Sifu Review: A Brutal Kung Fu Revenge Game, Now Coming to Mobile

Sifu is not a game that holds your hand. In this Sifu review, we look at a martial arts brawler where every fight is a test of timing, patience and nerve. It borrows the feel of classic kung fu films and adds a bold twist: you grow older every time you fall.

The game is also about to reach a new audience. Sifu launches on iOS and Android on October 12, 2026. So is it a stylish masterpiece or a frustrating grind? Let’s find out.

What Is Sifu?

Sifu is a third-person action brawler with roguelite elements. Sloclap, the studio behind Absolver, developed it. Sloclap and Kepler Interactive published it.

You play a young kung fu student. Their whole family was murdered by a mysterious assassination squad. Years of training followed, all for one day of reckoning.

Now that day has come.

Sifu Game Information

• Developer: Sloclap
• Publishers: Sloclap and Kepler Interactive
• Genre: Action, brawler, roguelite
• Release: February 2022 (PlayStation and Epic Games Store)
• Other platforms: Nintendo Switch (November 2022), Steam and Xbox (March 2023)
• Mobile release: iOS and Android on October 12, 2026
• Mode: Single-player
• Age rating: ESRB M (blood, drug reference, strong language, violence)
• Controls: Remappable, with full controller support

Sifu Story: A Quest for Revenge

The story is simple and direct. You hunt down the killers one by one. Your path leads through gang-ridden suburbs, hidden corners of the city and cold corporate towers.

The plot stays in the background. The game cares more about the journey than long cutscenes. Each location feels like a scene from a martial arts movie.

Sifu Gameplay and Game Logic

Sifu has one big idea. Failure costs you time, not just progress. This idea shapes the entire game.

The Aging System

You carry magic coins that bring you back to life when you die. However, there is a price. Every revival makes your character older.

• You start at age 20.
• Each death adds years, and the penalty grows with every revival.
• If you die after age 70, the run fails.

Age also changes how you fight. The older you get, the harder you hit. But your health bar becomes shorter. Early in a run, you can afford mistakes. Later, you must rely on perfect dodging.

You can lower your age by defeating powerful enemies. Some of these are optional.

Combat

The combat is fast and demanding. You need to manage many things at once:

• Blocking protects you, but it fills a break meter and leaves you open.
• Dodging needs the right direction at the right time.
• Parrying can stagger enemies, but the timing window is very tight.

Enemies attack quickly. So you must learn their patterns through repetition. When you master a fight, it feels great.

Skills and Progression

You earn experience by defeating enemies. You can spend it on new moves after death or at shrines in each level. A skill costs little to try. To keep it for every future run, you pay five times the base price.

Skills also have an age limit. Late in a run, there is little left to unlock. So most of your experience goes toward making skills permanent.

Fixed Levels, Puzzle-Like Fights

Most roguelites randomize their levels. Sifu does not. Enemies and locations stay the same every run. As a result, each fight becomes a puzzle. You try different approaches until one works.

This also means repetition. Some players will enjoy it. Others will find it tiring.

Visuals and Atmosphere

The environments are one of the best parts of Sifu. You move through slums, art galleries and burning villages. Each location is detailed and stylish.

The game also includes a memorable tribute to the film Oldboy. It captures the spirit of classic kung fu cinema.

Sifu on Mobile: iOS and Android

Sifu arrives on iOS and Android on October 12, 2026. Kepler Interactive publishes the mobile version. The listing promises the complete story campaign, not a cut-down version.

According to the store listings, the mobile version includes:

• Touchscreen controls built for phones
• Improved contextual interactions
• A reworked camera system
• Full controller support

The camera was a common complaint on the original release, so this change is worth watching.

The iOS version needs iOS 18 or later and a download of about 2.1 GB. Android requirements have not been listed yet. The game is not free-to-play. The US App Store price is $7.99. Android users can pre-register on Google Play.

The mobile listing mentions the full story campaign. It does not mention the Arenas mode.

Sifu Review: Strengths and Weaknesses

What we like

• Stylish, film-inspired fight scenes
• A unique aging system that makes every death matter
• Beautiful, detailed environments
• Fixed levels that reward learning and skill
• Extra content added after launch, including an Arenas mode with 9 maps, new outfits and difficulty options
• Remappable controls
• Now available on almost every major platform

What could be better

• The parry timing is very strict
• Crowd fights can feel tedious because you have few ways to control groups
• The camera can get too close to walls and block your view
• Minibosses can appear when you try to perform finishing moves
• It is a very hard game and can feel punishing for new players

Critics are divided on Sifu. Metacritic shows a score of 81. On the other hand, GameCritics gave it 5.5 out of 10 and called the combat and camera its biggest problems. On Steam, over 21,000 players have reviewed it, and about 92% are positive.

Who Should Play Sifu?

Sifu is for patient players. If you enjoy fighting games, boss battles and learning enemy patterns, you will likely love it. It rewards practice and precision.

If you prefer relaxed action games, you may struggle. The game is tough, and it expects you to improve.

Sifu System Requirements

Sifu does not need a powerful PC.

PC Minimum

• OS: Windows 8.1 or later
• Processor: AMD FX-4350 or Intel Core i5-3470
• Graphics: Radeon R7 250 or GeForce GT 640
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• DirectX: Version 11
• Storage: 22 GB available space

PC Recommended

• OS: Windows 10
• Processor: AMD FX-9590 or Intel Core i7-6700K
• Graphics: GeForce GTX 970 or Radeon R9 390X
• Memory: 10 GB RAM
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 22 GB available space

iOS

• OS: iOS 18 or later
• Download size: About 2.1 GB

Android requirements have not been announced yet.

Price and Platforms

Sifu launched at $39.99 on PC and consoles. The Steam Deluxe Edition launched at $49.99. The game goes on sale often. It was recently reported at 75% off on Steam, so check the current price before you buy.

The mobile version costs $7.99 in the US.

You can play Sifu on PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and from October 12, 2026 on iOS and Android.

Final Verdict: Should You Buy Sifu?

Yes, if you want a challenge. Sifu has a strong style, a clever aging system and combat that feels great when it clicks. Its low system requirements make it easy to run, and the fixed levels give every fight a puzzle-like feel.

However, it is not perfect. The strict timing, the camera and the crowd fights can frustrate you. The low mobile price and frequent PC sales make it easier to try. If you are unsure, wait for a sale.

Our rating: 8/10