By all accounts, Hello-Fi Rush is an anomaly. It’s developed by Tango Gameworks, higher identified for delving into psychological horror with The Evil Inside and the supernatural, like Ghostwire: Tokyo. It’s printed by Microsoft, which – up until the shadow drop – confronted criticism for its lackluster first-party choices. Furthermore, it’s a character-focused, linear single-player rhythmic motion recreation with hack-and-slash mechanics and a cel-shaded, irreverent presentation bursting with colour and particulars.
Topping all of it off is the deal with rock music, with songs from artists like The Prodigy, 9 Inch Nails and The Black Keys, alongside stellar unique tracks by composers Shuichi Kobori, Reo Uratani and Masatoshi Yanagi. The music doesn’t simply affect the temper – it’s on the coronary heart of every little thing, out of your assaults and enemy patterns to the surroundings and particular challenges.
“Whereas this can be a rhythmic motion recreation, you don’t have to assault to the beat to succeed. Nevertheless, time your strikes accordingly, and also you’ll deal extra injury whereas racking up larger scores.”
What put Hello-Fi Rush on the map is its shadow-drop eventually yr’s Xbox Developer_Direct. May it have benefitted from a advertising and marketing marketing campaign and extra hype? In all probability, however after all of the constructive phrase of mouth, it’s outfitted to carry out higher on PS5 regardless of launching in the identical week as two different main triple-A titles. So, do you have to play it? Completely.
Hello-Fi Rush is the story of Chai, a wannabe rockstar who indicators up for Mission Armstrong, a Vandelay Applied sciences undertaking for changing limbs. Nevertheless, attributable to an accident – which snobby CEO Kale Vandelay inadvertently had a hand in – Chai’s music participant is fused to his physique through the limb substitute surgical procedure. After leaving the ability, he’s subsequently labelled a defect, fights off the Vandelay robots all through the campus and meets up with Peppermint, a mysterious hacker investigating the shadier facet of the corporate.
Happily, the operation did greater than give Chai a robust robotic arm with a magnet to gather junk and create a weapon (most notably, a guitar). The whole lot on this planet now strikes in keeping with the rhythm, from environmental objects to enemies. Whereas this can be a rhythmic motion recreation, you don’t have to assault to the beat to succeed. Nevertheless, time your strikes accordingly, and also you’ll deal extra injury whereas racking up larger scores. It’s a superb mechanic with a mean ability ground for gamers to dive into shortly however a powerful ability ceiling to aspire to because the number of mechanics and encounters will increase.
“Hello-Fi Rush does a superb job of introducing and easing gamers into these mechanics due to a live-stage efficiency inside Chai’s head and the weirdly affectionate Smidge.”
For example, you’ll shortly obtain Beat Hit, a combo ender which may deal extra injury with a accurately timed button press. Dashing is out there for evading injury however will be chained right into a Mild Assault or a launcher with Heavy Assault, opening enemies as much as aerial combos.
Much more combos turn into obtainable, whether or not holding Heavy Assault to build up large quantities of junk and unleash a giant spinning assault with Acquire Twister or Arpeggio Stab, which may raise enemies into the air to proceed its combo. Chai additionally positive aspects Particular Assaults that eat the Reverb Gauge, dealing intensive injury, including to the rating multiplier and even offering some much-needed well being.
Progressing by way of the story piles on extra mechanics, from parrying to grappling, however that’s not all. You’ll be able to name in allies like Peppermint for transient durations to shoot switches or destroy enemy limitations. She additionally will get some distinctive strikes, like charging up her ranged assault for a robust beam, comboing with Chai throughout a Beat Hit (at the price of a few of the Reverb Gauge) or executing highly effective duo Particular Assaults.
As extra allies be part of Chai and Peppermint, you’ll be able to have two obtainable to name in at any given time, mixing and matching their assists. Throw within the choice to have one other Particular Assault on standby and Chips that present passive advantages like lowering the cooldown for ally assaults, and you’ve got an array of fight choices obtainable. Although it could really feel considerably overwhelming within the early going, Hello-Fi Rush does a superb job of introducing and easing gamers into these mechanics due to a live-stage efficiency inside Chai’s head and the weirdly affectionate Smidge.
