This Is How You DON'T Play Sifu (0utsyder Edition)(Fixed)

Sifu: A Streamer's Journey from Rage to Mastery

Initial Frustrations with Combat and Camera

The camera the camera gets stuck and if the camera gets stuck you can't see your opponent you'll never be able to block or parry that's [ __ ] the kid the camera should be following you in a better way that's really terrible

• The streamer, Phil, begins his first session of Sifu with a mix of excitement and bravado, immediately diving into the game's challenging combat. However, within the first hour, his tone shifts dramatically as he encounters what he perceives as fundamental flaws. He repeatedly complains that the camera is his worst enemy, getting stuck in corners or against walls, making it impossible to see incoming attacks. This leads to unavoidable damage and deaths, which he attributes not to his own skill but to broken game mechanics. He expresses disbelief that enemies can hit him through his dodges and parries, especially when surrounded or fighting in tight spaces. His rage escalates as he feels the game does not respect his inputs, with attacks tracking him even after a well-timed dodge. He laments that the enemy's super armor allows them to ignore his strikes, while he must follow all the rules, creating a deeply unfair experience. This initial frustration is compounded by his inability to parry specific attacks, particularly sweeps, which he claims are too fast to react to. He states that the game is "cheap" and "flawed," and even compares it unfavorably to FromSoftware titles, which he believes have fairer difficulty. His conclusion from this first hour is that Sifu's mechanics are broken, with the camera being the primary culprit.

The Realization of Roguelike Grinding

The older you get the less health for example age 40 you have half health right but did you see what happened it's not even a matter of half health it's yes they had the health bar shrinking but everyone was hitting you for more than half of your half health bar you know what i mean like so not only are you gonna hit me for ginormous up situations where it's like ten on one basically what you need to do you need to grind you need to grind like crazy to get all these abilities and then you'll be able to get to beat this much easier

• After several deaths in the second level, Phil transitions from raw anger to a more analytical mode. He recognizes that the game's structure forces players to repeatedly replay earlier stages to unlock permanent abilities and lower their age before progressing. He explains that dying increases the character's age, which reduces maximum health and makes each subsequent hit more punishing. This creates a roguelike loop where mastery of the first level is essential to survive the second, and so on. He expresses frustration that this grinding feels tedious and joyless, especially when he wants to see new content. He notes that the game does not respect his time, requiring him to replay the same sections multiple times just to have a chance. He contrasts this with other games where skill alone can carry a player through, whereas Sifu demands both mechanical precision and repetitive practice. He laments that he does not have the patience for "grinding" because he streams many games and has limited time. This section marks a turning point where he begins to understand the game's design philosophy, even as he resents it. He decides to go back to the first stage to unlock skills and lower his age, acknowledging that this is the only viable path forward. His tone is still bitter, but he is now willing to engage with the system rather than simply rage.

Second Stream Epiphany: The Intro as a Tutorial

This game spoils itself in the opening intro segment i don't think i've ever played a game that's done that before ever have you ever played a game where in the actual opening cinematics there's some stuff that tells you how to beat the whole game so i mean i guess you could say kind of like shame on me because i didn't even think about that at all and now that i kind of thought about it overnight i think it's [ __ ] genius

• Returning to Sifu a day later, Phil admits that he lost his cool during the first stream and has since reconsidered the game. He reveals a crucial insight: the opening cinematic actually shows a preview of all the bosses and the specific abilities needed to defeat them. He expresses amazement that he never noticed this before, calling it a clever design choice. He now understands that the high and low dodge mechanic (holding L1 and pressing up or down) is essential for the second boss, Sean, who uses a staff. He recalls that he had never used this ability until that point, which explains why he found the boss impossible. He describes it as a "puzzle game" rather than a pure combat game, where players must learn and apply specific techniques against each opponent. This epiphany changes his entire approach: he becomes more open to experimenting with the dodge mechanics and paying attention to enemy patterns. He acknowledges that his initial anger was partly due to his own ignorance, and he resolves to approach the game with a "more mature and refreshed mindset." This section shows his transition from blaming the game to accepting that he needed to learn its language. He also begins to appreciate the game's depth, noting that it rewards observation and practice.

