Games are meant to be fun, a sentiment most gamers probably agree with, but titles like Elden Ring or Returnal are also supposed to offer a unique challenge. A gamer admitted to himself for the first time in 30 years that a game is simply too difficult for him.
Which game is too difficult for the gamer? The game is called Sifu (PC, console), a fighting game from the French indie studio Sloclap. The player explained on Reddit that the game has shown him his gaming limits.
“I have been playing video games for over 30 years and was always the best player in my environment,” he says, adding, “Some time ago, I finally got my hands on Sifu and was so overwhelmed by the sheer number of moves and combos that I just couldn’t keep up anymore.”
The very start of the game caused him problems, and he quickly realized that the game was too difficult for him: “I even had trouble getting through the tutorial.” After the second mission, he gave up.
The Revenge of a Kung-Fu Student
What is the game about? Sifu is a fighting game in which you play as a revenge-driven Kung-Fu student who wants to avenge his father’s murder by one of his former students. To do this, he must survive action-packed and cinematic battles against groups of enemies and skilled martial artists.
The unique feature of Sifu is a mysterious amulet that brings you back to life with each death but causes you to age faster. So, you begin your quest for revenge at a young age but only complete it in old age – even though only a short amount of time has passed.
Aging also brings consequences that you will feel in combat. The older you are, the less health you have, and you can withstand fewer hits before you go down again. Conversely, however, your own attacks also become stronger with increasing age.
But if you die too often, you will eventually no longer be resurrected, and the game ends.
What makes Sifu so difficult? On one hand, there is of course the aging process of the protagonist. You must refrain from getting hit with each death to avoid dying again. However, this is not so easy when fighting often outnumbered or against strong opponents with weapons.
On the other hand, there is the control itself. Sifu requires you to master various key combinations and timings to avoid getting hit and to land hits yourself. You must play calmly and methodically and cannot just progress through the story by button-mashing.
Additionally, Sifu differs from other fighting games like Tekken or Street Fighter, which use a 2D view. Sifu is played from a shoulder perspective. You move in 3D spaces where enemies can attack from all directions. This makes it harder to keep the combat situation in sight and under control.
If you enjoy difficult games, you might also have an interest in Soulslikes. Although you can still progress in the game after hundreds of deaths, the genre-typical challenging boss battles will still provide a decent challenge. Look forward to these 5 upcoming Soulslikes in 2025.
