Sifu: It Takes a Life

The Secret Level episode "Sifu: It Takes a Life" is a solid exploration of the challenging and philosophical elements of the game Sifu, but it doesn't quite achieve the depth it promises. The episode does a commendable job breaking down the game's unique mechanics, particularly its aging system, and highlights how it ties into themes of perseverance and self-improvement. However, the episode struggles to maintain a balance between entertainment and analysis, leaving some segments feeling overly drawn-out.

The host's passion for the game is evident, especially when dissecting the martial arts combat and discussing its roots in classic kung fu films. The visual demonstrations of gameplay are engaging, but the episode spends too much time replaying the same sequences, which detracts from the pacing. Furthermore, while the philosophical musings on life, death, and growth are interesting, they could have been more tightly woven into the analysis of the gameplay itself.

On the positive side, the episode shines when it delves into the design of Sifu's levels and the way the game forces players to adapt to increasingly punishing circumstances. The inclusion of interviews with developers adds depth, but these moments are too brief to leave a lasting impact.

Overall, "Sifu: It Takes a Life" offers a decent look at the game's complexities but doesn't fully deliver on its potential. Fans of Sifu and the Secret Level series will likely appreciate the effort, but it falls short of being a standout episode.

I have reviewed each episode of "Love, Death + Robots" and am a big video games guy, so thought I'd do the same process for Amazon's "Secret Level".

The second episode is set in a gaming world that I have no experience and wasn't sure I'd even heard of, that of 2022 fighting game SIFU.

MC (Parry Shen) is sitting down for some food when he spots a distinctive tattoo on a local hoodlum. He saw the tattoo years earlier, on a gang member who participated in the killing of his father. He tracks them to a nearby club where he attacks, though as there are three of them, they eventually get the better of him and he's killed. He's resurrected though as an older version of himself, with greater technique but less energy, and continues the battle trying to find Sean (Nelson Lee) the gang's leader who is ultimately responsible for the murder.

There's a slightly more stylised look for the second episode than the photorealism of the first. There is a cel-shaded element to the visuals, which I would imagine, though again don't actually know, mirrors the games look somewhat. Still within that though the movement and choreography of the fighting is excellent.

It's an OK story, the rules are laid out pretty quickly, so we understand what is happening and how the "magic" that brings MC back works. It's limited by the short length of the episode but also that allows them to get to the point and be efficient. I understand there is a proposed movie version of the game in the mix, it'll be interesting to see if they stick as closely to the lore of the game.

Again, this was good stuff and has made me want to look for the game, which perhaps is what the series is aiming for.

Visually, it has a more interesting style than the previous episode, with quick and well choreographed action scenes.

Certainly a good representation of its source material.. even if surprisingly brief (clocking at around 7 minutes only). Personally, I think this feels like little more than a summary of a small part or a short preview of what the game offers.

I'm starting to wonder about the purpose behind these Secret Level pieces of content. Are these just trailers for nondescript products to expand an audience? Still, it is consumable enough to be recommendable. With a seemingly-complete arc for the main character and a decently impactful narrative.

I am a big fan of the original game and I was the most excited about this episode from the entire series. Altough it kinda met my expectations in some way, it also dissapointed me in others.

The art stlye is just beautiful, closely resembling the source material. There are also some great shots and visuals in certain scenes, and the fight scenes look phenomenal.

Altough they did manage to finish the story in a single episode and touched on the deeper meaning of it all, I feel like the 7-minute runtime forced a lot of details to be left out of this episode and I would've loved for it to have the avarage 15 minutes, so that it could feel more complete.

But overall, even if short, it was a fast-paced, visually spectacular episode that did come around in a full circle in the end with something to learn from it.

First of all, I'm a huge Sifu fan. I was expecting a lot from this episode. To be honest, got disappointed by it. Visually stunning, as it perfectly captures the game's unique style (one of the few episodes of this season that has its own visual style) but the story rehashes briefly (really briefly) a chapter from the game, leaving Sifu fans frustrated and hungry for something original. The action is incredible, and the psychedelic sequences are engaging, and the peaceful ending is meaningful but its brevity makes it feel more like a teaser than a full short. For non-gamers, however, it offers an intriguing glimpse into the world of Chinese martial arts cinema and its vengeance-driven philosophy. It might spark interest in the game, but as a short film, it falls short.