You can use simple math to see where this goes. Your death counter will rise as you die more and more, so from 21 you go to 23 (because your death counter is now two), then from 23 to 26. With your first death, you go from age 20 to 21. With the help of a magic medallion given to you by your late father, you can rise from death and fight on. You will be dying a lot in Sifu, but this is one of the game's core mechanics. You're going to get your teeth kicked in a lot, and the only way forward is to learn from your failures, death after death. It does, however, take a lot to master combat in Sifu. You should not be put off by the combos in Sifu. It's an accessible game, even for those without much fighting game experience. Light and heavy attacks are the bread and butter of your attacks, but certain combos requiring more complex prompts also allow you to sweep an opponent off their feet or unleash a deadly palm strike. Combos are, thankfully, accessible and nothing quite like the strings you might pull off in Street Fighter. Gameplay-wise Sifu is an action game above all else, but at times feels like a fighter due to the combos and combat mechanics.

You'll take on junkies in a dilapidated apartment complex, fight guards in an art museum, and brawl in and on top of elevators in a skyscraper. There are five levels in Sifu, each increasing the challenge more and more as you progress.

Sifu initial release date