Hi-Fi Rush

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Hi-Fi Rush
Developer(s)Tango Gameworks
Publisher(s)Bethesda Softworks
Director(s)John Johanas
Producer(s)
  • Masato Kimura
  • Shinsaku Ohara
Designer(s)Masaaki Yamada
Programmer(s)Yuji Nakamura
Writer(s)John Johanas
Composer(s)
  • Shuichi Kobori
  • Reo Uratani
  • Masatoshi Yanagi
EngineUnreal Engine 4
Platform(s)
ReleaseJanuary 25, 2023
Genre(s)Action, rhythm, hack and slash
Mode(s)Single-player

Hi-Fi Rush is a rhythm-based action game[1] developed by Tango Gameworks and published by Bethesda Softworks for the Windows and Xbox Series X/S platforms. It was announced on January 25, 2023 and released worldwide the same day.

The game follows self-proclaimed "future rock star" Chai (voiced by Robbie Daymond in English and Hiro Shimono in Japanese),[2][3] whose music player is accidentally embedded in his chest during experimental cybernetic surgery, allowing him to sense the rhythm of the world. Labelled a "defect" and hunted by the corporation that transformed him, Chai bands together with new friends to defeat the company's executives and put a stop to their plans. Hi-Fi Rush includes licensed music from bands such as The Black Keys and Nine Inch Nails.[4]

Gameplay

Hi-Fi Rush is a rhythm-action game where the protagonist Chai, his enemies, and parts of the environment move to the beat. Attacking on rhythm is not required, as actions automatically sync up with the music, but by timing the button presses right the players are rewarded with higher damage output and timing-based combo finishers deal additional damage. A parry move allows players to cancel enemy attacks by pressing the button at the exact moment of attacks. In addition to the beat-em-up action mechanics, there are also rhythm-based minigame elements where players repeat cues in a call-and-response fashion, or press buttons in rhythmic sequence based on on-screen cues.[5]

The game takes place across multiple linear stages, representing various divisions of the antagonist corporation. Each division is based on a particular musical style, and Chai engages in boss battles at various points.[6]

In addition to combat, the game also features some platform game elements, as well as a system of upgrades to unlock new moves, abilities, and perks, which can be purchased with gears, an in-game currency earned in combat or by exploring levels. Permanent upgrades to health and the special meter also appear in stages as collectibles.

Completing the game once unlocks bonus features, such as the ability to revisit past levels and previously inaccessible areas, a new difficulty setting, and Rhythm Tower, a survival mode similar to Bloody Palace from the Devil May Cry series.[7]

Story

Chai, a 25-year old man with a disabled arm, arrives at Vandelay Technologies campus to volunteer for Project Armstrong, a test program for cybernetic limb replacement. An accident embeds Chai's portable music player into the control mechanism on his chest, causing him to feel a musical connection with his surroundings. As a result of the accident, Chai is labeled a defect and the facility's robotic security forces pursue him, seeking to "recall" the defect.

Chai discovers his new arm can deploy an electromagnetic wand, which he uses to fashion a guitar-like melee weapon. As he searches for a way to escape, he encounters a robotic cat named 808. He is aided by an unseen ally, Peppermint, who communicates through the robotic cat, and guides him to her hideout. There, she offers to help Chai escape if he agrees to help her investigate the conspiracy behind Project Armstrong. The two form a reluctant alliance.

Soon, Chai helps Peppermint gain access to a Vandelay executive computer, and learn about SPECTRA, an AI-program that uses Vandelay's cybernetic implants as a back-door for mind control. The two hatch a plan to access and shut down SPECTRA by securing passkeys from each of the company's executives, including their CEO, Kale Vandelay. As they pursue their targets, they recruit more allies, including the disgruntled former head of R&D Macaron, his robot CNMN, and Vandelay's security security chief, Korsica. While exploring a museum of Vandelay Technologies, Peppermint reveals that she is Kale Vandelay's sister. She explains that their mother, Vandelay's founder Roxanne, encouraged her to leave home and find her own path, but returned home after Kale's ascent to CEO because she sensed something was wrong.

As the group pursues Kale, their final target, they encounter Roxanne Vandelay, but learn she is being controlled by Kale. Kale traps the group and explains that he plans to used Project Armstrong to control user's purchasing habits. Chai frees his allies from the trap and battles Kale. With Kale defeated, they shut down SPECTRA.

Afterwards, Roxanne is restored as CEO of Vandelay Technologies, and Peppermint and Chai are offered jobs within the company. In the final scene, Chai and the gang gather to look at the sunset while he practices playing guitar, so that he still has a fallback career.

Development

Johanas described the game as a "dream game" idea he had in his mind since "way, way back." He initially pitched the title to studio head Shinji Mikami after completing work on The Evil Within 2 in 2017.[8] To demonstrate the concept, the team developed an internal demo to help pitch the game to higher ups at Bethesda. The title entered production in 2018 in parallel with Ghostwire: Tokyo.

