Already the first trailers of the action about the martial arts master Sifu were reminiscent of the studio’s previous game Sloclap. The fighting game Absolver is remembered for its deep combat system, which was spoiled by a controversial progression system, a rudimentary plot and unstable network code. I went through the press version several times Sifu and was convinced that, despite the lack of online battles and the new surroundings, the game primarily develops ideas Absolver and at the same time manages to immerse you in the atmosphere of a real kung fu action movie.
Reflection Master
Main character Sifu – a kung fu expert who avenges his family. Total in Sifu there will be five levels, each of which contains one of the killers controlling part of the city. In the demo, only the section with the club was available, in which the hero will have to find a certain Sean.
Between levels, the player explores a kung fu school, where you can read about the antagonists and clues found in the levels on a special board or practice.
Fights in Sifu combines elements of Sekiro and the Batman: Arkham series . The player can deliver light and heavy blows, which will fill the fatigue meter above the enemy’s head, just like in an action movie from FromSoftware. If you land enough attacks, you can knock out an enemy with a spectacular finishing move. At the same time, the main character’s stamina may also run out – then he will not be able to do anything for several moments.
Or he will reflect a special move and return to battle in a rage and with a full supply of health – so far the developers have not talked about what determines the likelihood of such an outcome.
From games about Batman Sifu https://eternalslotscasino.co.uk/mobile-app/ got a counterattack system. There are no icons above the enemy’s head to indicate that his blow can be reflected, but if successfully blocked, the opponent will be vulnerable for several moments. IN Absolver there was also a parry system, but they worked better there when the player had time to give them the right direction. IN Sifu you don’t need to do this – just press the button at the right moment. And here lies probably the main drawback of the combat system: the effect of parrying is often not obvious. Without icons or at least sound signals, it is unclear whether the blow was successfully repelled and whether a series of attacks can be carried out.
Available in Sifu and interactive environment – throwing objects at enemies feels very responsive. And in a difficult moment, you can slow down time, aim at a specific part of the enemy’s body and deliver a very strong blow – this skill is made especially pleasant (some opponents even have glasses flying off when they hit the eye). At such moments you feel like an action hero who used a secret technique.
In battle, you can use poufs, bottles, bats and pipes that stun opponents or simply cause a lot of damage. The main character can also climb low walls, but so far this is of little use.
Like Sekiro, it’s very difficult to progress through the game without a thoughtful block. During the first playthrough, I ignored him, which is why I had to start the level again after the second fight, despite the fact that I have to fight about a dozen times in the mission. But when using parries, I was able to run through the demo without dying at all.
There is another mechanic associated with death Sifu – the main character can die several times and after each time he will age. The number of defeats will be added to his age, his health will become less, but he will deal more damage. Aging can be slowed down – after successful finishing moves, the number of defeats sometimes decreases.
After death, a special menu opens in which you can spend points earned in fights on new techniques. Without defeat, you can open new techniques only with the help of special figurines, and this solution still seems very doubtful. Firstly, there are only a couple of figurines at the level, and secondly, with each death the number of skills available for leveling up decreases. At the same time, many skills feel useless, and it’s not at all difficult to pass the level without leveling up. Figurines allow you not only to open attacks, but also to increase the amount of stamina or health that finishing moves will restore.
Every few deaths, the bottom ring disappears from the amulet, and along with it the corresponding skill group.
Opponents in Sifu turned out monotonous, unlike the same Absolver. At the level from the demo, most of the enemies used the same techniques and only in a couple of places there were unusual types of fighters. The mini-bosses, of which there are two in the club, are of greater interest – they have unique techniques and features. For example, a girl on the dance floor can perform a series of strong attacks and stun the main character with one blow, while a martial artist dodges most of the thrown furniture and blocks almost all attacks.
The most boring club
Sifu stands out from other beatmaps and fighting games due to its setting, supported by an unusual style. The developers consulted with experts to ensure that everything in the game complies with the traditions of kung fu. The authors promised that Sifu entire scenes will appear inspired by the corresponding films – in one of the trailers, for example, a fight in the corridor in the spirit of "Oldboy":
But there were no such moments in the club from the demo, and it was remembered much worse than the same ruins from Absolver. I would like to praise the location only for the well-placed lighting and associated special effects, such as a sharp change in lighting when finishing off an enemy on the dance floor. It seems the map is Sloclap paid much less attention than fights.
For now Sifu looks like a worthy heiress Absolver, intended for a wider audience. In fights, the player is forced to use all the techniques and the environment, because without this, the battle even with a couple of opponents can become impassable. But even so Sifu seems much easier than Absolver. And at the same time, every hit now feels much better than in the previous game Sloclap.
There was no plot in the demo, and so far only the design of the location and the progression system raise questions. I would like to believe that all this will be improved upon release, but already now Sifu gives that same feeling of being in a film with Bruce Lee (Bruce Lee) and other martial artists.