Deaths are commonplace in Sifu as players explore between the Squats, the Club, the Museum, the Tower, and the Sanctuary. Each stage offers different challenges and assortments of enemies for players to tackle, and there are many hidden or implicit ways for players to make their way through Sifu as a result.
However, there are benefits to sticking around and taking out mobs of enemies that could otherwise be avoided entirely. Successfully dispatching enemies increases a Score multiplier, but this can be difficult to maintain or increase quickly if players are taking hits or dying frequently. Instead, there is a lesser known about mechanic in Sifu that amplifies the amount of Score players earn from each of the enemies they face, and can instantly gift players with a high multiplier before a punch is thrown.
How to Quickly Achieve a High Multiplier in Sifu
If Sifu players wish to increase their Score multiplier instantly and without any effort, they may simply taunt their foes. Players can taunt enemies with a cheeky animation and voice line delivered that increases their current multiplier Score. Taunts in combination with enemies defeated will raise the player's Score dramatically, which is helpful if players wish to purchase any of the three shrine statue boons that fall under the Score tab. Score-based boons include Structure Regain, Focus Regain, and Parry Impact.
Parry Impact, for example, increases the impact of the player's parry on the opponent's Structure bar, and can be paramount in the three-phase final fight against Yang for Sifu's true ending. Otherwise, players may choose to disregard Score in their consideration for shrine statue rewards to purchase if they would prefer to buy Age-based or XP-based boons instead. But Sifu makes Age, Score, and XP all fundamental to the player's core mechanics, and it may be advantageous to dabble in each for a well-rounded run.
Taunts can be performed on PS4 and PS5 with the right D-pad button. On keyboard and mouse, players taunt with the 3 key. The taunt can be dash-canceled, but it is not always safe to attempt a taunt. Taunts are safer to perform before enemies have aggroed, and are riskier to perform while in the middle of a fight when an opponent can punish the player. But like many of Sifu's more clandestine tactics, a well-timed taunt can grant a significant benefit for the player and turn the tide against any of the game's more difficult challenges with proper preparation.
Sifu is available now on PC, PS4, and PS5.