Hi-Fi Rush is Beyond Awesome

Alright, time to gush. I just finished Hi-Fi Rush a few days ago and I want to share my thoughts! Yeah, Hi-Fi Rush isn't a year old just yet, I just really want to talk about this.

The first section will be spoiler-free:

As a rhythm-action game, Hi-Fi Rush is amazing. Even if you suck at rhythm, that's okay since the game won't punish you for it (unless it's a quick time event lol). This game is oozing with style and is super-duper satisfying, especially when you hit combos. Probably one of the best things about Hi-Fi Rush is its style and soundtrack; if you look closely enough you will find details that clearly show this was a labor of love for the team. In fact, I wish more games were like this, in a way. Speaking of, the worst thing about Hi-Fi Rush is the fact that there will be no other game like Hi-Fi Rush. This game really feels like it's from another era; it's hard to accept the fact that it came out roughly a year ago. Thankfully, there is a lot of replayability with an arcade mode and other bonuses. There are a lot of twists and turns in this game, and for that reason, I've separated my "review". Please play Hi-Fi Rush! It'll be the best $30 ever spent.

MAJOR SPOILERS FOR HI-FI RUSH!

Story: Boy am I a sucker for anti-corporate stories. I love the sci-fi premise that Hi-Fi Rush has, with lots of urban and alt flair. The plot is rather simple, but the twists and turns make it interesting, such as Korsica, the head of security joining them. If anything, it's the characters that make the game interesting. Chai's charming stupidity and cockiness are handled well, and the plot doesn't let him always get what he wants. Peppermint is a good complement to Chai and sets him straight when needed. Macaron, CNMN, and Korsica are also super cool, I don't have much to say about them though. It's nice to see how Chai changes from a cocky nobody to a capable, confident, and more level-headed protagonist as the game progresses.

Art/Soundtrack: Okay, here's where I go crazy. I love colorful sci-fi! Everything in this game looks so good. I love all the cutscenes, both the 2D and 3D ones, and the transitions between the two are done amazingly! I love Chai's metal guitar, and his character design overall. The urban feel of Vandelay's campus looks great and although scenes change, there are still some design motifs that stay. Some of my favorite level designs are the security node rooms. They look so futuristic, and I love the dark hues. Besides Chai, another design I really like is Roquefort's wolf mech. I would say "I'm not a furry, but..." but I am a furry so all I have to say is "SHHEESH!". There were furries on the design team; there were definitely some "certain undertones". As for the soundtrack, I love the original tracks along with the ones that were edited to fit the game, such as those from Nine Inch Nails. If anything stole the show audio-wise though, it was the sound design! I love that Chai's guitar comes together and the sync-up of in-game elements and animation is extremely satisfying.

Gameplay: So, I will say that I suck at keeping a rhythm. Yet I still enjoyed this game! Although the majority of the game is hitting enemies to the beat, it's refreshing to hit prompted buttons to the beat, perform quick-time events in sync, etc. Also, adding the parry is super nice! My favorite boss battle was Korsica's since it relied on the new technique and was quite different from all of the other battles. This game makes full use of the controller and makes every hit satisfying. Combos, power-ups, special attacks, and more make the game truly feel like it's yours. The gameplay is so fun that Hi-Fi Rush has an arcade mode! 

I can't wait to have even more fun with this game, and I hope it inspires all artists, professional and aspiring alike.