In the history of music, there have been bands that have conquered their place in the Olympus of rock after a long process of growth and experimentation aimed at making their talent flourish, while others, such as an enraged and heavily armed Viet Cong, emerged from a bush and immediately took over the top of the charts without the public having heard of them a week before. In a similar way to what albums like Ten and Appetite for Destruction did in the music sector, for the last five days Hi-Fi Rush has monopolized all the frequencies of the video game debate, becoming indisputably the most listened to video game of the moment.
The fact that it was announced and released during Microsoft's Developer_Direct last week helped catalyze the attention of those curious about the new musical action from Tango Games, but the truth is that the tam-tam that has exploded lately derives mainly from the stellar personality that the title was able to display during that presentation trailer, capable of even overshadowing the other great protagonists of the evening such as Forza Motorsport and Redfall. The premises suggested the possibility of coming across another own production with values similar to those of Pentiment, so we launched into listening to John Johanas's new project immediately after the event, staying glued to it throughout the end. week. In it Hi-Fi Rush ReviewHere are all the reasons why your personal playlist will soon be enriched with a splendid new album.
Small for who?
Looking at the lively gameplay sequences the game was presented with, it was easy to be tempted to classify Hi-Fi Rush as a action with modest production values, capable of remaining invisible to internal radars due to its small size. In fact, after the first hour of play it is easy to conceive the true nature of Tango Gameworks' new experiment, which after several horror games has chosen to take a completely unexplored path to try itself with something completely new. Although it was developed in parallel with Ghostwire: Tokyo, the title has absorbed the studio's efforts since 2017, after Johanas, fresh off the excellent The Evil Within 2, proposed the project to the company's senior management.
The game is therefore the result of a very respectable development cycle, and there is absolutely nothing small about it, apart from the list of "cons" that you will find at the end of the review. Bright, colorful and magnetic, Hi-Fi Rush is athird person adventure with an exquisitely punk soul, which inserts elements of rhythmic gameplay into that classic action combat system typical of oriental productions and, above all, of some works created by Studio 4 directed by Shinji Mikami, who here is content with the role of executive producer.
We've got a city to burn, Scott.
Made with a magnificent graphic style Halfway between cartoon and comic, roughly reminiscent of the color palette of that masterpiece that is Jet Set Radio, the story never takes itself too seriously during the 13 hours it took us to complete it, while telling the story of Chai, a Boy from the not-too-distant future who wants to become a rock star at all costs. Cyberpunk 2077 taught us that you're not a rock icon if you don't get a mechanical arm and fight a megacorporation, and that's exactly what Chai will have to face, supported by a well-crafted and slowly coming together cast of supporting characters. within the story throughout the game.
The narrative background is linked to an accident he sees. Chai protagonist, and which leads to his iPod being implanted in his chest. Vandelay, a conglomerate that deals in technological prosthetics and robotics, sees the child as a manufacturing defect, and attempting to eliminate him will lead to an adventure openly inspired by Scott Pilgrim's comic series, naturally punctuated with hilarious boss fights against the best. company management, each one characterized to perfection. The story, as we said, mostly acts as glue between one level and another and does not try to keep you in suspense, while it flows lightly and carefree without missing a note. In short, the plot is a placid opening band that could discourage those looking for more rhythmic experiences on the narrative front, but be careful not to leave the place because the gameplay, alone, is worth the total price of the parterre ticket.
Style and technique
It is enough to play a few seconds of Hi-Fi Rush to understand how well the experiment created by Johanas works. Basically, the game does not differ much from a very normal action in the style of Devil May Cry or Bayonetta, except that its protagonist has a music player implanted in his chest and, therefore, everyone around him pulses to the rhythm of the music. To the tune of songs like Lonely Boy by The Black Keys, Invaders Must Die by The Prodigy and Perfect Drug by Nine Inch Nails, we will constantly be encouraged to press the attack buttons to the rhythm of the music, even if it is not mandatory. , since the protagonist sets the rhythm even though he does not accompany the rhythm of the song at all.
