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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11In Sifu, choosing to rise after death adds years to your age based on the death counter: the first death adds one year, the second adds two, and each further death adds the counter’s current value unless it has been reduced. Aging lowers maximum health while increasing offensive power; it does not make your abilities weaker. Shrines and some enemies can reduce the counter, but in the standard rules age itself cannot be reversed.
What the death counter means
The protagonist begins at age 20 and is revived by an ancient pendant. When you choose to rise after being defeated, the number on the death counter is added to your age. The counter escalates with each death if left untouched: the first adds one year, the next adds two, the third adds three, and so on. Sloclap explains the mechanic in its November 18, 2021 PlayStation.Blog overview.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Sifu (PS5) | $32.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Sifu: Vengeance Edition (PS5) | $64.59 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Gurei - PlayStation 5 | $29.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Maneater [PS5] (PS5) | $23.48 | Buy on Amazon |
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The counter is not a count of years already lost; it tells you how many years the next revival will add. For example, if it reads 3, another death adds three years. Reducing it before another death lowers the age penalty for that revival.
How aging changes combat
Age shifts the balance between survivability and damage: maximum health decreases while offensive power increases. Sloclap’s Felix Garczynski summarized it this way: “Aging will not make you weaker, but it has a slight impact on your abilities: as you get older, you will trade maximum health for offensive power.” In practical terms, an older character can hit harder but has less health available to absorb mistakes.
#1 Best Overall
- On the path of vengeance: The hunt for enemies will take you through hidden corners of the city, from gang-ridden suburbs to cold hallways of corporate towers; You’ve got one day, and countless enemies; For every mistake, time will be the price to pay
- Adaptation is the way: Careful positioning and clever use of the environment are key to survival; Use everything at your disposal: throwable objects, makeshift weapons, windows, ledges... The odds are stacked against you, and you’ll be offered no mercy
- Training never ends: Kung Fu is mastery through practice, a path for both the body and the mind; Learn from your errors, unlock unique skills, and find the strength within yourself to master the devastating techniques of Pak-Mei Kung-Fu
- All the fights have been choregraphed by a real Kung Fu master
- A unique graphic style and a game filled with epic levels and unforgettable backgrounds
The developer says the game can be completed at any age, but the pendant eventually stops reviving the protagonist. EIP Gaming’s guide, published in February 2022 and updated that month, places the final-death threshold at age 70 or above. Treat that exact threshold as a guide-reported detail rather than a guarantee for every current version or difficulty.
How to reduce the counter—and whether you can get younger
Shrines can lower or reset the death counter, and defeating certain enemies, including chapter bosses, can reduce it. Completing a chapter resets the counter as well. These actions affect the counter, not your age: under the standard rules described by Sloclap, there is no way to regain years already lost.
Rank #2
- Sifu: Vengeance Edition Includes - Steelbook, 3 Lithographs, The Art of Sifu - 48-page artbook and Digital Soundtrack
- On the path of vengeance: The hunt for enemies will take you through hidden corners of the city, from gang-ridden suburbs to cold hallways of corporate towers; You've got one day, and countless enemies; For every mistake, time will be the price to pay
- Adaptation is the way: Careful positioning and clever use of the environment are key to survival; Use everything at your disposal: throwable objects, makeshift weapons, windows, ledges... The odds are stacked against you, and you'll be offered no mercy
- Training never ends: Kung Fu is mastery through practice, a path for both the body and the mind; Learn from your errors, unlock unique skills, and find the strength within yourself to master the devastating techniques of Pak-Mei Kung-Fu
- All the fights have been choregraphed by a real Kung Fu master; A unique graphic style and a game filled with epic levels and unforgettable backgrounds
- Before another death: If the counter has climbed, look for a shrine option or an eligible enemy that can reduce it. A smaller counter means fewer years added at the next revival.
- At a chapter end: The counter resets, but the age you have reached carries into the next chapter.
- If your age is too high for your preferred run: Replay an earlier chapter and finish it at a younger age. Completed chapters act as save points at the age reached, so improving that result can improve the age you carry forward.
