Review of Sifu – Unorganized and Stressful
You get wiser and older every time you die. You begin your quest for vengeance against your father at 20. They must all be defeated in one lifetime.
It’s an intriguing premise. Sifu is a hot new action game. It’s a game that I’ve never seen before, and it needs to be well received.
The Cultural Context
Before I get into the mechanics and gameplay, it’s important to mention the context where Sifu was born briefly. It’s a kung-fu game that a Western studio created. The game draws a lot from Chinese culture and tradition. Benjamin Colussi is a French white Pak-Mei expert. He was hired as a martial arts expert to create the game’s choreography and also provided advice on cultural aspects to Sifu (such the Feng Shui in the Wuguan).
Sloclap had the greatest intentions regarding respectfully representing Sifu’s culture, as shown in the behind the scenes video. Benjamin is very knowledgeable and holds his work in high regard. He should be credited for the knowledge he gained from others. It is important to remember that studios often fail to hire members of the culture or community they are trying to represent. KheeHoon Chan, a writer at TheGamer, goes into more detail in an excellent piece that you should read.
I strongly recommend that you seek out criticism and writing from Chinese or Asian journalists and critics. They have a far greater understanding of how entertainment and gaming industries in the West can better reflect minority cultures than just using them for set dressing.
Group Combat
There’s a lot to love about Sifu’s playability. You’ll enjoy trundling through levels, learning kung fu skills and fighting groups of baddies. Then, you’ll marvel at the amazing animations that result from your enemies being eliminated. There will be hits, and then you’ll take them back. Combat with groups of enemies can have a satisfying rhythm. It’s great to get through a room full of enemies without any injuries and leave them feeling wretched after having stabbed or broken bones. It’s not strange, I swear.
As you reach the end of the first of five levels, you will see the difference in the experience with Sifu. You will find that corridors are becoming more sparse as you go through them, picking up bits of backstory for your detective board. There he is—the first boss.
As I was only learning how to use the controls, I was quite advanced when playing. I am proud to admit that I am below average in mechanical gaming skills. I believed I could make it in The Botanist.
It’s hard, but not in a fun way.
Again, I am not an expert in video games. Although I can beat most of you at Smash Bros, I am average. Understandably, Sifu is looking for a challenge. The goal of winning all five levels in one go is well worth the effort. It’s a tedious task when you try to do it. Although fighting against groups is solid, it can be repetitive, and you may find yourself in a rut. If you want to have a great run, it’s better to go the long route to unlock more run-specific upgrades.
