Hi-Fi Rush is one of those gems that comes out every few years to critical acclaim — although its publisher, Bethesda Softworks, certainly didn’t feel the game was worth the risk. It was developed by Tango Gameworks, previously known for their work on The Evil Within series, as well as Ghostwire Tokyo, and was their first adventure outside the survival horror genre. As such, it was developed almost entirely in secret, and was released quietly onto both Windows PCs and Xbox consoles in 2023.
So, what is it about this game, Hi-Fi Rush, that was developed in secrecy and released without fanfare, that captured my heart so thoroughly?
Hi-Fi Rush takes clear influence from Edgar Wright, the director of the Cornetto Trilogy and Scott Pilgrim vs The World, in terms of its humour and direction, something that clearly sets it apart from its rivals in the character action genre. It follows self described ‘future rockstar’ Chai as he applies to a technology company to be given a new arm and a new purpose in life. Seeing Chai disabled right away plucks at a string at your heart; But, despite his disability, Chai is larger than life and excited to be given a new lease on life — something which is made funnier (and tragic) when we realise he has been designated a litter picker.
During a mishap during the limb replacement, Chai’s music player is fused to his heart, giving Chai a musical connection to his surroundings, and this introduces the game’s main gimmick: Stick to the beat. Chai’s new robot arm can manifest a magnetic litter picker, which Chai uses to make a guitar shaped weapon to smack the many robots trying to arrest him for being a defect.
This theme of being imperfect, a defect, broken and useless, is a theme Hi-Fi Rush hammers home constantly; The company was going to throw Chai to the wolves and unfairly call him a defect. Yet Chai takes it all with a smile.
Everything moves in time with the music: Chai’s steps, the enemies, even background machinery moves in time, helping you to both get on, and stay with, the beat as you fight hordes of robots as you make your way to several mini bosses.
It does this in a linear fashion, each level having different themes and introducing new powers and gimmicks to assist you in combat. However, you’re not overwhelmed with new things to integrate into your playstyle as its introduced gradually. Just as you become familiar with one mechanic, it offers you the next one with a subtle cough and a thrash of a power chord. Just as you become familiar with one mechanic, it offers you the next one with a subtle cough and a thrash of a power chord.
Hi-Fi Rush is not a very long experience, around six hours if you are pushing to the end, but that would be doing it a great disservice to its environments. It almost begs you to explore, with lots of hidden goodies and Easter eggs off the beaten path. I wouldn’t call it perfect: During my playthroughs on both Steam and Xbox, I’ve experienced seemingly random crashes, and — I know this is a bit of a personal nitpick — you don’t unlock the ability to cosmetically change Chai and his team until after you beat the game for the first time. What’s with that?
If you love games such as Devil May Cry and Bayonetta, I implore you, with tears in my eyes, to pick up Hi-Fi Rush and give it a go. It’s a unique spin on an otherwise exhausted genre and will keep you replaying it over and over again.
Hi-Fi Rush is available on Xbox Series X/S, PC, and PlayStation 5.