Sifu review – a kung fu masterclass that kicks you when you’re down

PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5; Sloclap
Spectacular gain is preceded by drawn-out pain in this martial arts adventure where fighting prowess is the carrot and ageing is the stick

Sifu owes an obvious and honest debt to classic Hong Kong cinema. But if you're here for a kung fu power fantasy, a word of warning: you are in for a wait. While it eventually lives up to its inspirations, Sifu initially plays out less like a Jackie Chan film than the blooper reel that runs under the end credits, with our hero mistiming a kick and falling on his arse, greeting a coffee table with his chin, or somehow contriving a wedgie from a stepladder. Except that here, instead of a rueful Chan-style grin to camera, the screen fades to black and you die.

Thankfully, death is not the end in Sifu. It is, paradoxically, the lifeblood of the game. Die, and you can resurrect - but you pay the price with age. A death counter" rises with every failure, adding to how much older you become each time you get back up: first one year, then two, then more. The protagonist's face wrinkles and hardens; their health bar shortens, but the wisdom of age makes their attacks deal more damage. Once you hit 70, your next fall will be your last.