it’s pretty accurate in its description.
What it doesn’t convey, however, is the layered combat system, the satisfying counter moves, the skill tree, and the motivation to press forward whenever you “die” in-game.
Gameplay
There’s a difficulty curve in the works here. While you’re given basic button presses for attacks, square for light, triangle for heavy, and shown how to dodge and counter with L1, these alone won’t be enough to have your character survive.