As part of an unconventional marketing strategy by Bethesda, development was kept quiet, with no public announcement of the game's release. This was, in part, to avoid skepticism and unsure expectations, as the title was such a departure for both the developer and the publisher. After Microsoft's purchase of Bethesda, marketing suggested that Game Pass might offer a solution to the complicated problems of marketing an unconventional game, allowing the game to generate interest by word-of-mouth rather than conventional marketing.[9]

In a March 2022 interview with Famitsu, Shinji Mikami stated that he wants the company to venture outside of the survival horror genre and nurture younger game creators. He also offered the first hints about their next release, stating that the next game by The Evil Within 2 director John Johanas is "the complete opposite of horror."[10]

Hi-Fi Rush was announced at Xbox and Bethesda Developer_Direct on January 25, 2023 and released the same day.[11] The game's appearance was intended as a surprise, although the title and logo were leaked online a day prior to the event.[12] After showcasing the trailer and some gameplay footage, Tango Gameworks announced that the game will be releasing on the same day for Windows and Xbox Series X/S.[13]

Music

The game's original soundtrack was composed by former Konami composer Shuichi Kobori, former Capcom composer Reo Uratani, and Tango Gameworks' sound designer Masatoshi Yanagi.

Hi-Fi Rush uses nine licensed music tracks throughout the story: "1,000,000" and "The Perfect Drug" by Nine Inch Nails, "Inazawa Chainsaw" by Number Girl, "Lonely Boy" by The Black Keys, "Fast as You Can" by Fiona Apple, "Invaders Must Die" by The Prodigy, "Whirring" by The Joy Formidable, "Wolfgang's 5th Symphony" by Wolfgang Gartner, and "Honestly" by Zwan. Bethesda Softworks also created an official Spotify playlist with most of these tracks.[14]

To avoid issues such as YouTube copyright strikes, the game includes an option to replace all licensed songs with similar original tracks performed by the band The Glass Pyramids.[14]

Reception

Hi-Fi Rush received universal acclaim upon its release, according to review aggregator Metacritic, with an average score of 90 and 88 for its Windows and Xbox Series X/S versions, respectively.[15][16]

Jordan Middler, from Video Games Chronicle, said that Hi-Fi Rush is "oozing with style and confidence", although there are "repetitive level design and some clunky platforming", scoring with a 4 out of a 5 star rating.[21] Jesse Norris, from XboxEra, praised the combat, calling it sublime, but "can become difficult to read as the screen fills up with utter chaos", scoring it with 9.5 out of 10.[22] Diego Argüello, from Polygon, called its animation gorgeous and Jet Set Radio-esque art style vivid and arresting.[23] Giovanni Colantonio, from Digital Trends, called it "Tango Gameworks' most confident, stylish and surprising project to date".[17]

References

  1. ^ Skinner, Tom (26 January 2023). "'Evil Within' studio releases rhythm-action game 'Hi-Fi Rush'". NME. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  2. ^ Tomakic, Izabela (26 January 2023). "All Hi-Fi Rush English voice actors". Dot Esports. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Behind the Voice Actors of Hi-Fi RUSH". BTVA. 26 January 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  4. ^ Peters, Jay (25 January 2023). "Hi-Fi Rush, a new rhythm-action game from the developers of The Evil Within, is out today". The Verge. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  5. ^ Bailey, Kat; Valentine, Rebekah (25 January 2023). "Tango Gameworks Announces Hi-Fi Rush During Xbox Developer_Direct Showcase, Out Today". IGN. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  6. ^ Kaser, Rachel (25 January 2023). "Tango Gameworks announces Hi-Fi Rush, which launches today". VentureBeat. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  7. ^ Leri, Michael (30 January 2023). "Hi-Fi Rush Review: Devil May Fi". Yahoo!. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  8. ^ Xbox - Hi-Fi Rush's origins, 27 January 2023, retrieved 27 January 2023
  9. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKuPjmrDF4E
  10. ^ Scullion, Chris (24 March 2022). "Shinji Mikami wants Tango Gameworks to make smaller and non-horror games". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  11. ^ Peters, Jay (25 January 2023). "Hi-Fi Rush, a new rhythm-action game from the developers of The Evil Within, is out today". The Verge. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  12. ^ Nightingale, Ed (24 January 2023). "Unannounced Tango Gameworks game leaks ahead of Xbox Developer_Direct". Eurogamer. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  13. ^ Cooper, Dalton (25 January 2023). "Evil Within Developer's New Game Hi-Fi Rush is Out Today on Xbox Game Pass". Game Rant. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  14. ^ a b Green, Jake (30 January 2023). "'Hi-Fi Rush' soundtrack and song list". NME. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Hi-Fi Rush for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  16. ^ a b "Hi-Fi Rush for Xbox Series X Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  17. ^ a b Colantonio, Giovanni (30 January 2023). "Hi-Fi Rush review: a new blueprint for rhythm-action games". Digital Trends. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  18. ^ West, Josh (31 January 2023). "Hi-Fi Rush review: 'An undeniably wild ride that shouldn't be ignored'". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  19. ^ Oloman, Jordan (30 January 2023). "'Hi-Fi Rush' review: a shockwave of creativity". NME. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  20. ^ Zamora, Gabriel (31 January 2023). "Hi-Fi Rush Review". PCMag. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  21. ^ a b Middler, Jordan (27 January 2023). "Hi-Fi Rush is a stylish, loud and messy first album full of potential". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  22. ^ Norris, Jesse 'Doncabesa' (26 January 2023). "Review | Hi-Fi RUSH". XboxEra. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  23. ^ Argüello, Diego Nicolás (27 January 2023). "Hi-Fi Rush arrived at the perfect time". Polygon. Retrieved 28 January 2023.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hi-Fi_Rush&oldid=1136916157"