Hi-Fi Rush review: Xbox’s rhythm-action game arrived on Game Pass at the perfect time

hifi rush It’s the light of hope. Tango Gameworks’ rhythm-based character action game hit the Xbox Developer Direct this week before making a surprise release on Game Pass and Steam. The sudden appearance was novel, but the game itself feels the timing is just right. This is a power fantasy in which management treats workers like fodder and dismantles evil corporations in pursuit of infinite wealth.

In another era, the premise itself might have seemed trivial. The main character, Chai, a music-obsessed and constantly pun-spitting kid, approaches Banderei his Technologies for the promise of robotic enhancements. The incident caused him to have his iPod inserted into his chest and now the world is in sync with his playlist. This is a mix of the original score and his licensed tracks from Nine Inch Nails, The Black Keys, The Prodigy and more.

Vandelei immediately deems the protagonist flawed and sends an army of angry robots to finish him off. there is no straight road When Metal: Helsingerin which the Chai Band joins a crew of amazingly likeable characters to hack, slash, dodge, and jump to the beat, all seeking to expose Vandelei’s evil deeds to the masses. .

Move from the QA department to the company’s finance department across 12 levels. The corridors of each office are filled with Vandelay propaganda, surveillance bots, and gold statues of the CEO. Talking to his NPC in Robot exudes fear of being overworked or laid off. They also ask Chai to stay off drugs whenever they find him lying on the floor and drinking five.

Image: Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks via Polygon

In the early levels, Vandelei faces Zanzo, the boss responsible for developing SPECTRA, an AI designed to help control people’s thoughts. Dive into the R&D department and one of his Zanzo employees warns you about wasting your budget on increasingly luxurious but ultimately useless weapons. He (understandably) ignored this warning, hifi rush A percentage bar will appear in the game’s UI to indicate that the budget is shrinking in real time. “Balancing creativity and realistic goals is the hallmark of a good leader,” says one of his teammates. “Obviously Zanzo needs guidance.”

We’re only a few weeks into 2023, and job cuts are rampant across tech and media. hifi hurry up. hifi rush It’s a cathartic and hopeful deconstruction of the corporate system (and the people in charge) that stir up workers like any other consumable.

Image: Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks via Polygon

Much has been said about the use of quips in prophesied Last week we compared the dialogue to the work of Joss Whedon, citing it as yet another victim of the Marvelization of storytelling. hifi rush is also problematic in this regard, but it works because its satire is so poignant and its characters are so earnest. Chai’s jokes may be silly, but unwilling to shake the spirits of him and his teammates, he is determined to keep moving forward and shut down the delusional plans of Vandeley’s management. The context makes all the difference.

Shadow Drop itself was novel, but the game is won.gorgeous animation and jet set radio-The esque art style is vivid and attractive. A series of tutorials, visual aids, and clever mechanics make the rhythm aspect accessible to newcomers to the genre. And a vibrant, positive energy is present in every beat to keep your feet stamping as you take down companies built on a lack of vision. hifi rush A cathartic anthem that arrived at the perfect time.

hifi rush was released on Windows PC and Xbox Series X on January 25th. This game was reviewed on Xbox. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not affect editorial content, but Vox Media may earn commissions on products purchased via affiliate links.discoverable Additional information on Polygon’s Ethics Policy can be found here.