Hi-Fi Rush’s visuals are a gorgeous mix of a living comic book and a kid-friendly Borderlands game. Breathing Buildings and Dancing Decorations The comic book setups for each mission were a blast to behold. While we may be disappointed with our “C” or “D” ranking at each stage (or “chorus” in the game’s vernacular), It was refreshing to come back to earlier levels and wipe the floor with foes to earn that delectable S ranking. Putting aside a few quick-time events that tested my sanity and nearly brought me to tears on a livestream, the refined musical combat felt challenging and fair. Overall, the rhythm-style combat was an exceptionally unique and fun affair. The switch between 2D and 3D combat always felt seamless and expertly silly. While the arenas feel somewhat repetitive toward the end (it’s usually just a same-sized circle with a different environmental backdrop), the frequent addition of new foes with unique attack patterns always kept me on my toes. I even took the time to memorize a few easy combos to leverage and reward our mastery. Ah, QTEs, my old nemesis, we meet again.īy the game’s end, I had achieved a flow state of combat where I could perfectly parry, dodge, and smash robots to bits. Even if we’re tone-deaf or forget our combos, the constantly pulsating world, and availability of rhythm indicators made it easy to anticipate enemy attacks and deliver a cathartic punishment to a crowd of imaginary peers shouting our name. While it primarily consists of hack-and-slash fighting with combo attacks, parrying, and special abilities, the core combat of the rhythm game rewards attacks that land on the beat. Revenge of the Rocking Robots Hi-Fi Rush’s combat is a perfect mix between being thematic, cathartic, and gorgeous. I treasured every moment with the bosses. All-in-all, though it’s not particularly profound or intriguing, Hi-Fi Rush’s narrative offers a colorful feel-good escape into a robotic land of hilarity and whimsy. While it’s a more childish tale with only a few mature moments, the humor and relative innocence of the characters offered a hilariously fun adventure that left me feeling warm and fuzzy by its end. Overall, I grew to love Hi Fi rush’s story over time. Even the robot side characters and environment are dripping with narrative glee, like a robot stacking boxes in the shape of a dog or text logs with a robot narrator having an existential crisis over doors. From a ridiculously buff wrestler boss to a kid’s cartoon villain, Scottish Fem Fatale, and more, I was delighted to watch our antagonists rant, rave, and suplex our protagonists into oblivion. Luckily, the game pulls it together with its hilarious villains brimming with character and charm.

Even if I didn’t love the plot, the characters really grew on me. Don’t get me wrong I grew to love Chai, Peppermint, and the other characters we befriended along the way (especially 808 and Korsica), but their beginning dynamic felt absurd and forced at the onset. Though I enjoyed watching our hipster hero, Chai, morph into a defective cyborg freedom fighter, his initial dialogue and motivations were beyond annoying. While its colorful world and quirky robots offered an excellent first impression, the initial narrative felt jarring and simplistic. If we can get past the somewhat lackluster introduction to the story, we’ll find a captivating experience to rock out and slay some quirky robots. With a variety of quirky hipster friends, lovable corporatist villains, and an ultra-adorable robo-cat, the cutesy cyberpunk take on a rock-and-roll future left me laughing and howling with delight.įor those looking for a reprieve from grimdark RPGs and depressing soulslikes, Hi-Fi Rush offers a charming experience with stellar combat and fun characters. So it was with great surprise that I ended up loving Hi-Fi Rush, a robot-themed rhythm game tasking us with defeating enemies to the beat of the music.

Even as a veteran gamer, the sheer amount of quick-time events, tone awareness, and agility demanded from games like DOOM, Dusk, and ULTRAKILL leave me feeling stressed and embarrassed beyond belief. Dark Souls 3 Cathedral of the Deep Guide - June 12, 2023Īrea shooters tear me apart.Dark Souls 3 Strength Build Guide - June 17, 2023.Pillars of Eternity 2 Companions Menu Toggle.

Hifi rush cat name