The countdown has begun. Sifu, the martial arts game by Sloclap, will be released in a fortnight. To kick off the weekend, the developer studio released another Behind the Scenes video. This time we listen to the sounds of the game.
Tradition meets modernity – this is not only how the gameplay of the action-packed adventure game Sifu can be described. The game’s soundtrack is also based on this concept. It comes from the Chinese DJ Howie Lee. The artist, who works in Beijing, uses traditional Chinese instruments as well as modern tools. Although he has no previous experience in the field of gaming, his soundtrack sounds quite coherent. Have a listen:
A good soundtrack must not only fit the general theme of a game. It also has to fit different gameplay situations. In the case of Sifu, this means that the music must adapt to the five locations of the game. These locations can in turn be assigned to the five elements, which can be found in traditional Chinese medicine as well as in philosophy.
For example, Howie Lee used a bamboo flute to represent the wood location onomatopoeically. The metal region was set to music with the help of gongs and a gamelan ensemble.
The other three elements are water, earth and fire. We will find out what sounds await us in these locations on 8 February. That’s when Sifu will be released for PC and PlayStation.
Another Behind the Scenes video gives us a deeper insight into the martial arts of Sifu. In the process, we get interesting insights into the digitalisation of martial arts.
