Hi-Fi Rush
Stylish game mixes action/rhythm, creating absolute magic.
Hi-Fi Rush
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Hi-Fi Rush is a downloadable single-player action/rhythm game currently available for the Xbox Series X/S and Windows-based PCs. Players will rock out with Chai, a wannabe rockstar whose desire to replace his broken arm with a cybernetic enhancement via the Vandelay megacorporation will lead him down a path of dark corporate doings and rockin' heroism. With an ability to feel the rhythm of his surroundings and a new makeshift guitar he gains as a result of an experiment, Chai will embark on a journey to uncover Vandelay's secrets before it's too late. Along his journey, he'll meet new friends who also don't quite agree with Vandelay's methods, leading to a solid bond and friendship being created between the members of the ragtag group. While they bicker and fuss at first, they go through many trials and tribulations as a unit, strengthening their resolve and showcasing the power of empathy, compassion, and teamwork. In addition to featuring a cast of colorful characters of different sizes, skin tones, and cultural backgrounds, Hi-Fi Rush also touts accessible, customizable gameplay that merely asks players to match the beat as they go from one music-filled level to the next. Evoking a similar feeling to a Saturday morning cartoon, the "violence" here is over-the-top and wacky with no blood or gore present at all.
Community Reviews
Un espectaculo visual y auditivo y además divertido.
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What’s It About?
In HI-FI RUSH, a wannabe rockstar by the name of Chai has dreams of rockin' with the best of them, but a broken arm has all but halted his best-laid plans. "Luckily" for him, the tech-savvy Vandelay megacorporation is inviting people to partake in Project Armstrong, a program meant to strip humanity of its physical limitations via cybernetic parts. But as Chai undergoes the experiment, something goes terribly wrong. The good news? He's got a new, functional cybernetic arm! The bad news? His music player is now embedded in his chest, making the world around him a musical playground where he can constantly feel the rhythm of his surroundings. Why's that bad? Well, Vandelay considers Chai's new powers as a sign that he's defective, and bad things happen to defective units. This forces Chai to bust out his new makeshift guitar and go to town on Vandelay's robotic minions, slowly uncovering darker intentions and plans as he gets more involved. But Chai isn't alone as Vandelay has wronged others, and as he'll quickly find out, it's important to have reliable friends when your back is against the wall and all seems lost. Will Chai and his ragtag group be predictably overwhelmed by the corporate powerhouse that is Vandelay, or will the wannabe rockstar become a legitimate hero?
Is It Any Good?
Sometimes, a game comes out of nowhere and becomes a beacon of creativity, style, and substance reminding people just how brilliant the medium can be at its best. Hi-Fi Rush is that game. An entirely original idea, Hi-Fi Rush has everything it needs to succeed in the gaming landscape and so much more. The combat is easy enough to grasp – you hit your enemies to the beat of the music to maximize your guitar-centric attacks. But as the game goes on, this simplicity opens up, adding more moves, special attacks, partner abilities, and chips (permanent boosts to different abilities). Whether you like the combat simple or want a layered, rhythmic dance where you're wiping out enemies left and right while jamming to the music, the game accommodates any way the player wants to rock. Over time, you also learn how to parry, dodge, and engage with enemies (and the environment) in fun, creative ways, ensuring the gameplay never gets stale, boring, or predictable.
Rounding out the stellar gameplay is virtually everything else done correctly. It's smart, with entertaining throwback gags or lines to iconic movies, shows, or other video games on top of a fresh satirical take on capitalism and consumerism that's endlessly funny. It's heartfelt, with characters that have their own personalities, motivations, and interactions with one another. They may not be every player's cup of tea with the volume of jokes and puns that are often thrown around, but the game also allows these characters to have moments of doubt, fear, and emotional vulnerability. But best of all, Hi-Fi Rush has a pure creative spirit that it flaunts whenever it gets the opportunity. The levels are pleasing to look at and explore, and searching for collectibles hits that sweet spot between straightforward and challenging. Even boss encounters stand out, because every time you think you know what you're in for, the game completely subverts your expectations in delightfully refreshing twists and turns – which is the story of the experience as a whole. Hi-Fi Rush is a necessity the video game industry at large may not have known it needed, but now that it's here, it's uncovered a telltale truth: video games live and thrive through creativity and innovation first and profitability second.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about visual style in video games. Can interesting, vibrant graphics enhance someone's ability to enjoy a video game? What if the gameplay isn't as good? Can good graphics make an average video game "better," or does the gameplay need to take priority over all else? In a landscape where graphical fidelity keeps increasing, how do you identify the line between good graphics vs. good gameplay in terms of your opinion of any one game?
With the current trends in gaming leaning more towards remakes, remasters, and other touch-ups or reinventions of older games, where do new ideas or properties fit into the grand scheme of the video game industry? Is there space for both older games given new life and fresh, original properties? What's the cost of nostalgia, both positive and negative, for prioritizing remakes/remasters? Is the "safety" of what's been done better than the potential excitement of something entirely different?
Game Details
- Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, Windows
- Pricing structure: Paid ($29.99)
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
- Release date: January 25, 2023
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Adventures, Friendship, Music and Sing-Along, Robots, Science and Nature
- Character Strengths: Communication, Compassion, Courage, Empathy, Perseverance, Teamwork
- ESRB rating: T for Fantasy Violence, Language
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: January 30, 2023
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