Review: Hi-Fi Rush is the First Truly Fun Game of 2023

If you had asked me at the beginning of this week if I would be reviewing a very real contender for my Game of the Year, I might not have believed you. But then, Wednesday happened, and the Xbox & Bethesda Developer Direct announced and released Hi-Fi Rush. Hi-Fi Rush is a rhythm-based, action-RPG developed by Tango Gameworks, who were responsible for The Evil Within and Ghostwire: Tokyo.

If that means nothing to you, perhaps it’d be easier to say the founder of Tango Gameworks is Shinji Mikami. If that means nothing to you, Mikami directed the original Resident Evil and Dino Crisis. So, we’re talking a bright and colorful rhythm-based, action-RPG made by the studio founded by a survivor horror icon. That was enough to get my attention. I was preparing for a Fall 2023 or Summer 2024 release date. I thought I’d be spending the next year or two of my life writing previews of the game in anticipation of its launch. But … then director John Johanas dropped the bombshell that it’d be available that night. And, it’d be available on Game Pass, which I have been meaning to make better use of.

And now, two days later, I am (probably) halfway through the game and I don’t want to put it down. It’s a highly nostalgic romp through a beautifully crafted world that recalls an earlier era of gaming.

Review Takeaways

• Hi-Fi Rush is like a PB&J of old-school gameplay and modern-day graphics and visuals.
• Its story isn’t something revolutionary, but the gameplay more than makes up for that.
• The fast-paced action is incredibly fun, though there is room to grow by adding in some quality-of-life features like an enemy lock-on toggle.
• It joins the growing list of games in what I call the Rhythm Game Revival and I am here for it.
• Final Score: 9/10

A Bop-and-a-Half

Hi-Fi Rush follows Chai (voiced by Robbie Daymond) who finds himself in a strange situation. In order to physically augment his body, he volunteers for Project Armstrong, an experimental procedure by the Vandelay Corporation. It’s hinted at in the story that said corporation helped to solve a global energy crisis, so by time the story begins, they have an inordinate amount of power.

But, thanks to some meddling on behalf of Kale Vandelay (voiced by Roger Craig Smith), the CEO of the corporation, Chai receives a unique augmentation. In addition to a snazzy new metal arm, he can now see the rhythm of the world around him, from the bushes to the mechanical marvels that surround. In due time, Chai encounters Peppermint (voiced by Erica Lindbeck), Macaron (voiced by Gabe Kunda), and a whole slew of baddies he’ll have to take down if he has any hope of stopping a nefarious plot.

I must admit — the story does take a backseat to the rest of the experience. At its core is a narrative that I have definitely seen before; our spunky crew of outcasts must do battle with a laundry list of big baddies to stop them from doing something atrocious. But, even as early as the halfway point, it’s clear the crew at Tango want to subvert our expectations. Even if only in small ways. I won’t say much to avoid spoilers. But, let’s just say not all the ‘baddies’ are bad, if you get my drift.

Also on that note, scattered throughout the world are “Vandelay Vlogs” that help to flesh out the world of Hi-Fi Rush. But, I found myself caring less and less about them, only ever skimming them. In all fairness, these Vandelay Vlogs all pretty much do the same thing; they further establish the capitalist nightmare that is the world of Hi-Fi Rush. Sentient, humanoid robots aren’t given time off for months at a time. To maximize production, the first four days of the week are all changed to Monday. It’s a miserable world, and knowing this makes the fact that we’re upending it all the more satisfying.

Fighting to the Beat of Your Own Drum

I don’t think I have played a game like this since the good ol’ days of Ratchet & Clank or Jak & Daxter. In fact, I would argue that Hi-Fi Rush is a return to form in more ways than one. It blends together several classic gameplay types into one satisfying product. Included in Hi-Fi Rush is the style and aesthetic of games like Jet Set Radio / Future. The colorful environments and locales of Sunset Overdrive. It has the beat-em-up combat of Ratchet and/or Jak, and to top it all off … there’s a prevailing comic book feel that reminds me heavily of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

In fact, regarding that last comparison, if I had to say one thing that I sometimes dislike about the game, it’s that the frame rate has dipped for me in certain cutscenes. But, I also acknowledge that it could be an intentional thing, as that’s something I complained about when I saw trailers for Into the Spider-Verse. So, I am willing to concede that it might just be a ‘me’ thing and move on.

I think the biggest thing Hi-Fi Rush brings to the table that none of the other games do is the inclusion of rhythm-based combat. Everything — from inanimate objects to your own movements — happens to the beat of each level’s BGM. Your footsteps line up with the music. Your attacks line up with the music. Heck, even the enemies’ attacks line up with the music. But, your attacks do more damage based on when you hit the attack button. So, it’s best to learn to keep with the beat if you don’t want to suffer. I admit that this new style of hack-n-slash gameplay can be a lot to adjust to. But, it’s still satisfying, even if all I ever do is use light attacks with the occasional heavy thrown in.

I think, aside from the frame rate issue I mentioned above, there’s only one other thing I’d like to see them add in a future update. This is the kind of fast-paced action game that requires a lock-on button. But, unfortunately, it doesn’t have one. So there are some fights where it takes a lot of concentration to not only keep attacking, but also keep the camera in a safe position to allow continued attacks.

Bringing Back the Beat

Hi-Fi Rush is extremely fun in ways that video games just aren’t anymore. It captures a feeling we haven’t had since the late-PS1/early-PS2/Dreamcast era, and I think that’s just neat. This is also the latest entry in an ongoing sub-genre I am hereby calling the Rhythm Game Revival. More and more developers are starting to create experiences that mirror titles from my childhood like Parappa the Rapper. Hi-Fi Rush fits into that category in a way I never could’ve known that I needed. It takes games like Ratchet & Clank and Jet Set Radio and smashes them together. It’s like an excellent and dated (in the best way) PB&J.

Hi-Fi Rush is developed by Tango Gameworks. It is available for PC and Xbox Series X|S, and also via Xbox Game Pass.

Thanks for reading this review of Hi-Fi Rush! Now that you know how we feel about it, why not take a look at some of our guides, such as Hi-Fi Rush — How to Keep the Beat and Hi-Fi Rush: How to Upgrade Chai! Also, be sure to check out Gamer Journalist on Facebook to stay in the conversation!