Microsoft held its much-anticipated Xbox and Bethesda Developer Direct on January 25, 2023, where it was promoted that it would showcase games from four developers. Although it ended up being leaked prior to the show, most gamers tuning in were treated to a surprise announcement and release of the newest game from Tango Gameworks, Hi-Fi Rush. Initial impressions of the game landed somewhere between Jet Set Radio and Sunset Overdrive. However, Hi-Fi Rush has a lot more in common with the stylish Devil May Cry series than anything else.
About halfway through the Developer Direct, Tango Gameworks took the stage and showcased a game that's a drastic departure from the studio's previous horror-focused titles. The highly stylized look of Hi-Fi Rush is immediately reminiscent of the comic book-inspired Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Story-wise, it's light-hearted and entertaining, with action-packed cutscenes and witty dialogue across its colorful cast of characters. The gameplay is where the game truly shines, though, as it combines the rhythm and timing of Guitar Hero with the fast-paced, combo-heavy action of Devil May Cry.
Hi-Fi Rush Adds Rhythm to the Action Combat of Devil May Cry
At one point during the reveal trailer for Hi-Fi Rush, the main character, Chai, launches atop a skyscraper with a sprawling city in the background. This is the shot where most comparisons between Hi-Fi Rush and Sunset Overdrive were made, but the game's structure and its levels are much smaller scale. Rather than an open world, Hi-Fi Rush features twelve stages called "tracks" with several boss fights along the way. Similarly to Devil May Cry levels, these stages offer a single linear path from beginning to end and have occasional side rooms or secret areas for hidden items and collectibles.
The gameplay of Hi-Fi Rush revolves around Chai's connection to the rhythm of everything around him. The catchy rock music surrounding him brings the beat, while his robotic arm and powerful guitar provide the beat-down. Like Devil May Cry's gameplay, Hi-Fi Rush emphasizes the combo meter, and players get a score at the end of each encounter that correlates to gears. Players use gears to purchase upgrades to their abilities, new attacks, and permanent enhancements to health, equipment slots, etc.
Hi-Fi Rush sets itself apart from Devil May Cry's combo-focused combat with its underlying beat that plays throughout the whole game. Although players can attack, dodge, and parry at any time, they receive a higher score if they perform these actions on the beat. Because sticking to the beat means higher scores and better ratings, it is highly encouraged to do so, but it is not required. Tango Gameworks set out to make a game where players could relax and not have to worry about having perfect timing.
The studio succeeds for the most part in allowing less musically-inclined players to perform well, as just a few actions in Hi-Fi Rush require precise timing. There is a decent variety of enemies in Hi-Fi Rush as well, as players will continue to discover new enemy types well into the story. As for bosses, Devil May Cry games often have some of the most epic boss battles of any action game. While Hi-Fi Rush doesn't quite match Devil May Cry in this area, boss fights feature licensed music that will likely cause fans of the songs to hum along while fighting.
The stylized combat, over-the-top action, and cheesiness of Devil May Cry are carried over into the story and characters of Hi-Fi Rush. Chai is overconfident and tends to fly by the seat of his pants, but his companions always keep up with him. He even makes some unlikely friends further into the game. Chai's companions include the robotics expert Peppermint and her soft-yet-not-soft robot cat, along with the pacifist Macaron and his robot companion CNMN. Each ally and the enemies they face all have quick-witted dialogue that is light-hearted and humorous, and the overall tone of Hi-Fi Rush never changes, even when changing tracks.
Hi-Fi Rush is available now on PC and Xbox Series X/S.