Sifu difficulty settings: how to play easy mode

James Busby
Sifu main protagonist

Sifu’s incredibly brutal martial arts can prove tricky for even the greatest of Kung-Fu masters, and so many players will be questioning if there are difficulty settings. Well, we have the answer to that question right here. 

There’s no denial that Sifu is a difficult game. Whether you’re getting greedy with the punches or mistiming a counter, Sifu’s enemies will wipe the floor with you at one point or another. In fact, even the regular grunts can make short work of you if you’re not careful. 

While the Kung-Fu action may look fast and fluid, death is never far away. Receiving a few furious punches is all that it takes to completely ruin a run. Fortunately, Sifu’s unique death mechanic can bring you back into the action – albeit a bit older and a little more powerful. 

However, many players looking to dive into the merciless world of Sifu may be put off by its difficulty. Whether you’re struggling to beat a certain level or just wish to know if there’s a difficulty option in Sifu before you make a purchase, then we have you covered. 

Yang boss sifu
Sifu’s death mechanic is a new take on progression.

Is there easy mode in Sifu?

Sifu bar area
Sifu can be extremely difficult to master.

Difficulty options arrived in Sifu in a post-launch update last year, introducing Student, Disciple, and Master as options for your brawling techniques. Originally, those looking to complete the game’s tale of revenge would have needed to dust off their martial arts expertise and hone their technique, but thankfully that’s not the only way now.

These options can be changed by starting a new game, or via the options menu (but only at certain points). Student difficulty is supposed to be a stand-in for easy mode, featuring less aggressive enemies and better control over your health and aging.

Meanwhile, Disciple is the classic Sifu experience with very few changes present, but those wanting an extra challenge can opt for the Master difficulty. It’s here that your skills will be put to the ultimate test, facing off against incredibly aggressive enemies with very little health of your own.

Fortunately, death isn’t the end of a run. Players can be resurrected and age several years in the process. While your health bar will grow considerably smaller with each subsequent death, the power behind each punch increases. 

This means death shouldn’t be completely feared in Sifu. In fact, death is a large part of learning in Sloclap’s beat ‘em up. Sometimes it takes a few in-game deaths to master a specific enemy or master a trickier section of a level.

It’s best to keep persevering and learning your opponent’s moves. Keep an eye out for opportunities to strike, when to use defensive dodges, and how you can use your environment to your advantage. With enough practice, you’ll be able to quickly take down your foes without taking so much as a scratch. 


So, there you have it, everything we know about Sifu difficulty settings and options. Make sure you check out our other Sifu guides for all the latest information: 

Sifu upgrades explained | Sifu review | Everything we know about Sifu

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About The Author

James is Dexerto's Associate Games Editor who joined the website in 2020. He graduated from university with a degree in Journalism, before spending four years freelancing for GamesRadar+, PCGamesN, RPS, LoL Esports, Red Bull Gaming, and many more. You can find him covering everything from CoD, Apex Legends, Genshin Impact, and Monster Hunter. Need to get in touch? Email James at james.busby@dexerto.com.