There are always a handful of indie games that get elevated above the rest, and Sifu is definitely one of those right now. Coming from Absolver developer Sloclap, the game is a 3D beat-'em-up in which you play a martial arts master on a quest for revenge. It's always looked pretty darn good in trailers, but certain corners of the gaming press have been playing a demo, and their thoughts are now out in the open.

We've embedded one of the gameplay videos above (thanks, GameSpot) and while it offers no commentary, there are plenty of others offering their thoughts on the short playable section. We've had a quick look through and the consensus generally seems very positive; it's given praise for its stylish and brutal combat system that rewards skilful play, as well as the clean art style. The demo is said to mostly consist of a linear brawl through a night club, although you're also able to get in some practice at a dojo and also upgrade some abilities with the skill tree.

The age mechanic sounds interesting; each time you die, you come back slightly older, but the amount you age up increases each time, until eventually the game is over. Your health goes down a little with each revival, but at the same time, your power goes up, meaning you'll be a glass cannon when you reach the hero's more advanced years.

We're certainly interested in playing this for ourselves, and thankfully, it's not too far away. Sifu launches on PlayStation 5 and PS4 on 8th February 2022, barring any further delays. Are you excited for this one? Let us know in the comments section below.

[source youtube.com, via eurogamer.net, destructoid.com]