Bread’s Game Journal 04/25/22: I’ve Beaten Sifu Six Times And I Can’t Stop.

Sifu is an obsession with me, at this point. What started out as a game I was immediately interested in from the reviews, has turned into a game that stands no chance of losing the top spot in my personal GOTY rankings this year. There’s so many things to talk about it in regards to why I feel this way, but the number one reason is always just going to come down to how much of a joy it is just to play.

Maybe I shouldn’t even really be surprised by that, when I think about it. The game is built around the concept of playing levels over and over again until you can get through them without a flaw, after all. I guess I just didn’t expect for it to get it’s hooks in me quite as deep as it actually did! I can reliably beat the first three bosses without taking any deaths, and the thugs they employ between me and them don’t even stand a chance! It all feels fantastic to play.

For so long I’ve wanted a game like this, and before now I got versions of it that we’re halfway there, but never quite what I needed. The Batman Arkham games, are good examples, the free flow of those games combat was always the best feeling Kung-Fu style gameplay in the business. Sleeping Dogs, as well, deserves a mention here, for the way it blended more brawler style gameplay in with the type of flowing combat found in Batman, but again, doesn’t match what Sifu now brings to the table.

I know Sloclap has made combat focused games before, but I desperately hope the keep up this level of quality in the future of their dev. A bright future, I might predict. Every fiber of my being hopes they release some kind of expansion, or a level randomizer, or anything. Just something to give me an excuse to keep playing Sifu! Not that I really need one right now anyway! Playthrough number seven is already underway, and none of you can stop me.