In short, counter management can slow future aging, but it cannot undo past aging in the standard system.
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What persists through death, chapters, and game over
Ordinary death and game over are different. Sloclap says shrine upgrades earned during a run—such as extra health, focus charges, maximum structure, or weapon durability—are not lost on death. At game over, however, run upgrades and skills you have unlocked for that run are lost.
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- You are free to pick your fights against the Kami in any order. The game features a dynamic difficulty system where each enemy strength is defined by the player’s chosen path. This means that the very same Kami fought at the very beginning could also be the final boss in a different route. Hope to never leave the one you struggle most to fight last!
- Besides sword attacks, dodges, head stomps and other basic abilities, Rei will learn a completely new skill for each defeated Kami. Those will provide further depth to your combat arsenal, be it a stronger dash, a weapon that can execute enemies, the ability to heal and many more!
- Player choice is the ultimate power. Taking into account the vastly distinct enemies’ patterns and unique skills granted upon each victory, you will be able to decide how to approach every challenge. It won’t be easy either way, but you can always go back and try something different.
- Gurei is a game about fighting strong enemies, but that’s not all. The Kami inhabit a surreal castle located between the human and spirit worlds. After each victory, Rei comes closer to the realm of spirits, starting to encounter peculiar characters from Japanese mythology. These creatures will add novelty and strangeness to your journey, providing commentary, unique animations, side objectives and obscure secrets.
- You will get to know the different Kami quite well. When Rei defeats them, she absorbs their power and their personality. The defeated Kami will be carried around wherever Rei goes, and they’ll surely have stuff to talk about. Sometimes their remarks will be useful information that builds the player’s understanding of the lore and the game mechanics, but sometimes they will be... not so helpful, to put it briefly. Good luck!
Skills can be unlocked from the death screen, at the Wuguan between missions, or at shrines. Spending additional experience to permanently unlock a skill makes it available at the start of a new run. EIP Gaming reports that a skill becomes permanent after five total purchases; that specific purchase count is guide-reported. Chapter progress and detective-board discoveries also persist as described by Sloclap, including collected clues and story details, discovered shortcuts, and hidden rooms.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Difficulty can change the aging rules
Do not assume the standard escalating counter applies identically to every difficulty. A Steam Community guide by JAG, updated March 2, 2026, reports that Student difficulty adds one year per death and offers a shrine option that reduces age by five years, while Disciple uses the default counter-based pattern. This is community-authored guidance, not official patch documentation; check the aging and shrine rules shown in your current game and difficulty before relying on those details.
Quick Recap
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- Fully Evolved For PlayStation5 - The next evolution of Maneater is here with full utilization of the PlayStation5 including ray-tracing, native 4K HDR support at 60 FPS, immersive feedback via the DualSense controller's haptic motors, and more! Full upgrade available to all current-gen owners to ensure that when your console evolves, Maneater will too.
- Unique Story - Play through a full narrative, story-based campaign narrated by Chris Parnell (Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, Rick and Morty) and set against the backdrop of a reality TV show.
- Diverse, Compelling Combat - Battle fierce wildlife including other apex predators or fight against various types of human hunters ranging from town drunks all the way up to the Coast Guard.
- Evolve Into a Legend - Feed on humans and wildlife to grow your shark, and find shark loot to evolve your shark down multiple possible paths.
- Explore the Gulf - 7 large regions including bayous of the gulf coast, resort beaches, industrial docks, the open ocean and more. Experience a living world with a full day/night cycle.
Choosing what to do next
- Counter is high: Prioritize a counter-reducing shrine option or an eligible enemy before risking another revival.
- You are near a chapter finish: Completing it resets the counter, but does not make you younger; consider whether your current age is one you want to carry forward.
- You want more damage: Aging raises offensive power, but the trade is lower maximum health, not a general weakening of abilities.
- You are playing Student or another changed ruleset: Read the in-game difficulty explanation rather than applying the standard counter formula automatically.
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