Sifu
Sifu starts out simple where you play a martial artist who sets out to avenge a fallen master, aging every time they fall in battle. The combat is fluid and unforgiving, demanding mastery, patience, and control – but what makes Sifu stand out is the way it makes you feel the desperation behind the revenge. The permadeath mechanic sends you straight back to the starting point, echoing the feelings of frustration and discomfort that accompany the act of revenge. What makes the story stand out amongst the barrage of similarly themed adventures is how the protagonist navigates a complex web of corruption and betrayal while tracking down the killers, and how the revelation of the lines between good and evil are not so easily drawn comes into view.
