What Is Hi-Fi RUSH?

A surprising title from Tango Gameworks, whose more recent works include The Evil Within 2, and Ghostwire: Tokyo, this complete tonal shift is a high-energy, pulse-pounding, rhythmaction hybrid that is not only a joy to look and listen to, but also an absolute blast to play!

Aspiring rock star Chai isn’t having a great start to the day. What was initially supposed to be a standard procedure to fix his injured arm has resulted in a cybernetic replacement and an experimental piece of technology (basically an MP3 player) fused to his heart. Not only that, but the sinister corporation responsible for this mishap have now branded him as defective, and have sent an army of killer robots after the poor young rocker.

What follows is a journey to take down “the man” with Chai and his friends banding together to take the fight to the various departments of the heartless corporation. It’s a fun ride that never eases up on the gas, delivering great voice acting and a well-written script with a charming bunch of misfits.

Take a quick look at any screenshot or video for Hi-Fi RUSH, and you’ll notice just how aesthetically stunning it is. Not only are the cel-shaded graphics, unique environments and quirky characters a visual treat, but the overall feel and tone of the game is just as up-beat as its soundtrack. Speaking of which, not only does the constantly high-energy soundtrack have some great original scores, it’s also interspersed with some classic tunes from the likes of The Prodigy and The Black Keys! Prepare to be bopping along to this absolutely wonderful music!

Combat is the most heavily featured gameplay mechanic, and it feels almost like Devil May Cry without the crazy combos. Instead, players will find a simplistic control scheme that allows them to attack in time to the beat of the music. Strike an enemy with perfect timing, and you’ll deal extra damage, before unleashing a dazzlingly over-the-top finishing move!

There is more to the combat than just light and heavy attacks though, and it won’t take long for players to be performing aerial combos, special moves, and using their teammates to perform some crazy robot slaying attacks! Don’t worry if you’re not too musically inclined, as mistiming an attack doesn’t spell disaster for Chai and friends. In fact, Hi-Fi RUSH is very forgiving when it comes to this, so don’t expect any BPM: BULLETS PER MINUTE levels of precision.

When not taking down robot goons, Hi-Fi RUSH has dedicated platforming sections. Whilst these aren’t overly-difficult, they do provide a break from the relentless, pulse-pounding combat. We all need a breather now and then!