Sifu is an incredibly fun, responsive, but brutally difficult action game. It gives you a real feeling of being in the middle of a fight, requiring you to lean into tight combos to come out on top. However, how would that work with motion controls?
Surprisingly well, it happens. Modder Rudeism decided that playing PS5 and PC brawler with a normal controller was not enough. Instead, he created a unique motion control setup that is somewhat reminiscent of the iconic Wii Sports boxing mini-game (thanks, IGN (opens in new tab)).
Rudeism, who also got a Fisher-Price controller to work with Elden Ring, shared his experience on Twitter with a music video. The nearly two-minute clip shows off Rudeism’s motion controller gloves, each equipped with a motion sensor and analog stick.
Playing @SifuGame with motion controlled fists Please cheer for me to @goodgame_asia make my back pain worth it 💀 pic.twitter.com/eeTcdlq0oEJune 19, 2022
The clip is a joy to watch as Rudeism expresses joy in the working state of its motion control setup. It demonstrates that actions like throwing punches and making saves work as intended. Essentially, it turned Sifu into a fitness game, not unlike the brilliant Nintendo Switch Sports or Ring Fit Adventure.
Setup is not without its problems, however, Rudeism shows how much maintenance controllers need. In one part, Rudeism has to break a soldering iron to fix the controller wiring when the motion controls collapse.
Motion controls can be more than a cheap gimmick
I love hardware-centric mods like Rudeism’s Sifu controller, they can really bring a game to life. I want to see some official motion control support added to the game; something that could be a possibility if Sifu gets a Nintendo Switch port, with movement controlled by a pair of Joy-Con controllers.
When done right, the optional motion controls can feel like more than just a novelty. Gran Turismo 7, for example, features an excellent motion-based option that essentially turns the DualSense into a steering wheel. It takes some getting used to, but it’s surprisingly responsive and a lot of fun.
That said, I know why motion controls are probably not on the Sloclap developer’s to-do list. Sifu is a viciously difficult brawler, even when played on a regular controller. Throwing motion controls into the mix would only increase the difficulty. This is doubly true when you have to take your own resistance into account.
Still, it’s great that Rudeism was able to make a motion-based proof of concept work for Sifu.
