Sifu, the tough-as-nails martial arts brawler, is introducing difficulty options in a free update arriving next week.
The May 3 update will split the game into three difficulties: student, disciple and master. Developer Sloclap hasn't revealed where the original difficulty falls on that scale just yet, saying in a tweet reply that there will be "more info on that very soon." The update will also add an advanced training mode, outfit selection and free costume to go with it.
The new features were revealed as part of a roadmap that covers four major free updates set to take place throughout the course of the year. Summer will bring advanced scoring, gameplay modifiers and new outfits. Fall will add a replay editor with additional gameplay modifiers and outfits while a winter update will once again add more outfits and modifiers, plus a new game mode called Arenas.
Check out our free content update roadmap for #Sifu! At this stage, four major updates are planned - the first one will be available next Tuesday, May 3rd, along with our physical edition! 🔥🔥 #SifuGame pic.twitter.com/8UBEWwJKS4April 26, 2022
Some of the modifiers for summer's update have already been revealed, and will include:
- No pendant
- One health point
- No guard
- Stronger enemies
- Golden staff
- All skills unlocked
- Bullet time
It's nice that Sloclap is trying to help make the game more approachable for a wider audience, but it also looks like these updates will do a pretty good job of satiating more skilled players looking for an additional challenge. Tyler Wilde personally found the game's toughness just right in his original preview, going on to call the game "the most intrinsically enjoyable melee combat I've experienced" in his Sifu review.
"Sifu will test your patience, but learning how to coolly dismantle a room full of goons with virtual kung fu is worth the pain."
