Sifu tips for busting bosses without losing years off your life

destructoid.com:

Sifu is out right now for those with the deluxe edition, and launching tomorrow for everyone else. It’s a tough, punishing game with a few pointers not made readily apparent. And as the resident master here, I’ve got a few Sifu tips to help make fights go a little smoother.

I worked my way through Sifu, tackling both the normal and “true” ending. In truth, the most you’ll want to strive for is mastery. The more you know what to expect and how to answer it, the better you’ll progress through each encounter. Let’s start with basics, though.

Forget others. Forget your friends, family, and loved ones. Your L1 button, or LB on an Xbox controller, is your closest friend in Sifu. It is the light at the end of your dock. It is the method through which you will not just win, but decisively win.

Jokes aside, the left-shoulder button is crucial. One aspect Sifu doesn’t make very apparent is that while L1+Down dodges throws, for example, you can simply hold L1 and wait for the right moment to flick the stick down. The same can be done for ducks and the left or right avoids. Timed well, this lets you avoid almost any manner of attack: sweeps, overheads, and basic attacks.

An early new-player trap is getting too accustomed to the Dash, or R2+direction. It has its uses, but it also has a long recovery time, and will sometimes put distance between you and your target that you’ll need to make up. Get used to dodging in place, and you’re in prime position to fire back with fists. Plus, L1 is also your parry option—a mechanic that’s helpful at first, and crucial for clearing bosses under certain conditions.

Identify a few key abilities you feel like you can’t live without, and work on getting those permanently unlocked. In each run, you