

This style of gameplay is extremely engaging for the first several hours, but the novelty wears off shortly after the first boss fight. Platforms will present themselves and vanish on every other quarter note while Chai’s walk cycle is always in sync. The environment is dynamic and changes according to the beat. For example, while in combat, if the player’s button presses match up with the rhythm of the background music, attacks combine with each other and become more powerful. Combat, platforming, exploration, and puzzles all flawlessly incorporate rhythm and timing. Gameplay in Hi-Fi Rush at first comes off as incredibly innovative, but the repetition eventually makes the charm fade. Even if he’s not a perfectly written character, playing as Chai is still a delight.

His character at times, can come off as a cliche “loveable idiot” due to his arrogant demeanor and energetic enthusiasm centered on the lofty dream of becoming a rockstar. Despite this, I often found that Chai was difficult to relate to. With the help of his sidekick, Peppermint, who regularly takes the form of a cat, he discovers that the experiment in which he participated is actually part of an antagonistic corporation’s ambiguous evil plot.įull of slapstick humor and witty banter, the dialogue, and progression of the story are engaging and easy to follow. Due to a defect of an experiment meant to provide him some income, Chai finds himself transformed into a cyborg that connects with the world around him through rhythm. The narrative of Hi-Fi Rush centers on a young man named Chai whose entire personality revolves around his dream of becoming a rockstar. With its cartoonish art style, unique gameplay, sense of humor, and absolutely stellar soundtrack, there are hours of fun to be found in Hi-Fi Rush. Despite its reputation for developing such dark and horror-themed games, Tango Gameworks’ Hi-Fi Rush works surprisingly well. Vibrant and colorful, it is a surprise that this is the same studio that brought us games like Ghostwire Tokyo. During Microsoft’s Xbox showcase, Tango Gameworks and Bethesda Softworks surprised everyone with the sudden announcement and release of Hi-Fi Rush, their new rhythm-based action-adventure game.
