In Sifu, you play as a young kung fu student on a relentless quest for revenge after his family is murdered. At the core of the game lies a tactical close-combat system deeply rooted in traditional kung fu. Rather than button mashing, success demands well-timed blocks, dodges and counters. Combat is gritty and strategic, with classic melee weapons like knives and pipes at your disposal. You can also use your surroundings to your advantage – stools, counters, railings and tight corridors all become tools in the fight. What sets Sifu apart is its unique aging mechanic: each time the protagonist dies, he gets older. With age comes greater power and experience, but also reduced health. To reach the end, you’ll need to master each level with as few deaths as possible.

In their German review, PCGames praised Sifu for its striking presentation. With cinematic camera work, a sleek art style and a fitting soundtrack, the game captures the spirit of a classic 70s kung fu film. The editors also highlighted the gameplay as consistently engaging and rewarding, thanks to its demanding combat system and memorable boss fights. However, they also pointed out some major drawbacks. The steep learning curve is one of the biggest hurdles – there are no checkpoints or healing items, which means frequent restarts, especially in the early hours. This can be frustrating for newcomers. Additionally, the camera struggles to keep up with the fast-paced action and often gets caught on the tight level design, adding to the challenge in an already unforgiving game.

Despite its flaws, Sifu has received largely positive reviews. PCGames gave it a solid 8 out of 10, and on Metacritic it holds a strong Metascore of 81. The User Score is slightly lower at 7.1, reflecting some players’ frustration with the game’s steep difficulty curve. If you’re looking for quick wins, Sifu probably isn’t for you. The Steam community, however, tells a different story: 92% of the 16,000 user reviews are positive, showing just how much fans appreciate its intense, skill-based gameplay.

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75% discount on Steam

Sifu was developed by French indie studio Sloclap and launched in March 2023 in partnership with publisher Kepler Interactive. Normally priced at around $40 on Steam, the game is currently available for just $10 thanks to a 75% discount running until August 7. According to SteamDB, it has been on sale multiple times before, but this is the lowest price yet. Sifu is also rated as “Playable” on the Steam Deck (available on Amazon for $475), making it a solid option for those who want to take their kung fu action on the go.

Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.

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As a child in the 90s, my Gameboy was my steady companion. After school, the PlayStation was fired up. When I finally got my first PC, I was completely hooked. My passion for gaming has never waned since. For me, writing for Notebookcheck means reporting on topics that are really close to my heart – in addition to gaming, I also like to write about e-mobility, photovoltaics and innovative gadgets. When I’m not sitting at my computer, I’m probably on water rescue duty on the Baltic coast or trying to counteract the downsides of my geek life – namely sitting for long periods – at the local swimming pool.