Kung Fu fighting game Sifu has been delayed to early 2022, nearly half a year later than its original late 2021 release window. Developer Sloclap cited stunted development caused by the ongoing pandemic, and made the decision to delay the game in order to ensure the release of a “polished game” while maintaining the health of the development team without any crunch. To help ease the wait, the studio released a new gameplay teaser which features the main character tearing through a fight club.
Sifu will see players put into the shoes of a young Kung Fu student seeking revenge after assassins kill his family. Armed with his fists, laser-fast reflexes, and a magical pendant that revives him every time he dies, he must get to the bottom of the mysterious organization that ordered the assassination. As we see in the trailer, however, every time he is revived by the pendant he ages several years. Age too much, and players must restart the mission all over again.
Sloclap community manager Felix Garczynski states that while the team originally aimed for a late-2021 release, changing regulations and remote working had caused development to “lose some velocity.”
We still felt earlier this year that we could make our original planned launch date, but as the deadline grew closer, it became clear that we wouldn’t be able to do so without putting the quality of the game at risk or creating huge pressure on the Sloclap team – and neither of these options were acceptable to us.
Garczynski apologized to fans and explained that, while the decision was not made lightly, the team’s top priority is to make “the best possible game” with a “hugely entertaining and polished experience.”
In Sifu, players must use various weapons and environments to their advantage to beat their way through enemies. Similar to the Arkham series, the game will feature a crowd-control-type gameplay flow and brutal hand-to-hand combat that will have players grappling, cracking skulls, and breaking ribs of various enemies big and small. The gameplay teaser showcases one such situation, following the protagonist as he infiltrates a fight club. You can also see the aging mechanic in full swing, with the player character’s hair growing greyer each time he dies.
You can check out the official Sifu gameplay teaser video below:
Sifu is now scheduled to release in early 2022.
[Source: PS Blog]
