Tango Gameworks is known for its horror and horror-themed games such as The Evil Within series and Ghostwire: Tokyo. They have a reputation for these things, so when they announced a stylish character action game that was also a music-based rhythm game with a cartoon art style and humorous nature, we were all taken aback. This was especially when Hi-Fi Rush was released the very day it was announced, meaning it was either a game the studio had no confidence in and wanted out the door fast or a game they were supremely confident in and felt would be an instant hit.
Fortunately for us all, Hi-Fi Rush falls into the latter category and instantly reminds us how inventive games can be. The story has protagonist Chai who dreams of being a rockstar and signs up for Project Armstrong, a program run by the megalithic tech organization Vandelay Technologies. He does this to replace his disabled arm, but when a music player is merged into Chai during the process, he has to fight his way out of the facility due to being labelled a defect. Chai soon meets up with others including Peppermint who are working to take down Vandelay Technologies and its CEO Kale and thus the story gets underway.
Hi-Fi Rush is a game about music and action and everything in the game moves to the beat, even in the cutscenes. Chai will go through a number of environments and take down a number of enemies, to the tune of various licensed tracks (or similar songs made by internal music teams if you are streaming the game) and learning how to track the beat as you progress is key. This may sound intimidating at first, but the game has a number of Quality of Life factors included to help players who are not the best at rhythm games.
The action here is intense but never overwhelming, and once you understand how the rhythm mechanics are set up, the game is incredibly fun to sit down and enjoy playing. A game about music, with a protagonist wielding a makeshift guitar weapon, needs a good art style though, and Hi-Fi Rush has that perfected, with a comic book aesthetic that helps show off the musical nature of the game. Even traversing the stages when not in combat, such as jumping to areas or dodging a sudden obstacle, is done to the beat and you quickly understand how to do what you are supposed to do thanks to the repeating patterns.
It also bears mentioning how funny Hi-Fi Rush is and this is another area where the game’s style shines. The dialogue might have been cringe-worthy in another game that tried for a more realistic style of appearance and setting, but fits Hi-Fi Rush perfectly due to the comic book aesthetic bringing a more cartoon feel. Indeed, this feels like a cartoon comes to life in some ways, and in other ways, it feels like the logical next step for a game like Jet Set Radio, which also used a cell-shaded look and music theme. Of course, the writing is good even when not humorous and this helps to tell a great story in the process.
Of course, the rhythm game elements would not work alone in an action game if the combat was not satisfying and it is pleasing to say that Hi-Fi Rush has some of the best combat in an action game in years. Everything has the right level of impact and when combined with the rhythm elements, makes for a deeply rich system that feels just right. It of course helps that Hi-Fi Rush constantly changes things up to keep things fresh and never feels stale when playing.
The boss fights are some of the most inventive in a long time as well and show a great degree of variety along with the various levels. You will need to think as well as act in other to make it through the game, and do not be afraid to die a few times while playing. The only real drawback is that the game is a bit on the short side, but even that does not feel like a true problem because the game feels like it ends as it runs out of ideas and so chooses to stop rather than keep things going beyond the point it should.
That being said, there is a good amount of replayability in Hi-Fi Rush and this is not a game meant to be played for one sitting and then put away. The various character interactions make you want to keep going, and Tango Gameworks managed to provide several hooks to keep you engaged even after you have played for a long time. To be totally honest, this is a game that understands what a game should be and plays like the classics we loved but with modern ideas.
It is still early in the year, but it is fair to say that Hi-Fi Rush is an early Game of the Year contender, and it is clear that the gambit of releasing the game on the day of the announcement played off. The game controls like a dream and all versions are extremely well-optimized. If you have been burnt out on overpromised games lately, then Hi-Fi Rush is most definitely a game you will want to play to experience something truly refreshing.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided