Hi-Fi Rush PS5 Review – Unbeatable Encore

Hi-Fi Rush’s memorable shadow drop last year was an interesting experiment for Xbox. While it certainly put more eyes on an otherwise niche game that would have gotten lost in the 2023 mosh pit otherwise, the unconventional release meant that TheGamer never had a chance to give Chai’s debut performance the review it deserves.

Now that Xbox’s best first-party release in years is, somewhat controversially, shedding its exclusive skin and coming to PS5 for a whole audience, it’s the perfect time to right that wrong and shine a spotlight on a game that has quickly cemented itself as one of my all-time favourites.

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Hi-Fi Rush Needs To Be More Than An Exception For Xbox Exclusives

We need more games like this

Hi-Fi Rush is surprising in many ways, but the biggest tricks up its bedazzled sleeves are its heartfelt story and loveable characters. Chai’s quirky but dim-witted nature makes it seem like you’re in for a tongue-in-cheeky story that matches the colourful presentation, but Hi-Fi’s heart is as powerful as its slapstick humour.

For every laugh emanating from Chai doing the bigfoot pose in front of a crowd of robots on their lunch break, there’s a poignant moment about his resistance to being called a “defect” because of the disability that led to him being in Project Armstrong to begin with, outfitting him with a robot arm and an iPod in his chest. Chai’s character growth from slacker to hero is my favourite of the bunch, but the entire cast is endearing and has so many layers beyond the laughs

I didn’t expect to fall so hard for Hi-Fi’s story and characters, but the same can’t be said for its presentation. I’m a sucker for bright colours and rock music, so I was like putty in Hi-Fi Rush’s gorgeously cel-shaded hands from the moment it was revealed. Hi-Fi Rush is a visual marvel, from its expressive squash and stretch characters to its gorgeous backdrops and Spider-Verse-esque onomatopoeic flair.

This same love is found in the game’s soundtrack, featuring a rocking mix of needle-drop moments featuring licensed songs like The Prodigy’s Invaders Must Die and The Joy Formidable’s Whirring alongside energetic original music that stands toe-to-toe with the bangers we’re all familiar with.

Such incredible looks and sounds aren’t just for flair, though, as they tie into the final piece of Hi-Fi’s glorious puzzle – its gameplay. At the start of the game, an accident causes Chai’s iPod to be embedded in his chest, making it so that he can see the world move to the beat of his music.

Beyond being a bit of technical wizardry that ties the visuals and sound together perfectly, Chai’s beat-sensing abilities result in the combat playing like a rhythm game, which feels natural considering how rhythmic character action games already feel. Chai’s basic and special attacks are all more powerful when hit to the beat, so the robot-filled arenas are just as much about timing and listening as they are about button-mashing.

Things start out simple (with some essential moves annoyingly being locked until a few hours in) and feel a bit barebones, but as you make your way through the game and unlock more skills and abilities, it becomes a beautiful harmony of timed button presses, skillful dodges, and satisfying combat all set to the tune of glorious rock.

The Best Of Hi-Fi’s Photo Mode

I’ve always sucked at rhythm games and can barely clap my hands to a beat, but Hi-Fi Rush isn’t super strict about timing until you’ve been given the chance to learn everything, which makes it even more satisfying when you become a rhythm master. Even beyond its central gimmick, Hi-Fi holds its own as a character action game thanks to engaging enemies and a wealth of combos, but that focus on keeping to a beat is what allows it to stand tall with the greatest of the genre.

As toe-tappingly adrenaline-pumping as Hi-Fi Rush’s core gameplay loop is once you get in tune with the rhythm, it is slightly undercut by clunky platforming and rigid movement. Chai purposefully moves slowly to keep in time to the beat, but that means movement outside of combat can feel sluggish and slow until you’ve come to grips with triple-dodging to the beat to dash around.

While Chai’s movement speed becomes a non-issue with some practice, the platforming sadly never changes from being a breather at best and groan-inducing at worst. Chai’s jumps are too heavy and don’t cover enough distance, which makes it far too easy to miss platforms that are moving in time to the beat. It becomes more manageable and enjoyable as you get used to the mechanics and how everything controls, but it does stand as the only record scratch of an otherwise remarkable game.

Hi-Fi Rush’s PS5 port might not have much that makes it stand apart from its launch last year, but replaying it reminded me just how special it is and made me fall in love with it all over again. In a generation where games are constantly trying to sucker you into spending all of your time and money on one ecosystem, Hi-Fi Rush shines as an all-too-rare standalone, uncynical labour of love that deserves to be played on every platform.

Hi-Fi Rush

Reviewed on PS5.

Pros

• Beautiful visuals and a rocking soundtrack
• Satisfying and unique rhythm-action combat
• Loveable, layered, and funny cast of characters

Cons

• Platforming can be clunky
• Slow start that takes time to pick up

Score: 4.5/5. A PS5 code was provided by the publisher.

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