At the beginning of 2023, the team at Tango Gameworks (“The Evil Within”) ensured the sudden release of the rhythm action game „Hi-Fi Rush“ for one of THE surprises of the gaming year. Now, with the title of one of the best games of the last year, it is finally making its way to the PlayStation 5. It is one of several games that were once exclusive to Xbox consoles and are now finding their way to other platforms with a little delay.
We were able to plunge into the PS5 version of their adventure with protagonist Chai, robot cat 808 and their friends in advance. What we experienced, how we liked it and whether you should catch up on the hit game if it has passed you by so far, we will tell you below in our big test of the Bethesda title.
Who is defective here?
But what is “Hi-Fi Rush” actually about? Our main character Chai is a real free spirit and dreams of one day conquering the world's stages as a rock star. However, during an operation during which he receives a robot arm, something goes wrong – because he receives a kind of involuntary extra on top of that. During this procedure, an MP3 player unwillingly merges with our hero's body.
From now on, this ensures that Chai always hears a beat that even influences the world around him! However, the company responsible for this is anything but enthusiastic about the side effects of the procedure. That's why our protagonist is now considered a “defective” and has a target on his back. From now on, almost all robots in his environment have the order to switch Chai off. Meanwhile, our main character just wants to escape somehow.
Chai and his friends have to brave a number of dangers in “Hi-Fi Rush”.
Chai and his friends have to brave a number of dangers in “Hi-Fi Rush”.
Chai and his friends have to brave a number of dangers in “Hi-Fi Rush”.
However, because Chai cannot escape the mechanical clutches of his pursuers on his own, he needs help. Luckily he finds them in the form of the cuddly robot cat 808 and the clever rebel Peppermint. From now on they try together to put a stop to the company that is after our “Hi-Fi Rush” protagonist and to help Chai disappear. But will their plan actually be successful?
You'd better find out for yourself as part of the nine to eleven hour long story of the rhythm action game. The story thrives on a fast pace, a lot of humor and, in particular, the chaotic and likeable group of main characters. We simply always had great fun watching Chai & Co. during their adventure. In the meantime, however, we would have also wished that Tango Gameworks had stepped on the brakes a little more to focus more on the character development of the characters. Unfortunately, some of Chai's friends in particular remain quite pale. There could certainly have been more here.
Robot tapping to the beat of the music
But now we finally get to the action, in which the previously briefly mentioned beat in the body of our “Hi-Fi Rush” hero plays an important role. The music and rhythm are omnipresent in the game and even the trees and lanterns bounce to the beat of the music. They're nice little clues that help you keep pace in the fast-paced combat as you battle robots of all different sizes and shapes.
To combat your mechanical enemies, you can first use light (square button) and heavy (triangle button) attacks. Light hits are essentially quarter notes, while heavy hits are half notes. Ultimates, team attacks and blocks are also added later, which opens up many more options for you. If you manage to carry out these attacks and actions to the lively rhythm of the music, you will receive more points. Similar to the “Devil May Cry” games, there is a counter in the top right that rates your actions with a ranking from D to S.
As with “DMC”, in “Hi-Fi Rush” you gradually unlock attacks, special abilities and upgrades with the currency you collect so that you can whirl around even more creatively in the intense battles. This makes the combat system pleasantly complex and offers you a lot of freedom to combine Chai's actions with each other. If you have problems executing your stylish attacks in time with the music, there is some help.
With Robot Cat 808 you have a floating metronome at your side that always flashes beautifully in time with the music. By pressing the touchpad you can also display an extra display at the bottom of the screen. They're nice little pieces of help that give beginners a little help. However, you are not forced to follow the rhythm of the game, because the title never forces it on you.
If you have problems keeping the beat, there are a few help options in “Hi-Fi Rush”.
If you have problems keeping the beat, there are a few help options in “Hi-Fi Rush”.
If you have problems keeping the beat, there are a few help options in “Hi-Fi Rush”.
However, once the rhythm of “Hi-Fi Rush” really grabs you, it develops a pull that inevitably captivates you. At least we couldn't get enough of whirling around the arena like a dervish to the sounds of “1,000,000” by the Nine Inch Nails or “Invaders Must Die” by The Prodigy. It's simply a fantastic feeling to be one with the beat of the driving music.
The highlights here are the tough and equally creative boss fights, in which you don't always reach your goal by simply beating up your opponent. Since the later confrontations with the bosses are really fun, we don't want to go into more detail at this point.
Not always exactly in time
But even outside of the fun action, the tempo is kept constantly high and of course a sense of rhythm also plays a big role here. If you don't bother with various robots, you often have to prove yourself in platform games with Chai. It's not just about speed and good timing, but also about the skillful integration of your fellow competitors. Without this, sometimes you can't make any progress.
In particular, Whirlwind Korsica, powerhouse Macaron and pistol shooter Peppermint are regularly at your side with their skills. With their help you can, for example, make previously blocked paths accessible. You can also summon them during battles, for example to destroy enemy shields or disrupt the enemy's rhythm. Overall, this works very well and motivates you to experiment.
By the way, you also have to demonstrate tact at the beginning or end of some jumping passages. In these moments, for example, in a quick-time event you have to press a sequence of keys exactly in order to progress. Here, however, “Hi-Fi Rush” slows down a little too much from time to time. Unfortunately, such blockages disrupt the otherwise simply great flow of the rhythm-action game.
Of course, Tango Gameworks has also adapted the game to the PlayStation 5: The haptic feedback of the DualSense controller is used excellently to make the fights even more exciting. In some moments you can literally feel the music in your hands during the banging action. There is also a new update, the Arcade Challenge, which comes with two fun new game modes.
The game world of “Hi-Fi Rush” shines in bright colors
The game world of “Hi-Fi Rush” shines in bright colors
The game world of “Hi-Fi Rush” shines in bright colors
However, you have to unlock these first before you can plunge into the various exciting challenges. In general, there is a lot of additional content to unlock, which provides additional motivation, such as new outfits for Chai and his friends. You can unlock all of these bonuses by simply playing the game, which almost feels a bit retro these days. There are therefore no microtransactions. This ensures proper long-term motivation. To really achieve 100%, you can easily plan 60 hours or more. A more than decent amount.
But let's now briefly come to the audiovisual component of “Hi-Fi Rush”: As already mentioned, the soundtrack with its mix of original tracks and licensed songs is really fantastic. In addition, the look with its playful look and bright colors fits perfectly. Apart from small problems, such as rare clipping errors, the action game also looks really great.