Time to avenge your master with this easy to follow guide. (This guide is an in progress work).
Story Set-Up and The Tutorial Section
You'll start the game playing as long-haired Yang -- there to take down your former master. This opening section will guide you through the game's basic mechanics and give you a glimpse of the cabal of martial artists you'll be facing in the main game. In this tutorial section, you'll have access to the a full suite of moves -- including a full structure, focus bar, and all upgrades unlocked. Yang will inevitably kill his former Master -- unaware as his son watches the death of his father, the catalyst for a revenge plot of epic proportions. Sifu's red and brilliant title sequence will also give you a glimpse of all the bosses you'll face during the course of the main game.
Strikes, Focus, and Structure
Punches in Sifu are known as Strikes, most of which you do tapping the X or square button. Enimies in the will have two meters above them; a life gauge and a Structure meter, or a parry meter. You defeat enimies by either depleted all their health or their structure bar. Either one will open them up to a takedown -- by hitting X and Cirle (Playstation) or X and B (XBOX and PC). Combo strings will also build your Focus Meter, special attack that can be used by holding down the L2 button. Focus attacks will need to be unlocked in the Skill Tree.
Connecting a successful parry will cause an enemy to stagger backwards. The white flash of animation is quick, almost subtle. The parry is very fast and not as apparently as it is in titles like Sekiro or other parry-heavy combat games. The parry will also open up your opponent to a number of post-parry moves; like a lightening strike or throw.
Dodging
Another useful mechanic in Sifu is your ability to dodge. Pushing the right trigger and a direction will cause you dash backwards or forwards, allowing you to avoid hits or move in closer for an attack. Alternatively you can hold the L1 button and use left stick to duck under high kicks and punches. This move will allow you to immeaadiately launch a counter attack.
Tips Before Starting
Sifu is brawler, with the soul of a fighting game. This title focuses heavily on fluid of movement. Every time your character dies, he will bought back, aging according to the number of times you have died. While it can be beaten without dying-- Your first priority should be on maximizing your score, achieved by quick moves, lack of damage, and combo vareity. Co
Area 1: The Squats
The first area of the game is the Squats, a series of thug infested ramshacked apartment buildings. The squaller neighborhood will also be the first glimpse of many of the game deeper systems.
First Encounter
You'll begin by jumping a chain link fence and will be immeadiately greeted by two thugs. Parry them quickly and head through the metal gate. You'll find a scalable wall in front of you and a staircase to the left. Head left and investigate a locked down to The Skull Note, a collectible for your Detective Wall. Check the room directly behind the staircase to pick up a metal pipe if you'd like a melee weapon.
Recomended Uprades
Enviromental Mastery
Throw bottles and weapons without picking them up. Also allows you to kick crates and other hazards to knock down enemies.
Weapon Catch
Catch an weapon that is thrown at you and throw it back.
Post-Parry Throw
Grab and throw an stunned enemy after a successful parry. Will cause extra damage if they crash into walls or other enimies.
Strong Sweep
A Focus Attack that will sweep the leg and knock your opponent to the ground.
The Stair Case and the lower floors
After going through the orange door, you can take two paths, but they both lead to the same place -- a staircase. Fight your way up the stairs, making note the the various bottles you can use as weapons. Jump the gap, and you'll fight in small room with some bunk beds. Before you leave, head into the table near the fans and pick up a note, a collectable for the Detective Board.
The Hallway
The Hallway fight it one of the most iconic locations in the game. The fight will shift to a 2D perspective. Fight your way though your targets. Many of theem will have pipes and crowbars, giving an oppourtunity to get a melee weapon. When your weapons gets dull, throw it at an enemy you will get several chances to get a new one during this fight. The is also a good location to use the Post-Parry Throw, as you will be in tighter quarters.
The Rooftop
The door at the end of Hallway willl lead you into two rooms, a side room and one leading to a rooftop. Go into the side room first. Run towards the lone enemy in the room for an instant take down. Another enemy may enter the room, use the post parry throw to toss them against the table for a quick takedown.On the roof top keep moving to avoid getting surrounded by enemies. Use your Enviormenal Mastery skill to knock enemies down with crates.
