Developer Sloclap's hit action game Sifu proudly showcases its inspirations in its level design, combat, and more. But, as demonstrated by Sifu's first proper level The Squats, those movie references go beyond mere homage. The developers found clever ways to use those references in ways that teach the player how to fight against Sifu's brutally difficult foes.
IGN's Mitchell Saltzman, as well as members of the Sloclap development team, take you through The Squats and break down how the level is built to not only include major callouts to films like Oldboy and more but also how it elevates those homages to deepen the player's understanding of how to adapt and survive to Sifu's gameplay mechanics. It's a careful tightrope walk of both reverence and a desire to carve out Sifu's own identity, and Sloclap pulled it off.
This is Art of the Level
