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SIFU
Released On: Feb 8, 2022
81
7.9
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Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 79 Critic Reviews
81
84% Positive
66 Reviews
66 Reviews
14% Mixed
11 Reviews
11 Reviews
3% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 79 Critic Reviews
81
84% Positive
66 Reviews
66 Reviews
14% Mixed
11 Reviews
11 Reviews
3% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
Mar 30, 2023
Sifu is boundlessly entertaining, immensely satisfying, and unrelentingly fresh. Even over a year after its initial release, I was still excited to jump back in, and I'm still excited to go back.
Feb 6, 2022
With Sifu, developer Sloclap is asking a lot from players. From the punishingly difficult combat that takes hours to learn and tens of hours to master, to the need to repeat and near-perfect levels to lower your starting age, this fighter can be an absolute slog. However, for those who can grit their teeth through the losses and frustration, you’ll come out smiling on the other side having played one of the best games of the year.
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 1,244 User Ratings
7.9
74% Positive
917 Ratings
917 Ratings
18% Mixed
226 Ratings
226 Ratings
8% Negative
101 Ratings
101 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 1,244 User Ratings
7.9
74% Positive
917 Ratings
917 Ratings
18% Mixed
226 Ratings
226 Ratings
8% Negative
101 Ratings
101 Ratings
Dec 2, 2025
One of the finest one versus many combat systems ever made, borrowing the right amount of fighting game mechanics to make every enemy feel dangerous. Every player and enemy ability has a situational purpose, making you tap into the large variety of abilities not just because they're cool, but because you have to use them when the situation calls for it. It makes the player feel like their growth from martial arts adept to martial arts master not because numbers are going up, but because you are getting better at the game.
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PlayStation 5 Oct 20, 2025
une pépite a ne pas manquer graphiquement et techniquement réussi un gamplay vraiment très cool une durée de vie conséquente et un scénario fort sympathique à suivre
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PlayStation 5 Feb 6, 2022
If you're looking for simple, direct action, this game is not for you. But if you are a stubborn player who loves to be tested, with Sifu you will get one of the most thrilling games in recent times. It's as hard and irresistible as martial arts.
Feb 28, 2022
Sifu's deep combat and ageing mechanics aren’t for everyone, but those keen to roll with the kicks and punches will find one of the most satisfying and addictive brawlers of recent times.
Feb 6, 2022
Sifu will age us as the main character ages, but it also gives us some of the best martial arts moments in video games, which make us say, like Neo in the Matrix, "I know Kung-Fu".
Feb 6, 2022
Sifu has an extremely high skill ceiling and very deep gameplay, paired wonderfully with stylized visuals and great art. The gameplay is extremely refined, but Sifu's narrative just feels unfinished as a whole, and could have been the difference from Sifu being a lot more than what it is.
Feb 6, 2022
It all meshes together into a game that's far too difficult and without the satisfaction that comes from making progress in a difficult game. It's like bashing your head against the wall, and unlike other games with this approach, the wall isn't starting to crumble. The wall has grown a smug, laughing face as it prepares to take away one of your character's most important abilities, just in time for the final boss battle.
Jun 26, 2025
One of the best combat systems in any game. Without a doubt it is the best hand-to-hand combat system. If the next Batman game does not take inspiration from Sifu I will be thoroughly disappointed. There are few complaints I can name with regards to the gameplay, but maybe I would say that the way stuns are inflicted on the player is far too random (or at least it seems that way) and unpredictable that it ends up making some runs and encounters seem unfair. But this is rarely the case. The combat is the beating heart of this game, and it is outstanding. So satisfying and challenging while allowing the player to reach mastery organically. This game has a brilliant twist - each time you die, you can revive yourself. But you age by the number of deaths you have had thus far. This means that rather than being like most games, which boot you back to the last checkpoint or the beginning of an encounter when you die, Sifu lets you carry on right away, trying again with a fresh healthbar immediately. Its deceptive, especially at the start, since technically you could just spend 3 decades and tank any boss, but the trick is, if you make too many mistakes, you'll age too much, and wont be able to continue. Then its game over for real. This remixed roguelite DNA is the main hook of the game, and it makes for a truly unique difficulty curve and experience in general. Success in this game comes from mastering the various abilities, especially the dodges and parries, and the reward for master is tangible, since the better you are, the fewer times you die, which means the more chances you have to get further and further. This game does not demand mastery in an ordered, sequential manner like Furi (which is also excellent), instead mastery comes in the form of a more general improvement in skill, with learning enemy attacks and level layouts coming second. The checkpoints at the beginning of each section and the shortcuts throughout all the levels ensure that you are never losing too much progress or slowing the pacing down, but your deaths being recorded as the starting point for each level means that you are incentivised to retry each level to give yourself more chances in the later stages. This structure of permanent death after aging yourself to death and having to retry levels to finish them younger, would succeed fine in most games but it is especially enjoyable in this game thanks to the combat being so incredible. You run through a hideout, you die a bunch, you make it to the end, and you go back and try again, training and practicing until you make it through with fewer and fewer mistakes, and more years ahead of you. Beyond the gameplay, the presentation and story are beautiful and subtle. This game has such an evocative style, and each of the different levels have such vivid thematic ties that really distinguish them. The breaks in the realism of the game, to feature combat in a burning dojo or a jungle or an endless pool of water, add so much flavour to the game and visual variety. This game oozes with personality, and is unlike any other game I have played. The story is simple, and effective. It is a revenge narrative, where you track down the men who killed your father. Seems simple enough, but the real detail comes in learning these characters, learning your own motivations, and learning what it means to have true mastery of oneself. The true ending of this game is what made the story really click, and turn from a simple plot meant to give context for the combat, to a beautiful and poetic story of sympathy, mercy, restraint, vengeance, and the complexity of the human experience. What a beautiful game.
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PlayStation 5 Oct 28, 2025
Very good combat (duh), not as good characters and story.
The difficulty is not always consistent, and sometimes an easier bit feels too simple and harder bits feel too punishing. Overall an ok game.
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PlayStation 5 Jul 7, 2025
Sifu is a fast-paced, lightweight, and VERY CHALLENGING game (if you choose to play on higher difficulties), with little focus on story—it’s pure, intense action. If you’re a fan of martial arts and Japanese culture surrounding it, you’re going to love this game. I’d recommend waiting for a major discount to buy it, or for it to be offered for free or added to the PS Plus Extra game catalog.
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PlayStation 5 Sep 29, 2024
Maybe best combat I've experienced in a game, fluid fighting that feels like it's straight out of a martial arts film. The problems come with the game design. Inspired by Soulslikes, you'll lose progress and get older with each defeat. No real checkpoint system means frustration with each loss. Enough to deter me from finishing it. Just wish they'd implement this style of combat into some more fun and accessible games
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PlayStation 5 Mar 17, 2024
Just button mashing and very unfair.Story is very bad (i havent even finished it yet).
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PlayStation 5 Summary Sifu is a stylish yet gritty beat-em-up, featuring visceral hand-to-hand combat in a contemporary urban setting. From Sloclap, creators of acclaimed PS4 fighting game Absolver, Sifu follows a young kung fu student on a path of revenge, hunting for the murderers of his family. One against all, he has no allies and countless enemies. He wi...
Rated M for Mature
Platforms:
- PlayStation 5
- PlayStation 4
- PC
- Nintendo Switch
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox One
Initial Release Date: Feb 8, 2022
Developer:
- Sloclap
Publisher: Sloclap
Genres:
