Hi-Fi RUSH

Microsoft is good at making bad decisions. This game and the dev team are S-tier. The gameplay is somewhat similar to Devil May Cry but it is also a rhythm game. The Steam achievements are no joke either. More importantly, the music is good and the characters are well-written. If there is one complaint I have, it is about Steam achievements: Why do I need to beat the game five times on each difficulty instead of completing it at the highest difficulty and automatically complete the lower difficulties? The achievements could be streamlined like this.

An amazing, cheesy game. Plays great and the music is amazing. However, ♥♥♥♥ Krafton. Horrible studio. Probably only saved Tango Gameworks to improve their bran image. But they ♥♥♥♥♥♥ over Subnautica 2 and tried to use AI to win the lawsuit against Subnautica 2's devs. AI can NEVER even get CLOSE to human made art. I HIGHLY recommend the game, but the fact it will also line the pockets of such a horrible company is a downside.

[h2]我们的力量合而为一，并且还很合拍！[/h2] 一款流程短，质量硬，细节堆料到爆炸，痛点是作为一款主打音乐节奏的动作游戏，音乐方面不怎么抓耳朵比较一般，本质上还是一款动作ACT类游戏，一开始太在意音乐节拍反而没有上来就是干来得痛快，奔着“音游”去玩的玩家们会与预期有很大的偏离，虽然有音游的内容但流程比较少，满足不了瘾。 在本作中所有的一切都和节拍有关系，例如攻击，闪避，跳跃，格挡，以及地图的场景都会随着玩家的节拍有所变化，一言以蔽之，只要玩家踩在节拍上，打个木桩都能爽的一批。 但实事上本作并没有把节拍和战斗很好的深度融合在一起，如果玩家尝试同时兼顾节拍和战斗那么在实战中玩家经常处于一个鱼和熊掌不可兼得，左右脑互博，顾着一件事顾不了另外一件事的处境，将注意力集中在战斗的时候，在最适合攻击的时候经常不在节拍上，并且很难第一时间获取战场的情报，经常为了找节拍刻意去做一些动作来抓节拍然后没有注意到即将被敌方打到的攻击，被抓一个差合打倒在地，使玩家心流涣散。 倒不如说，一开始就让玩家把注意力放在战斗中，在不经意间对上某段小节的节拍，游戏体验一下子迎来质变，直接让玩家颅内高潮，然后让玩家下意识去追求动作踩在节拍上才是本作应该想让玩家们正确体验本作的姿势，可惜正感觉渐入佳境的时候，流程却突然迎来了尾声，即将面临的是一些司空见惯的终局玩法，和主线流程精简8个小时左右的体验所带来的回味儿相比，终局的内容实在没有动力去体验下去。 总的来说本作虽然流程短，但是质量过硬，体验较好，实在和节拍较劲儿的话有辅助模式可以开，很推荐打折的时候入手。

A few years after [b]Hi-Fi Rush[/b] took the scene by storm, as it was kept under wraps and then released on the same day it was announced, does it deserve the hype? Absolutely. The amazing cel-shaded graphics, which are also quite light on the hardware, are a textbook demonstration of how art direction stands over visual fidelity any day; they will still be great to look at 20 years from now. The sound doesn't disappoint either, important as it is for a game centered on music and rhythm, with a great selection of licensed tracks to go along with music composed for the occasion. The animations are constantly synchronized to the beat, making for an audio-visual delight. Praise also goes to how seamlessly the cutscenes are integrated within the gameplay parts. For all its over-the-top silliness and many moments of great comedy, the story of the game also has a strong message against corporate mentality, which is even more valid in 2026, and is darkly ironic given the vicissitudes of the developer (to be fair, the fact they have been revived is a lot compared to many others that just went down the drain). So far it was just the style, but the substance is just as much, and just as tasty. Things start simple enough, and new mechanics are introduced gradually. It takes about half the game for all of them to be introduced, and from then on you have to manage dodging, parrying, and using the companions to break specific enemies (by the way, with the mouse and keyboard setup, the mouse wheel works greatly to switch between them), but it never gets overwhelming in that respect; getting a series of parries right is especially satisfying. Of course, players who can keep the beat are going to take the most advantage, but the developers made clear efforts to make things enjoyable for everyone, across skill levels and facilitations listed under the Accessibility options. A few elements put a slight brake on the game. I'm talking primarily about the character upgrade system, where even new moves must be bought, and so even with excellent play, more than a few playthroughs are likely required just to get a wider moveset; as a few collectibles merely unlock the ability to buy moves, I wonder if there couldn't instead be a gradual unlock or reward for exploration, rather than what has become a typical facet of modern game design. Related to that, the necessity to collect as many gears as possible likely caused the developers to design entire sections that merely exist to, well, collect as many gears as possible. Now and then, there is a strong feeling of padding, and of levels being longer than they need to be. For all the humor that lands, there's sometimes an insistence on fourth-wall-breaking commentary on things that are absurd and make sense only in a video game. It fell flat for me most of the time. While noticeable in my experience, the above flaws are little compared to the overall quality, and are almost forgotten when it's time to face a boss, or to confront a bunch of enemies with "Invaders Must Die" playing. It's not just a game full of energy, it's been designed to be one, and it's sure to "infect" the player. Despite some controversies surrounding their new home at Krafton, the hope is that the second chance Tango Gameworks has been afforded will mean the same for the [b]Hi-Fi Rush[/b] IP in the future.

10/10. Одна из самых тёплых игр, пройденных мною. Hi‑Fi Rush это редкий случай, когда чувствуешь, что игру делали с любовью, а не по чеклисту. Авторский проект, в котором музыка, геймплей, стиль, персонажи работают вместе и на высшем уровне. Боевка ритмичная и со временем начинает ощущаться как танец. При этом игра не душит сложностью и не требует заучивать 20 комбо, играть приятно и естественно. Динамика не проседает ни на минуту: каждый уровень что‑то добавляет, боссы постоянно удивляют (от QTE‑дуэли на парировании до сражения с огромным стальным волком). Отдельно хочется отметить дизайн персонажей, каждый запоминается, у каждого есть характер. А чувство команды к финалу делает игру неожиданно тёплой и даже трогательной. Это не «продукт», а цельное произведение. Такие игры хочется перепроходить.

I couldn’t resist this game‘s charm. Man, I don’t even play rhythm games but Hi-Fi Rush just has the sauce. It took me a while to “get it” but once I had the mechanics down, I couldn’t stop playing. The flow of this game is insane; it just keeps pulling you in and doesn’t let go. When you’re [i]in the zone[/i], jumping, dodging, attacking all in sync with the beat, the world around you joins in the action. All of a sudden, everything bops and beeps, everything is in motion and you just have to go with the flow. This feeling is unlike anything I ever felt in any other game and that’s saying something. I’m usually more of a grounded guy. I like mature storytelling and quiet moments, character development, moments of introspection and such. Hi-Fi Rush is pretty much the opposite of that. It’s loud, it’s colorful, it’s silly and … I don’t know how but I’m just in love with it. Chai, 808, Peppermint, Macaron and everyone else really grew on me over the course of the game. And just the same, the antagonists, all employees of the [i]Vandelay[/i] corporation, are just so despicable but also lovable c*nts in their own way. It goes to show that I’m not strictly against writing that’s a bit over-the-top or “Marvel” or whatever when the setting fits and here, it absolutely does. The lighthearted tone and (admittedly sometimes quippy) humor were exactly what I needed right now. A welcome distraction from the darkness outside and a story with hope at its core, a found-family tale with (beating) heart. Naturally, the music slaps. Every song, be it one by Nine Inch Nails, a new composition specifically for the game or an abridged version of the freaking 5th symphony by Ludwig van f*cking Beethoven, is an absolute banger. The way the music is incorporated into the combat, both thematically and mechanically, is simply masterful. I couldn’t stop wiggling my toes and bobbing my head to the beat for the entire time I played this game, that’s how much I loved the music. I was genuinely surprised how often the game… well… surprised me. Like that one time a boss fight was teased that never happened. The game constantly makes fun of itself and it’s just so… refreshing to see. For instance, you have a hideout and this basically functions as your base of operations. The game itself however is rather linear and you make your way through the Vandelay campus one stage at a time. So, it doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense for you to return to the hideout, especially not during missions. The game is aware of this and addresses it openly like “Yeah don’t think about it” and even calls out its own plot holes which I found really funny. Fourth Wall breaks are just as common here but they didn’t take me out of the experience, quite the opposite really, they fit into this wacky world really well. I think the moment this game won me over though was when it pulled a freaking Twin Peaks reference. Like, it’s not even subtle, they just straight up play a scene from the Black Lodge and I was like “WTF” :D But nothing, seriously nothing prepared me for the audacious Xenogears scene…like… are you out of your mind, developers? A Xenogears reference in a rhythm-based video game from 2023? Is this like for the two people who played both games (me being one of them)? And it’s not just a visual allusion to Xenogears, it actually mimics the storytelling approach of Disc 2 perfectly which is just… what? Seriously, this scene had me in utter disbelief. The thing is, I will never be a fan of rhythm games or character action games, these genres really aren’t for me. Still, Hi-Fi Rush, which is a combination of both, managed the unthinkable and made me care, enough even to play the whole thing through. True, I found myself struggling a bit with the myriads of combo attacks and so I ended up doing the same three attacks over and over again but I still got through the game without any major issues. I even ranked “A” on most stages and even “S” occasionally. So, even though I’m still not really a rhythm game connoisseur, I had a blast with Hi-Fi Rush. The music, the presentation, the characters, the sheer flow of everything… it’s a fun ride through and through and it’s fairly openly anti-corporate as well which is always welcome. So, from me, this is a clear recommendation, coming from someone who couldn’t be further away from this game’s usual target group. Hi-Fi Rush 2 can’t come soon enough!

Hi-Fi RUSH was a pleasant surprise. The rhythm-based combat is fun, smooth, and surprisingly addictive once you get into the flow. Syncing your attacks to the beat makes every fight feel satisfying, and the soundtrack keeps the energy high throughout the game. The colorful visuals, charming characters, and lighthearted story give the game plenty of personality. While a few sections feel a little repetitive, the overall experience stays fresh and entertaining. It's a polished action game that's full of style and creativity. If you enjoy fast-paced combat and great music, Hi-Fi RUSH is absolutely worth playing.

So far, the game is fun, but Linux players using Proton should expect some serious audio issues. The audio randomly cuts out during fights, exploration, and seemingly whenever it feels like it. It is especially frustrating on the hardest difficulty when I am trying to memorize the beat or prepare for a potentially fatal blow. When the audio disappears at that exact moment, it can leave me near death or get me killed, forcing me to repeat the entire fight. This is the only game where I have experienced this problem. My hardware and audio setup are fine, and I have not had audio issues with any other game on this nearly two-year-old Arch Linux installation. It may be something that can be fixed through a game or Proton update. I am using Proton-GE 10-34 at the time of this review, but I plan to test Proton Experimental to see whether that resolves it. I also hate that after losing a fight, there is no way to skip dialogue you may have already heard three to five times. It can waste nearly a minute on every attempt, forcing you to watch the same scene again just to retry a fight you have already lost several times. I am playing on the hardest difficulty and plan to finish the game. It is definitely fun and worth playing, but these issues make it far more frustrating than it needs to be.

[h1]Hi-Fi RUSH Review[/h1] Going into [b]Hi-Fi RUSH[/b], I honestly didn't expect to enjoy it. It's made by Tango Gameworks, the same studio behind [b]Ghostwire: Tokyo[/b], a game that unfortunately didn't click with me. I had a feeling this wouldn't either. I couldn't have been more wrong. I had an absolute blast from start to finish. The world is incredibly vibrant and full of personality, with almost every object dancing to the rhythm of the music. The environments are beautifully crafted, packed with hidden areas, and feature doors that become accessible after completing the game, giving you a reason to come back. The boss fights are genuinely memorable. Every phase introduces new mechanics that keep things fresh, and the cutscenes that follow each boss are incredibly stylish and satisfying to watch. I never completely mastered the combat, so I didn't attempt the higher difficulties, but I still had a great time. The parry system feels rewarding, and there's a good variety of combos and abilities to experiment with. The story may be fairly straightforward, but it's charming, entertaining, and filled with lovable characters. By the end, I was left with that bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye to a cast I'd grown attached to. You can really tell how much love and care went into making this game. It's an easy recommendation from me. Much love. ❤️ [hr][/hr] [h1]Performance -[/h1] Performance was excellent on both my PC and Steam Deck OLED. I experienced no major issues throughout my playthrough. My only complaint is the anti-aliasing. The default implementation is overly aggressive and doesn't complement the game's cel-shaded art style very well. It tends to blur fine details together to the point where I could barely make out Chai's nose in some scenes. A fix is to update the game's DLSS to the latest version (DLSS 4.5) using the NVIDIA App or another DLSS swapping tool. Besides improving image quality, it also significantly cleans up the anti-aliasing and makes the game look much sharper.

Rhythm game on a DMC combat system, two Nine Inch Nails tracks, [spoiler] implied lesbian, [/spoiler] and PARRYING!!! Awesomes.