Hi-Fi Rush follows the adventures of Chai, a young man who wants nothing more than to become a rock star. However, either because his right arm is permanently damaged or he is taking the path of least resistance, he enrolls in Vandelay University’s Armstrong Program, electing to receive mechanical upgrades for his body. His MP3 player rests on his chest and attaches to his body with a new magnetic robot arm, scrapyard guitar, and simulated-reality musical heart. Shay sets out to meet new friends, crack down on a corrupt company, and yes, he’ll pet a cat. Our review below will make it clear whether this story was a success or a failure.
story
Simplicity became overwhelmed, I loved every minute of Hi-Fi Rush’s story. Yes, he’s mostly digestible, and yes, he’s goofy, goofy, and requires some suspension of disbelief, but the game made me feel as though that’s what he was trying to do. The game felt as if it didn’t want me to take the story, or any of it, seriously, instead inviting me on a journey through a groovy rock ‘n’ roll playlist while cutting robots to pieces.
Where the story lacks depth or background information on the characters, it excels in telling the story of Vandelay Technologies, the sinister capitalist organization they’re tasked with bringing down. With villains, bots, and nerds scattered across levels, Tango Gameworks paid special attention to story background information and it led me to truly hate Vandelay and her practices.
result:4/5
Play
Hi-Fi Rush gameplay can be divided into two categories: Platform And fighting. Much of the game will see you dashing, jumping, and exploring mostly linear levels with frequent breaks for a bot brawl or a boss fight.
First, I must say that some parts of the platform can be frustrating. In some areas, it felt as if the platforms were awkwardly spaced, making my jump distance either too great or barely enough to reach my target. Towards the end of the game, a new mechanic was introduced that made some platforming sections time trials that I had to finish unless I wanted to fall to my death, and some of those sections gave very little headroom in terms of time given. Overall, the platform was fine, but these issues were annoying.
In contrast, the game’s combat became a lot of fun once you got the hang of it. Combat revolves around the use of a rhythm system, combos, and special moves. The rhythm system boosts combos and special moves, which meant that when I was in a beat, I would take down my robotic enemies. However, if I panicked and lost my pulse, I started kicking my ass. This, along with the addition of enemies that required certain mechanics to defeat, made the combat dynamic, interesting, and fun.
result:4/5
Related: Hi-Fi Rush – How to complete a bathroom side mission
Personalities
Hi-Fi Rush characters are all over the map in terms of personality. Some characters are cute and lovable, others are weirdos, bad guys are wacky, etc. The constant among them is that they are all well-defined personalities who never felt like they were wavering from their ideals. On top of that, the main heroes experienced quite a bit of growth throughout the game, while the villains were remarkably steadfast in their convictions, no matter how evil or unbelievable said convictions might be. For example, Peppermint, the first character Chai meets in the game, specializes in sarcasm, especially in terms of dealing with Chai.
Unfortunately, since these characters are so awesome, I wanted to know more about them, but the game rarely gives detailed information on the backstories of the character, instead focusing more on the story for the time being. This is more frustrating with Korsica than with any other character, as you get some backstory, but the game offers no insight on her compared to the other characters.
result:4/5
a dialogue
The dialogue of said characters was definitely a strong suit. Humor is a big component of Hi-Fi Rush’s dynamic, and the dialogue really hits home in this department. Puns and jokes abound, along with plenty of completely missed sarcasm and sarcasm, too.
The villains differ in the humor department, with two feeling humor-oriented, with one being particularly over-the-top. However, two villains can get quite intense, with the Head of Section Four being particularly serious about his identity. However, these departures from optimism and fun usually don’t last long before humorous dialogue is introduced to realign the mood.
The game’s humor rarely feels out of place, and the game certainly handles its more serious moments well. The only bad thing I can say about this humorous approach is that it will likely stray from the story or fall flat based on each player’s individual comic preferences.
result: 4.5/5
Related: Hi-Fi Rush – Who is Corsica?
Art and soundtrack
For a cartoon game, Hi-Fi Rush features some amazing art directions and environments, and a great soundtrack. One of the most memorable moments in the game for me was the beginning when Chai was launched skyward, allowing him and me to take in the beautiful skyline and sprawling cityscape we were about to explore. The game was full of these moments, allowing me to get a picture of what was waiting for me in each new story.
As for the soundtrack, with iconic rock bands like REO, The Black Keys, Nine-Inch Nails, and more at the top of the track list, it was as if Hi-Fi Rush was practically too good to fail in this department. The soundtrack also matches the environments and battles well, making following the beat a breeze due to the high-quality tracks that play.
result:5/5
Referee – absolute head line
Let me offer a hot tip as a closing note: Hi-Fi Rush might just be a Game of the Year contender. I’m not saying the game is perfect, but what I’m saying is that Hi-Fi Rush is the kind of game that you can sit down and play for a little while or a long time and feel comfortable doing it, and that’s a great feel to the game. The game doesn’t try to lure players in or invest them hours at a time, instead inviting players to jump in, listen to some tunes, hit some bots, and have fun while offering plenty of content for players who want to get their hands on it. their money’s worth.
We have received this code from Bethesda Softworks for review purposes.
Want more information about Hi-Fi Rush? Check out Who’s the Voice Actor for Chai in Hi-Fi Rush? Full cast list, all Hi-Fi Rush achievements, and how to complete them from Pro Game Guides!