This area will also likely be your first encounter with "enchanced" enemies. They will have a slight haze above their lifebar that is sometimes hard to spot. If you try to perform a takedown on them, they will block it and you will have fight them again.
Dragon Shrines
After the fight you will make your way into a room with a Dragon Shrine. These shrines are seperate upgrades from the Skill Tree that are only good until complete an area. You will have access to different upgrades depending on your chracters age, XP level, and current score. This early in game you will likely only be able to use the first tier, which gives you a choice between earning health from take downs, or increased structure or weapon durability. Choosing an upgrade at a srhine will always refill your health.
Another Rooftop and The Juggernaunt
The next area will be the start of another rooftop fight. If you plan it right you can knock some of these opponents off a ledge to give you an advantage. You can also use crates on the gound to knock your enemies to the ground. Jump across the game to face your first heavy enemy. At the start of the fight, the Juggernaunt will try to grab you. Hold down the light button, and push down on the left stick to dodge the grab, enabling a counter attack. You can also kick the bags to money to knock him to the ground and eventually perform a takedown.
Counting Money
In the next area you will come across two rooms where illegal money is being counted. Run into the room on right and you can get an instant takedown on the target by the table. Make sure you don't jump through the window, as that will alert them. Take advantage of the crates in this room for knockdowns, and you can also pick up a metal pipe from enimies here. You can jump across the table in the middle of the room if you start to get surrounded. In the conference room in the back there is a collectable on the table. There is also a crow bar in this room if you need a melee weapon.
After finding another hallway, you find a path with two doors. The side door will you to a fight after which you upgrade at a Dragon Shrine. You will also be awarded with a key for the metal gate in front of you. (after your first play through you will unlock the key, so you can skip this side room in future runs.) Beware there are sometimes enhanced enemies in this room.
Rumble in The Hanger
Continue past the metal door and you will find youself inside a hanger. This is the area where you can complete the "Rumble in the Hanger" Trophy/Achivement. Before you go down to the main floor, use stealth to take out as many unaware targets as possible. The time for the trophy will start as soon as you are seen. This area has alot of enemies to contend with, but the fight arena is very large so you will have plenty of room to manuever. There are also lots of crates for knockdown and melee weapons in this area. You will have 60 seconds to take out all the opponents in this room in order to unlock the trophy.
The next area will have a door gaurded by a heavy opponent and two others. If you run towards the foot stools, using a enviromental kick attack to take out one of the gaurds for an instant take down. There are several other stools that can be used the heavy or the other guard.
The Greenhouse
You will soon find yourself in the last area of the level, the greenhouse. As you enter the door, take note of the Dragon Shrine there. Go up the stairs and grab the collectible next to the Yin Yang symbol on the table. Stop by the Shrine to add the enchanced melee damage upgrade, it will help in the upcoming Boss Fight. Go Up the ramp and prepare to face the first Boss.
Boss Fight: Jafar, the Gardener
The boss fight against Jafar is pretty straight forward. The fight is also the easiest area of the game to get the Kill Nil Trophy. Use the dodge mechanic (hold L1 and push on left stick) to dodge his high strikes. Counter with quick strikes, careful planning will alow you to push him aginst the walls of hedges in the area. Also remember to use your focus strikes if you have them -- The Strong Sweep is very useful here. If you health is low don't worry -- it will reset when the second phase of the fight starts.
Jafar, Phase 2
The second stage is will find you in a large area surrounded by bamboo stalks. When the fight starts run to find a melee weapon. Continue using the same stragety as before. Dodge the high strikes and counter attack. When Jafar retreats to the bamboo forrest, run ahead to keep getting hit by him when he emerges from his cover. Since the area proves alot of walls from the bamboo, this area is also a good time to use the post-parry throw and corner him using Focus Attacks. Before long, you should have no problem trimming the Gardener down to size.
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