Hi-Fi Rush: Nostalgia with Refined Graphics and a Shoutout to Clover Studio, The Xbox Exclusive Pressing All the Right Buttons
Rhythm games have always had a special place in our hearts.
From the OGs like Guitar Hero, to Sound Voltex at arcades, to even the beloved PaRappa the Rapper, this genre of games has always found a way to stimulate and immerse our senses in the beat.
Hi-Fi Rush is no exception to this, as the rhythm-based action newly released game was awarded massive positivity from the community and critics alike.
With obvious inspiration and similarity to its predecessor, Jet Set Radio, the game follows protagonist Chai, a labeled “defect” by his world’s evil megacorporation that, following a surgical mishap, leaves him with an iPod in his chest which allows him to see, hear, and feel the beat of the world around him. As Chai battles through the corporation's grunts to hopefully take down the top dogs, the gameplay rewards the player for moving and attacking to the beat of the music being played.
The game hosts a surprising number of easter eggs and references to the Dreamcast or GameCube era, with bright and popping scenes and elements that immediately immerse the player as the music pulls you deeper into the story. Influences from Okami, Viewtiful Joe, and Marvel VS Capcom, to name a few, are also present which can be attributed to the developer, Tango Gameworks’ founder, Shinji Mikami, who actively worked on said titles during his time with the now non-existent Clover Studio. The game feels light and aware of its own bizarreness, a stark contrast to Tango Gameworks’ previous titles The Evil Within and Ghostwire: Tokyo, more horror-survival type games.
Hi-Fi Rush presents a breath of fresh air with its cel-shaded animation type, fun and light gameplay, and catchy music.