However, if you follow the timing carefully, the entire fight takes on the appearance of a wonderful rhythmic choreography, you do much more damage to the wide variety of robotic antagonists deployed by Vandelay, and you get much better scores at the end of a battle, which is essential for anyone who doesn't want to end a battle on a bad note. . To tell the truth, trying to get an S at the end of each fight is the true purpose of Hi-Fi Rush, also because there are many tools that the player can use to do so.
An anthology combat system
During the first hour of play, you may have the impression of finding yourself facing a game Considering everything is simple, even limited, in which by alternating a fast attack (lasting one time) and a strong attack (lasting two times) you can chain a handful of combos that greatly facilitate Chai's work. However, with each step the player takes toward the end credits, the combat system transforms, strengthens, and enriches itself, sweeping away the monotony that could easily make the experience offered by Hi-Fi Rush nauseating. Before completing the first level you gain access to attacks. go like this, timed hits placed at the end of a combo that allow you to deal extra damage, and then dodges, parries and parries are unlocked, which are not secondary moves reserved for an elite of experts, but on the contrary the only way to eliminate the most powerful robots. advanced. By obtaining the scrap metal that is scattered throughout the game world, you can buy up to 15 new combos, and other varieties of special attacks, a kind of super that is recharged by hitting enemies or collecting batteries hidden in the area.
While on the one hand, it would probably take four articles to tell you every little nuance of Hi-Fi Rush's very deep and layered combat system, on the other, we're almost relieved to admit that at least when you put away your weapons, Hi- Fi Rush's new effort, Fi Rush, turns out to be average. Maybe too common and ordinary. Everything's fine level In fact, it is extraordinarily linear and consists of a very cold, arithmetic alternation between arenas and platform phases that only in very rare situations leaves room for unique gameplay sections. Fortunately, the levels do not resemble each other so the defect is somewhat mitigated by a good variety of obstacles and environmental hazards, but if we have to find a defect in the new Tango Gameworks title, it is undoubtedly related to its game design. levels.
And there is also an end
In case the thirteen hours of main plot aren't enough to justify purchasing the game for €29,99, you'll be happy to know that Hi-Fi Rush is backed by a very rich ending full of new activities, challenging anyone who thought they were in for a little double-A adventure. Once the credits roll, not only will it always be possible to replay a level in an attempt to get an S for each fight in the game, but they will also unlock two types of new content, capable of triggering the hour counter of your saved game.
The first is Rhythm Tower, a very challenging timed mode in which the objective is to climb floors facing hordes of enemies, while simultaneously fighting against the clock. Kills recharge it, while upgrades and healing that can be purchased at a shop inside the tower cost seconds of gameplay. Needless to say, completing it will be a real challenge for even the most experienced players, and we can't wait to see what results the community will achieve in the attempt. The second novelty, however, is linked to the main plot and consists of returning to each level in search of secret doors that were sealed during the first completion. Inside the door there is a special challenge, like the one that required us to clear the arena of enemies without touching the ground. We have no idea what's behind the last door, but it doesn't matter. Tango Gameworks' adventure has immense replayability compared to the list price, not to mention that through Game Pass it is available to everyone, at no additional cost, on PC, Xbox, and xCloud-compatible devices.
Conclusions
Tested version Xbox Series X digital delivery Steam, Xbox Store Price 29,99 € Holygamerz.com 8.5 Readers (175) 8.5 your voteHi-Fi Rush, coming out of nowhere as only the best debut albums can, is part of what is now a Microsoft series, made up of small masterpieces of creative originality that only through Game Pass (and occasionally with the help of a surprise). release) manage to shine as they deserve. The action packaged by Tango Gameworks, even without the service, would have been noticed and widely appreciated on these frequencies, because it has so many qualities that it cannot be ignored. On the one hand, it is an innocent cartoon-style adventure on the theme of friendship and cooperation, on the other, a bloody musical action game ready to punish you with a bad grade for even the slightest mistake. An irresistible mix, to which we did not offer the slightest resistance. Stockholm syndrome.
PRO
- The idea of crossing action and rhythm games works very well
- The combat system is simply fantastic.
- Visually gorgeous, animated better than a cartoon.
- After the credits there is still a lot to do.
AGAINST
- The story is light and carefree, not suitable for all palates.
- Overly simplified level design
