Disclaimer: A code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

When I first played Sifu earlier this year, I remember how quickly I became enamored with its brutal combat and engaging visuals, and it inevitably made its way up the list as one of my games of 2022. When the Switch version was then announced back in September, I must say I was a little skeptical as to how this experience would transfer over to Nintendo's handheld. Would my base 2017 Switch cope with the intense combat, or would it grind and grunt its way through the whole process?

Well, tickle me surprised when I tell you that Sifu on Switch is the same good time - even if it does come with a few visual tweaks and necessary changes under the hood.

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If you haven't played Sifu before, you are in for a treat. A tale of revenge, combined with a fantastic combat system that utilizes brutal combos and satisfying environmental finishers with intriguing (if initially confusing) roguelike elements make Sifu one of the best games to release this year.

the game makes you truly feel like a martial artist who has spent years honing their craft

You play as a nameless martial artist who, after witnessing the death of his father at the hands of a disgraced former student Yang, sets out on a quest for revenge against Yang and his cohorts. Aided by a magical talisman that can revive you from death while costing a few years of your life in return, you set out to defeat Yang and avenge your father's death inevitably aging up as you get beaten down, all the while getting stronger and learning new skills in the process.

So far so good, but what makes Sifu stand out is how satisfying it is to play. Punches feel brutal and carry weight, and the sheer variety of combos make the game's many battles each feel unique and enjoyable, which is handy as, when paired with the revival mechanic, chances are you will be fighting each battle many, many times.

And therein lies the beauty of Sifu - so much of the gameplay is based around repetition, doing the same thing again and again to make progress. By fighting the same bosses and enemies time and time again, learning their attacks and routines and nailing timings of attacks, the game makes you truly feel like a martial artist who has spent years honing their craft - but in your case minutes or hours learning the right combos and button presses to dodge the next incoming attack and counter. Rather than feel repetitive or boring it is truly one of the game's many strengths, and it becomes a core gameplay element as you learn new attacks and combos via an upgrade menu that is accessible when you die or at various Shrines found throughout each stronghold.

With a truly refined combat system and a difficult but fair learning curve, Sifu does a great job of putting you in a variety of situations that utilize this acquired knowledge and put your skills to the test. Enemies come thick and fast, and elements found within the environment can be used to inflict damage upon them. Bottles can be thrown, bats can be swung, and stools can be kicked to gain every advantage and prevent you from being overpowered.

The Switch handles all of this surprisingly well, but it is also here that the most noticeable differences rise to the surface. Having played Sifu on the PS5, this version does suffer when it comes to visual fidelity. Lines look blurry and textures suffer from a lack of detail and definition, which is only heightened during the many frantic battles. Many will agree this is a worthy and obvious sacrifice to get Sifu running successfully on the Switch, but in comparison to earlier versions, it is lacking visually.

fans and newcomers alike will still have the same great experience getting to grips with its frantic and reactive combat

Another complaint, albeit a minor one, is how Sifu uses sound and the vibration feature to help get across the visceral and violence of each fight. Sound design is another great strength of Sifu, from its soundtrack to the noise each punch and kick makes as it connects with an opponent. This, combined with the vibration of your controller, really can help to get across the satisfying combat in a way that many games struggle to do, however here I think it is a little over-used - so much so that in the end I ended up turning off the vibration feature altogether. It was way too strong for my preferences, to the point that it was taking away from my enjoyment and becoming a distraction as my Switch buzzed and growled like an angry wasp every time a hit made contact. Adjusting the vibration setting in the options menu didn't make much difference, so I settled it by turning it off - problem solved, but a shame just the same.

When it comes to judging the Switch version of Sifu, things get a little tricky. At its core, it is still the same Sifu, and it's coming with all the extra content that has been pushed out since release, so fans and newcomers alike will still have the same great experience getting to grips with its frantic and reactive combat, but is it the best version of Sifu? Not really. If you've played Sifu on PlayStation or PC, there are a few noticeable differences that do detract from the experience and demote this version to last place. All things considered, it is still the same Sifu, and playing it in the palm of your hand is a satisfying and powerful experience that shouldn't be ignored if you have not played Sifu before.

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