Should you try out Sifu in 2025?

Sifu is a third-person beat 'em up game featuring the son of a Chinese martial artist who vowed revenge against those who wronged them. The developers at Sloclap wanted to tell a different story and game — standing out from usual martial arts games — and there are attributes here that a player should consider trying in 2025.

While the game features a grounded narrative, there is a supernatural element and a tinge of the rogue-like genre. Death is much more prevalent — but each time the player dies — they are resurrected with increased power thanks to a magical talisman. However, this comes at the cost of their health bar — which makes this an interesting challenge.

Disclaimer: Some aspects of this article are subjective and reflect the writer's opinion about the game.

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Sifu is a stylish beat 'em up unlike any other

Exact revenge and avenge your Sifu in this epic martial arts adventure (Image via Epic Games || Sloclap)

Unlike most fighting games where players will have to redo an entire section from a checkpoint, Sifu players will be resurrected on the spot, but their bodies will be aged a year older after each death and with more power. This is an interesting game mechanic, which will encourage a player to play it safely rather than charge towards a large group of enemies just to be demolished.

The art style is another strong selling point for the game and it blends well with the combat animations. The themes of violence and an endless cycle of revenge are the driving forces of this game, similar to The Last of Us Part 2. However, the main differences are the combat and unique resurrection mechanics.

Taking place in China, the players will take control of the Sifu's only child to hunt down Yang — their father's killer — and his compatriots. Players must accomplish missions with lengthy combat encounters to kill each member throughout the main story. As a martial artist, players can unleash a flurry of light and heavy combo attacks on large groups of enemies or get creative to use environmental tools.

There are a few occasions where players could diplomatically exchange words with hostile forces to prevent physical altercations and decrease their health bar; however, it is not as fun to perform chain attacks on enemies and feel invincible. Enemies have a stagger bar that must be broken by parrying incoming attacks before the player can inflict real damage.

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Become a kung fu brawler with a thirst for vengeance

While the game is all about fighting thugs and schooling them in martial arts, there are a few ways to win a fight without beating them to the ground. In tall areas, players can lure enemies and shove them off the ledge or throw them off a railing with brutal finishers, a rare feature that most brawler and beat 'em up games don't have.

The combat is satisfying, especially with the haptic feedback feature from the DualSense controller on the PlayStation 5, but it is not for the faint of heart. There are a few moments when Sifu becomes unforgiving and relentless, especially if a player dies too many times.

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Age is just a number

The game starts with an able-bodied 20-year-old martial artist with a decent-sized health bar and agility. However, after each death, the character grows older and permanently dies at the ripe old age of 75. Fortunately, the player can keep all the upgrades but must start from scratch. It can become tedious and demanding, which may throw some people off, but that is how the game is designed.

Players can pick up weapons like blades and bats, but all of these are on a durability meter, meaning there are only several swings for each weapon before breaking. This is another area where Sifu excels by using various objects to a player's advantage. Weapons can be picked up to swing around, kicked, or thrown at charging enemies to stagger them.

Sifu encourages the player base to fight smart and be coordinated (Image via Epic Games || Sloclap)

Each area doesn't feel like a rehashed location and players can use that to their advantage. Tripping enemies on small staircases to buy themselves enough time to attack the larger enemy is a sound strategy before the fight gets too chaotic and spirals out of control. Players can grab glass bottles to stun smaller enemies and take them down to speed up the process.

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Conclusion

The game design may not be for everyone, but it doesn't mean it isn't worth trying (Image via Epic Games || Sloclap)

Sifu is a great beat 'em up brawler, allowing the player to relive great action sequences from films and television shows like Oldboy and Marvel's Daredevil. Fighting hordes of enemies in a narrow alleyway with nothing but martial arts, and makeshift weapons while constantly worrying about their age and health is a unique experience.

While the fast-paced nature and difficulty are not for everyone, it is still a great revenge tale with a mix of supernatural elements and an impressive combat system. It is a brief but entertaining game that players should try in 2025 for their PlayStation consoles, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, or PC.