Hi-Fi Rush First Impressions Review: Story, Gameplay, Art Style, and More

Out of nowhere, Tango Gameworks, the creators of Ghostwire Tokyo and The Evil Within, has surprise released a full game called Hi-Fi Rush. This game is the polar opposite of Tango Gameworks’s previous games in that it is colorful, loud, and an action-rhythm game.

After playing two tracks, or levels, of Hi-Fi Rush, our first impressions of the game are high. One might even say they are Hi-Fi (get it?). With incredible licensed music and amazing voice actors, Hi-Fi Rush is currently rocking our world.

Hi-Fi Rush Story

Right after you create a new game, the story of Hi-Fi Rush kicks in… literally. The kick drums and guitars come in as “Lonely Boy” by The Black Keys leads Chai, the main character, into the world of Hi-Fi Rush. And while the story so far isn’t extremely memorable, the characters and the relationships are.

At the beginning of the story, Chai volunteers to receive a robotic upgrade from a mega-corporation. Instead of brainwashing Chai, the surgery left him with a robotic arm that can summon a literal heavy metal guitar and an MP3 player for a heart.

Though we are just getting into it, I couldn’t tell you the name of the world that Hi-Fi Rush is set in, what the mega-corporation is called, or who the main villains are. But I do know that the adorable robot cat is called 808.

Hi-Fi Rush Gameplay

What really makes Hi-Fi Rush sing is the gameplay which is split into combat encounters and platforming. While the platforming isn’t great so far, the combat is phenomenal.

Since Chai has an MP3 player for a heart, the entire world is set to the rhythm of his heartbeat. The enemies swing at you on the beat and you need to dodge, parry, and string together combos by landing your hits on the downbeat of the music.

However, if you are new to rhythm games like I am, what makes Hi-Fi Rush always feel fun is the fact that you always hit on the beat of the music. Whether you press the correct button in time with the music or not, Chai will always swing in time with the tune which not only feels great on multiple levels but also looks killer.

Hi-Fi Rush Art Style

Speaking of killer, the entire world of Hi-Fi Rush is a real stunner. The art style is in the same vein as Into the Spiderverse, the anime characters in Fortnite, and Borderlands, but turn the contrast and brightness to 11.

The metal crunchers crush in time with the guitar riffs, the floating platforms beep to the bump of the bass, even the paint on the walls thump along. The way the entire world physically reacts to the beat of Chai’s drum is extremely well-designed and charming.

Hi-Fi Rush is a bundle of joy so far. I can’t stop tapping my foot while playing it, I genuinely laugh out loud at the jokes, and I’m interested to see where the gameplay and story go next. While you wait for our full review to come out, know that we recommend playing Hi-Fi Rush, especially since it is free to Game Pass subscribers.

Hi-Fi Rush is available now on Xbox Series X|S and PC.