Hi-Fi Rush swept waves of fans off their feet. This game also took us by surprise, and I mean that literally. Why did it take me by surprise? Because I was just happily browsing my Xbox Game Pass membership and I saw this pure bundle of joy.
Hi-Fi Rush is a rhythm-action game in the most literal sense. It is a classic rhythm-driven action game. The funny thing about Hi-Fi Rush is its release on the Xbox Game Pass. It came after Monster Hunter: Rise and Persona 4 and Persona 3 Portable.
The rhythm-action game was not on my bucket list of games that I will play next but boy did it take me by surprise. With no announcement whatsoever, the initial shock that it is available to play on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC was one of the rarest gaming scenarios. It achieved the rarest video game feats: a successful surprise release.
To add more to the surprise, Tango Gameworks developed Hi-Fi Rush. For a studio best known for its horror leanings, having created The Evil Within series and last year’s Ghostwire: Tokyo, this is a much warmer, funnier, weirder new game than we could ever have expected.
Hi-Fi Rush Review
Think of this game as a game-length concept album, telling the story of Chai, a wannabe rockstar who just wanted a sweet robotic arm from the Vandelay corporation.
Chai stumbles on a tech company conspiracy when an accident embedded his music player in his chest. This gave him powers wherein he begins syncing the wider world up to his playlist.
The Vandelay corporation instantly deems him as a defective model and scheduled for violent decommission. Naturally, Chai will have to run and survive for his life. Rhythm drives this game in every aspect.
How to Play With Combos?
You need to hit combos in tune with the music for the highest scores. Enemies telegraph their attacks more with sound than animation. Platforming challenges rely on you being able to read the music as much as the environment. Even more, in Chai’s idle animations, you can see him finger-snapping along to whatever you happen to be listening to at the time.
All of this is driven by a guitar-heavy soundtrack worthy of the most well-curated dive bar jukebox. The bulk of levels is underpinned by music created by Tango Gameworks itself, shifting as you progress. The music will beautifully grow in tandem with your combat prowess.
Even more, the more damaging and in rhythm your combos are, the more stems you would add to the track itself. Once you hit an S-level combo, the soundtrack will be in full force. It will also drive you to keep fighting with finesse just to hear more of the song.
The feeling of driving some classic tracks by sheer force of your action game prowess is something to behold. Doing it through combat is a fresh new way to recreate the joy of the plastic instrument era of rhythm games.
If I were to rate this game, my Hi-Fi Rush Review would be a perfect 10/10. This game is simply too fun to play and its concept is something that has not been enjoyed for a long time. I look forward to hearing more of its playlist as I progress deeper into the story.
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