Hi-Fi
Rush

Hi-Fi Rush (2023) is a rhythm fighting game where wannabe rockstar Chai uses the beat to fight an evil corporation. You play by exploring the world and fighting enemies. The twist is that everything moves to the beat, and you must attack in time to do the most damage. It's like a mix of Elite Beat Agents and Sunset Overdrive that stands out for how integral the rhythm aspect of play is here, and how jubilant an experience this creates.

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After being labelled "defective" after an experiment unexpectedly fuses his personal music player to his heart, Chai must fight to get free of both the label and the corporation that did this to him. With your crew of companions, you explore the world and take on battles. It's a familiar challenge, here though everything moves to the beat - not only attacks but the movement of platforms and enemies.

As you progress you get to know the city and take on the corporate armies with your rhythm-amplified combat. It's like other rhythm action games, only here you are landing hits rather than dance moves. You don't have to stick to the beat but when you do you chain more powerful attacks.

The result is a vibrant euphoric brawling challenge that manages to put music at the heart of every interaction and movement. Add to this music from Nine Inch Nails, The Prodigy and The Joy Formidable and it starts to really stand out as a novel idea well executed with high production values.

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Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Hi-Fi Rush 23 months ago. It was re-examined by Thom Robertson and updated 3 weeks ago.