Sifu New Gameplay Today Hands-On Preview

2022 is already shaping up to be packed with games for fans to anticipate, and here is one more to add to that list. In this instalment of New Gameplay Today, Marcus Stewart and Alex Stadnik get hands-on with Sifu, Sloclap's compelling new action game.

Sifu's satisfying environmental combat

Unveiled during Sony's February State of Play, Sifu feels superb to play based on our time with the preview build. The demo is set in a nightclub overflowing with criminals eager to pick a fight. From the opening encounter with the bouncer, Sifu's combat immediately proves both gratifying and full of potential. Opponents ricochet off walls and respond differently according to their surroundings. In Sifu's world, anything from bottles to shattered pieces of wood can be used during a fight.

Making use of the environment involves more than simply locating fresh weapons. Enemies will try to encircle you whenever possible, making it highly beneficial to use the furniture and walls in every arena to split up opponents and inflict greater damage by sending them into the various solid surfaces.

Sifu's ageing mechanic and upgrades

Another of Sifu's key attractions is its ageing mechanic. When the protagonist takes damage and ultimately dies, they grow older, altering the way they play. Every death and increase in age opens an upgrade menu, allowing you to unlock new combos and apply buffs, which is particularly useful during more demanding encounters. The compromise is that reaching certain age thresholds prevents you from accessing particular branches of the upgrade tree in that session, so using XP and combat abilities carefully will help you progress further. Ageing also changes your character's performance: the older you become, the more damage you deal, but your speed and health suffer as well. Although the demo offered only a glimpse of Sifu's ageing balancing act, it has left us intrigued and eager to see how it works in the complete release.

Sifu release date and platforms

Thankfully, fans have little time to wait before Sifu arrives. Sloclap's next game launches on 8 February 2022 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC-earlier than first announced.