The French kung fu master whose moves made Sifu action game a surprise hit of 2022 – and a love letter to martial arts
- Benjamin Colussi is a sifu, or master, in the pak mei style of kung fu. Having seen many games use incorrect fighting styles, he wanted something more authentic
- A lifelong student of Chinese culture, Colussi wanted Sifu to slow the action down and allow the player to figure out the sequence of moves that works best
Revenge-focused kung fu action game Sifu has become a breakout hit in 2022, selling nearly one million copies since its release in February. What’s more, the game has earned praise for its fighting complexity as well as the respect it shows to a Chinese art.
But if the game is accurate in depicting the specific kung fu fighting style known as pak mei, that’s a debt owed to Benjamin Colussi. The Paris resident and kung fu master has seen too many films and games with an inaccurate approach to fighting. He didn’t want his name or the pak mei school he runs to have their brands sullied.
He was ready to be a pest. “For me, it was important to not just sign a [licensing] contract and go back to my stuff and that’s all,” says Colussi, who was recently in Los Angeles to take meetings for other potential media products.
“I really wanted to make a point. So before signing, I said, ‘I want to see the movement, and want the chance to say, you can do better’. It was a struggle for the team. They thought I wanted to take up too much space. That was not my goal. My goal was to be sure that what they do reflects what we want.”
In a crowded gaming month with blockbuster releases such as Elden Ring and Horizon Forbidden West, Sifu has managed to make an impact. The game has also inspired cultural and mechanical debates, as it’s not only difficult but the independent studio that made it, Sloclap, is based in Paris rather than China.
As the architect of the game’s fighting, and a lifelong student of Chinese culture, Colussi is especially sympathetic to the latter discussion. Since Colussi was 14, he’s made nearly yearly visits to China, having lived in the country for three years. “Foreigner” is how he has often been labelled, although Colussi notes that the phrase in China doesn’t carry with it the same stigma that it does in France.
The swordsmen of China's beloved storyteller live on in the gaming world
“When I was a little kid I wanted to practise kung fu,” Colussi recalls. “I don’t have an explanation on that. I was searching for more, and a deep connection to the culture.
“What is kung fu? You have lots of styles. Some are acrobatic. Some are for fighting. Pak mei is a bodyguard style of kung fu. Not every kung fu has the same purpose.
“In France, there was a lot of acrobatic stuff. Even though I loved this as a kid, this is not what I was searching for. So I started learning Chinese and my father flew me to China to show me what kung fu is. It put wood on the fire.”
Today, Colussi is considered an heir to the originators of the pak mei style, and in non-pandemic times he spends a number of weeks each year in China to continue to study from his masters.
“My master saw the game,” Colussi says of his close relationship with Lao Wei San, who took on the French student as an apprentice before Colussi earned the sifu or master title, and whose initials grace Colussi’s LWS Pak Mei School in Paris.
“He didn’t play it. He does not care, but he loves the video and he loves every scene. He is very happy.”
Sifu is all about creating moments that will open up the characters and allow the player to make a pivotal move. To succeed, one must not only master the ability to dodge, but puzzle together which moves will work best in succession.
Most of Colussi’s moves for the game were filmed and motion captured in two days, each spanning more than 11 work hours. Gradually, says Colussi, the decision was made to focus solely on the pak mei style of kung fu. This was partly a concession to schedules but also to the realisation that each style is its own language.
In Sifu, as has been the trend since the Dark Souls games have risen in popularity, a key strategy is to put a large emphasis on defence and parrying moves.
“This is part of the mechanics,” he says, referencing the game. “This is not a concept of the strategy of fighting. But it is interesting because you need to read the situation. If you do not, you will get killed. But if you’ve read the situation, you have a better understanding of how to get through the situation.
“Defending and attacking are really important. In Europe, we always say ‘self-defence,’ but I think that’s just diplomatic words because when you fight there is always an attack to stop [the attack].”
Ultimately, Colussi wanted to slow the fighting down, to truly make it feel as if the player and the enemies are in a sort of rhythm rather than simply pummelling one another.
“Clarity of the movement,” Colussi says. “Sometimes you feel the speed, but you don’t see what’s going on. If this is just speed when you strike, but you don’t have strength, you lose the meaning. It’s like speaking really fast. Nobody understands. If you speak quick, it’s like you don’t speak the language.”
Sifu is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC
