You’ll be able to KO non-boss enemies in Sifu with out killing them, which implies that the brawler might be accomplished with out murdering any of the handfuls of minions guarding its 5 bosses. Maybe that is the ‘true’ approach to beat Sifu, when you’re not attempting to be its villain. I will by no means know, as a result of with the intention to end the sport I used a cowardly trick that has no place in a gentler run, because it entails sticking swords in individuals’s guts.
One thing I like about Sifu is that it does not clarify each element of its combating system, so if you do not need one in all its little touches revealed to you, perhaps go take a look at Natalie’s comparison between the sport and Sloclap’s prior work, Absolver. In any other case, this is what the trick is all about:
One of the best unlockable assault in Sifu, when you ask me, is the Charged Backfist. It permits you to ship a stable whack to the pinnacle of anybody in entrance of or behind you (with out turning to have a look at them, in fact, since you’re a badass) and when wielding a bat weapon, it turns into an endlessly helpful journey assault.
Whenever you’re holding a bladed weapon, nonetheless, Charged Backfist turns into one thing very completely different. Partially charging it leads to an unexciting upward sweep, however when you absolutely cost it earlier than releasing, you will sprint ahead and run the blade via the torso of whomever you are aiming at, sacrificing the weapon in alternate for an instakill (it will get caught of their torso).
You do need to land the strike cleanly to get the kill: It may be blocked or averted, and the charge-up animation takes a pair seconds, which makes it powerful to make use of in common fight. (I found it by chance.) It additionally does not make a lot sense to surrender your sword simply to kill one common enemy. The transfer is extraordinarily helpful in just a few particular conditions, although, as long as you do not thoughts that my favourite PS1 sport, Bushido Blade, would name what you are doing a “damned path.”
The trick is to carry onto a sword till you encounter one in all Sifu’s elite enemies. A few of them will discuss to you earlier than your duel begins, which usually does not matter, as a result of when you get too shut or throw a punch whereas they’re yapping, they will shut up and begin combating. Nonetheless, they’re completely happy to maintain on casually monologuing when you stand just a few ft away from them gripping your sword and grunting as you cost up an assault. Certain sufficient, it is potential to impale them mid-sentence, ending the combat earlier than it begins.
The Charged Backfist blade skip is especially helpful for 2 elite enemy encounters close to the boss chamber within the fourth stage, within the caves. I additionally used it to do away with the guard standing in entrance of the ultimate boss’s room. These aren’t encounters you will dread, essentially, however you are so fragile in Sifu that dropping your focus for only a second can lead to a dying, and the one factor you do not need to do exactly earlier than the ultimate boss is add any years to your character’s age (Sifu’s penalty for dying, which strikes you nearer to its ‘sport over’ state). This transfer negates the opportunity of that occuring. It is also unlikely that you will beat every boss in your first strive, so you will need to undergo these enemies time and again. Instakilling them saves time.
Disappointingly, I do not suppose the one-hit kill works on Sifu’s bosses themselves. I attempted it on Kuroki, the Japanese museum proprietor whose stage introduces bladed weapons to the sport, and she or he averted the assault each time. I believe that Sloclap knew we would strive our luck and included a tough rule that bosses at all times keep away from the assault, though I have never rigorously examined that concept.
Sifu will doubtless turn into fashionable with just a few speedrunners, as a result of it is difficult, not randomized, and I’ve a sense that fairly just a few extra methods are ready to be found—even after beating it, I have never even tried all of its strikes. For basic ideas, take a look at my guide to beating Sifu.
I additionally found a tactic I name “moneybagging” (let’s ignore that there are in all probability 10 completely different soiled definitions for that) which requires the Environmental Mastery talent and solely works in a single spot within the first stage and truly slows down your playthrough fairly a bit:
