How Long Does It Take To Beat Sifu?

"Sifu", the new action-adventure game from indie developer Sloclap, has finally arrived. Taking place in a city in China, "Sifu" follows a young kung fu student as he goes on a path of revenge against the group of assassins who murdered his father and mentor. Though critics have noted it is a skill-based experience that requires players to adjust to a steep learning curve, "Sifu" only features five main story missions. However, the difficulty in mastering these scenarios will make up much of the experience, which has made the game's length an interesting question. After all, it may take players a good bit of time to get used to the title's martial arts mechanics and controls.

On top of that, the "True Ending" for the game can only be achieved should one be able to reach 100% completion, creating an incentive for players to play as much of it as possible. So how long is "Sifu" exactly? At the end of the day, that really all depends on the experience you're looking for.

The main story in "Sifu" consists of five missions, with each one dedicated towards one of the five bosses in the game. The bosses include Fajar (The Botanist), Sean (The Fighter), Kuroki (The Artist), Jinfeng (The CEO), and Yang (The Leader). Though this selection of missions is far from extensive, the length in which it takes to beat them is far from short. Upon launching the game, first-time players will likely find the game to be insanely difficult and will likely be overwhelmed by the game's Kung Fu practicing enemies and likely have to respawn.

On average, the main story experience — should the player decide to play it on rails — has been clocked in at upwards of 10 hours to complete, meaning players will likely spend an average of two hours on each mission (via GameSpot). Further complicating the matter, "Sifu" features a unique death mechanic that will age the player-controlled character each time they die. With each death, the main character's max health is reduced and some abilities become impossible to perform. This adds even more challenge and difficulty in completing even just the main story in quick fashion.

Side content in "Sifu" isn't found in what some would consider to be traditional side missions or quests. Instead, due to the game's linear structure, all additional content, collectibles, and hidden dialogue can be found in the main missions themselves. To find them, the player will need to dedicate themselves to searching every nook and cranny "Sifu" has to offer, all while avoiding more deaths that make the game even more difficult than it already is. Collecting and observing all of this side content unlocks what the game describes as the "True Ending."

The general consensus in regards to achieving this ending seems to indicate that it takes about 15 hours to complete. Finding this ending has been highly recommended by critics, since it hammers home the overall message of the events that occur in "Sifu." Joseph Yayden of GameSpot described it as "[going] beyond a revenge story, with a greater emphasis on redemption, rather than killing." 

Unlocking the True Ending of "Sifu" should be every player's end goal when playing the game. It not just buffs your time spent with the title, but it also lends a greater sense of meaning to the game's overarching story and character development.