Indie studio Sloclap, also behind the hand-to-hand combat game Absolver, announced its next game Sifu, at Sony's State of Play event.

Whereas Absolver is an online multiplayer game, Sloclap is trying its hands at a single-player campaign with Sifu, though both feature enticing hand-to-hand and martial arts combat. From the French development studio and backed by the indie gaming fund Kowloon NightsSifu moves players away from the Adal Empire in Absolver and to China where the art of kung fu originates. Apparently, one of the game's designers, Jordan Layani, specializes in Bak Mei Kung Fu.

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Throughout the Sony State of Play trailer, players can see the protagonist aging from a young adult to that of an old man. In Sifuage will have an impact on death and revival thanks to the pendant around the protagonist's neck. Each time the player dies, they'll be revived slightly older, turning them from a beginner into a master, where the game gets its name. In an interview with IGN, Layani details that the term "gung fu" actually means mastery by practicing. Kung fu can only be learned by practicing a lot, Layani explains.

Many are comparing Sifu's kung fu style to Jackie Chan movies. This is exactly what the designers are going for, Layani said in the interview. Jackie Chan movies, as well as The Raid, helped inspire the design core of Sifu. Layani explains how Jackie Chan movies typically have him fighting off enemies in close quarters, and the State of Play trailer for Sifu shows a hallway fight scene with the protagonist and several others.

Sifu is meant to exhibit raw kung fu, true to its real-world style, by exploring themes of revenge and redemption, possibly taking a page from Hades' book - though it's currently unclear in what way the campaign will unfold or how long it aims to be. However, Sloclap describes Sifu as a blend of beat 'em ups paired with 3D action games.

Along with the combat, the 3D art style resembles Sloclap's debut game Absolver, which was nominated for a few awards back in 2017 including Best Fighting Game and Best Independent Game. Sloclap is comprised of former Ubisoft Paris employees, including Layani, who worked as a designer on Watch Dogs.

While there aren't many other details regarding Sifu's story, players can expect Sloclap's new game later this year.

Sifu will release in 2021 for PC, PS4, and PS5.

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Source: IGN