Hi-Fi Rush: Everything We Know

In light of the Developer_Direct showcase drawing to a close, Xbox Game Pass subscribers can now get their hands on Hi-Fi Rush, an all-new rock-and-ready rhythm game by Tango Gameworks. And we know what you're thinking: what on earth is Hi-Fi Rush? Well, funnily enough, we too were none the wiser when it came to light at last night's Xbox & Bethesda showcase, as the game itself had made next to no appearances whatsoever prior to its on-screen debut.

Anyway, in case you're wondering what it is, then be sure to read on, as we'll be spilling all the details on the fish-out-of-water indie down below. From its story to its gameplay features, its platforms to its trailer—here's everything you need to know about Hi-Fi Rush.

What Is Hi-Fi Rush?

Hi-Fi Rush is a rhythm-based action game by Tango Gameworks, a studio that's best known for its contributions to the horror network, with hits including The Evil Within and Ghostwire: Tokyo. Unlike its other works, the newly released game will center its world around the joy of music, and will in turn translate action into full-fat rock operas. Curious to know more? Here's how Tango Gameworks describe the game over on its official Steam listing page:

“Feel the beat as wannabe rockstar Chai and his ragtag team fight against an evil megacorp with raucous rhythm combat,” the blurb reads. “From Tango Gameworks comes Hi-Fi RUSH, an all-new action game where the world syncs to the music.”

Story

If you take the premise of the movie Crank, which centers its world around survival and, in short, maintaing adrenaline to keep the heart ticking, then you'll have a basic idea of what Hi-Fi Rush is all about. The only difference here, of course, is that said heart is only functioning when fused with the rhythm and beats that are projected by the world and its obstacles. And to keep the rhythm and beats flowing, the player must immerse in a colourful world that's chock-full of puzzles, battles, and mini-games, making Hi-Fi Rush a full-fat and irresistibly fast-paced grand slam of non-stop pandemonium.

“Labeled ‘defective’ after a shady corporate experiment mistakenly fuses a music player to his heart, Chai must now fight for his freedom in a slick animated world where everything – platforming puzzles, enemy attacks and even the colorful gags & banter – are synced to the beat,” the description adds. “Lead a squad of colorful teammates and take the fight to the heart of an, er, heartless corporation. Square off with each department’s boss, from Production to Marketing to Finance, each more ready to protect the company’s bottom line than the last in over-the-top battle sequences accompanied by their own music tracks!”

Gameplay

Hi-Fi Rush boasts an unusual combination of gameplay features, most notably the rhythm-based platforming puzzles that appear to bulk out a huge portion of the game. But this isn't the only thing that players can come to expect in its wacky and vibrant playground, as you'll come to learn as you dive head first into its rabbit hole of beats, solos, and mind-blowing shenanigans.

If you were to merge Sunset Overdrive, Metal: Hellsinger, and Persona together, then you'd essentially find yourself in possession of Hi-Fi Rush. At its heart, it's very much a third-person hack-and-slash game with a musical twist. But if you happened to remove a few of its layers, you'd find a lot more; a platformer with so many elements that, when snowballed into one thing, doesn't quite snap into any specific location on the wheel. And honestly, that's what makes it the alluring thing that it is.

Development

Strangely enough, Tango Gameworks isn't known for its involvement in the gene pool from which Hi-Fi Rush stems from. In fact, the studio has never built anything of the kind, and has instead opted for more action or survival-horror type games in the past, which has led to the founding of projects including The Evil Within and Ghostwire: Tokyo.

Before the Developer_Direct event, which aired on January 25, 2023, Tango Gameworks hadn't made all that much effort to share the details on its mystery project. In fact, with no early preview or announcement trailer, it was virtually non-existent for all the while Tango Gameworks developed it. And it's because of its lack of a breadcrumb trail, that it's hard to say when exactly it was even conceived. Well played, Tango.

Trailer

Yes, there is a trailer for Hi-Fi Rush! You can catch a glimpse of Tango Gameworks' quirky project and all its rock-like bells and whistles by checking out the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

The good news is, Xbox Game Pass subscribers can get their hands on Hi-Fi Rush right now over on Xbox Series X|S and PC. There hasn't been any word on the game coming to Xbox One or PlayStation just yet, though signs do seem to indicate that it won't be shedding its next-gen exclusivity at any point in the near future.

Unfortunately, as Hi-Fi Rush was a last-minute reveal at Developer_Direct (and not to mention the fact that nobody had any prior knowledge of it even existing), there are no special editions outside of its standard one. This isn't to say that it won't ever receive any additional editions further down the road, though it tends to boil down to how much traction it gets following its release. But at this point, it's way too early to tell.

For more information on the Hi-Fi Rush launch, you can follow the official social handle here. If anything new or exciting comes to light, we'll be sure to let you know every square detail right here on gaming.net.

So, what's your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Hi-Fi Rush now that it's available on Xbox Game Pass? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.