“The linear strategy works properly, although, because the motion neatly unfolds with recent encounters, platforming and a few comedic interactions between the robotic staff at Vandelay.”
The enemy design can be very stable. You begin with easy melee and ranged attackers earlier than graduating to armored robots with large suits and even a samurai bot who recites poetry earlier than requiring a sequence of parries. Between exploiting sure foes’ weaknesses, dodging projectile assaults, calling in allies, and timing assaults to the beat for max injury, Hello-Fi Rush can get hectic as you delve additional into the sport. It by no means fairly overwhelmed me, although the digicam can get a bit iffy, particularly in shut quarters the place you’ll be able to’t see the opposite enemies.
If Hello-Fi Rush’s encounters are well-crafted and pleasant, the boss fights are a deal with. To not spoil an excessive amount of, however each is exclusive, leveraging mechanics taught all through a particular stage whereas providing a number of phases to battle by way of. Some might require grappling out of hurt’s method or dodging backward and forward to keep away from obstacles. It’s yet one more case of the rhythm-based mechanics being integrated seamlessly into the expertise.
Talking of ranges, they’re pretty linear, with a couple of hidden corners and out-of-the-way spots to build up gear for upgrades or uncover items to extend your Reverb Gauge and max well being capability. There’s additionally graffiti to gather for the enormous mural again at base (the place finishing varied duties can award gears), Golden Kale Statues to beat up for much more forex, and so forth. The linear strategy works properly, although, because the motion neatly unfolds with recent encounters, platforming and a few comedic interactions between the robotic staff at Vandelay. Additionally, it actually can’t be overstated simply how attractive the sport appears to be like.
“Regardless of that includes some pretty well-worn character tropes, every character is developed properly, even the villains.”
The truth is, from the get-go, it’s tough to not love the presentation and sheer panache of Hello-Fi Rush. It goes past the superb aesthetics and detailed environments or the stellar voice appearing and facial expressions. The Saturday morning cartoon strategy is clear, from the chapter-focused strategy to the happy-go-lucky Chai, and it’s nonetheless extremely endearing.
The script doesn’t take itself too critically and typically breaks the fourth wall like Chai commenting on how his journey may make for a cool story in 5 years, which is the undertaking’s growth time. Or the robots bickering about whether or not so many indicators are needed at a sure stage, each lampshading their common use in video video games whereas nonetheless making it humorous. However, regardless of that includes some pretty well-worn character tropes, every character is developed properly, even the villains.
After finishing the story, new SPECTRA Doorways and the Rhythm Tower open for harder challenges, however the post-game has fortunately obtained much more content material post-launch courtesy of the Arcade Problem! Replace! (with two exclamation factors). It provides BPM Rush, which sees gamers battling waves of enemies and slowly build up the BPM Gauge with profitable parries, Beat Hits and extra to struggle in opposition to even harder foes and even mid-bosses. Succeed, and the velocity will increase, additional upping the problem.
“When discussing first-party titles, Hello-Fi Rush is undoubtedly top-of-the-line lately, offering recent gameplay and unbelievable manufacturing values polished to a sheen.”
Energy Up! Tower Up! is a rogue-like mode that strips Chai of most of his Particular Assaults and all stat boosts. Progressing by way of totally different flooring means that you can improve stats and perks (together with regaining HP on putting enemies). Then there are the Bugs, which may grant highly effective unwanted effects alongside hazardous modifiers.
You’ll wish to take them, although, as a result of they bolster your rating multiplier. Between the Problem Rooms and escalating problem, Energy Up! Tower Up! will put hardcore gamers’ expertise to the take a look at. Whether or not it would fulfill these craving extra story content material after ending the marketing campaign is a special matter altogether, nevertheless it’s an enjoyably replayable expertise with its personal unlocks.
When discussing first-party titles, Hello-Fi Rush is undoubtedly top-of-the-line lately, offering recent gameplay and unbelievable manufacturing values polished to a sheen. In case you haven’t performed it, relaxation assured it lives as much as the hype.
This recreation was reviewed on PS5.