Progress Through Evasion and Frustration with Sweeps

The sweep gets me every time because i can't read the animation okay counter it just sucks that i freaking died there you know if i didn't die i might have beaten the whole stage without dying nah the [ __ ] boss is gonna kill me a couple times i bet

• With his new understanding of the dodge mechanics, Phil makes significant progress. He can now evade high and low attacks, allowing him to counterattack effectively. However, a persistent problem remains: the low sweep attack performed by many enemies and bosses. He finds this move nearly impossible to react to because the animation is ambiguous and the timing window is extremely tight. He repeatedly fails to jump over it, leading to knockdowns and follow-up damage. This becomes a major source of frustration, especially during boss fights where the sweep is part of an unpredictable chain. He also struggles with the "palm strike" of certain enemies, which seems to track him through dodges. He describes the timing as "delayed" – the hitbox does not match the visual animation, making it a matter of prediction rather than reaction. Despite these issues, he acknowledges that he is improving overall, and he successfully reaches the third stage (the museum) for the first time. He notes that the game feels completely different now that he uses the evade, but the camera continues to cause problems, especially in tight spaces. He also discovers that shortcuts allow him to skip large portions of stages, which reduces the tedium of replaying. This section captures the ongoing struggle between mastery and frustration, with the sweep attack becoming a recurring nightmare.

Mastering the Fourth Boss and Camera Woes

The camera is actually more damaging than anything in the game the camera is literally the risk because as the camera rotates you can't dodge the attacks anymore

• After many hours of grinding, Phil finally reaches the fourth boss, a woman who fights with a blade and teleports. He initially finds her extremely difficult because her attacks come from multiple angles and she can close distance instantly. He then realizes that her attacks can be sidestepped rather than dodged with the evade mechanic, and that her stagger meter fills quickly when he parries or blocks. He practices the fight repeatedly, noting that the second phase is easier than the first because her patterns become more predictable. A major breakthrough occurs when he learns to parry her dropkick and other fast moves, allowing him to fill her structure bar without taking damage. However, the camera remains a persistent adversary. He complains that the lack of a lock-on system means the camera rotates unpredictably, causing him to dodge in the wrong direction and suffer unnecessary hits. He states that the camera is "the number one enemy" and that it often gets stuck behind walls or foreground objects, obscuring enemy animations. Despite these frustrations, he achieves a perfect run against the fourth boss, losing no lives and reaching the final stage with a low age. This success boosts his confidence, and he credits viewer advice for helping him understand the boss's parry windows. He concludes that the game is excellent when the camera cooperates, but its design flaws hold it back from being truly great.

Final Boss and the True Ending Through Sparing

What a finish oh my god the true ending wow wow nice this is she dies after all that he dies but you did spare him

• The final session culminates in a climactic confrontation with Yang, the final boss. Phil learns that to achieve the true ending, he must spare all five bosses by breaking their structure without reducing their health to zero in the final phase. This requires him to focus almost entirely on parrying and evading, dealing no direct damage. He finds this incredibly challenging, especially in Yang's second form, where parrying becomes essential but the camera and speed make it difficult. He dies multiple times, but eventually he manages to break Yang's structure twice, triggering the spare option. The true ending shows a cutscene where the protagonist spares Yang, and the talismans of the five bosses are collected, suggesting a path of redemption. Phil expresses shock that he managed to complete the entire game in that single stream, having started with a rage-filled first session. He praises the game for its originality, art style, and deep combat system, stating that it is better than Sekiro in terms of mechanics. He also reflects on the importance of patience and learning from mistakes, acknowledging that his initial rage was misplaced. However, he remains critical of the camera and some hitbox issues. He ends the stream satisfied, having "devoured" the game completely, and jokes that he is now ready for Elden Ring. This final section shows his transformation from a frustrated critic to a genuinely satisfied player who appreciates the game's depth and challenge.