What's Yappening?

Would I Recommend It?

I wrote this review moments after completing the campaign, fresh off the grill!

It was a fun ride. It’s stylish, it’s polished, and it delivers exactly what it promises. But does it do enough to keep me thinking about it after the credits roll? Well…

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Look, Hi-Fi Rush is good. Like, actually good. If someone asks me whether they should play it, I’ll give a thumbs-up. But am I gonna be the guy who shouts “HEY HAVE YOU PLAYED HI-FI RUSH?” at random people in the street? Nah.

Fight Like a Rockstar or Get Smacked Off-Beat

What If Devil May Cry and Guitar Hero Had a Baby?

I’ve played hack-and-slash games before. I’ve played rhythm games before. But Hi-Fi Rush?

The whole combat system is basically:
✅ Hit on the beat? You’re a god.
❌ Miss the beat? Congrats, you’re now button-mashing like a scrub.

It’s weird, it’s different, and it actually works. Pulling off perfect combos in sync with the music feels like landing the sickest drum solo of your life, and even dodging and platforming follow the beat. The game basically forces you to develop rhythm—whether you have it or not.

From Platforming to Quick-Time Panic Attacks—This Game Does It All

One thing I have to commend the game for is its creative gameplay variety. While it starts as a platformer, the game occasionally shifts into other styles, including side-scrolling segments, quick-time events, and “repeat after me” rhythm battles. There are also rail-grinding sequences where you dodge obstacles and even moments where you control other characters for a short time—something I didn’t expect.

The animation shifts during some cutscenes are another standout detail. The game occasionally switches between in-engine cinematics and a more stylized, hand-drawn look, which I really admired. The effort put into these visual flourishes shows the developers’ dedication to making something special.

If you slapped Jet Set Radio Future, Borderlands, and a moist stack of anime into a blender, you’d get Hi-Fi Rush. This is a compliment.

Story and Characters: Saturday Morning Cartoon Energy on Steroids

The world of Hi-Fi Rush felt fresh and unique to me. It was nice playing something that didn’t feel like a copy-paste of another game. The characters all had distinct personalities and appearances, and even the villains were enjoyable to watch. The game does a great job of keeping the player’s goal clear throughout the story, and the antagonists actually felt threatening, making it satisfying to take them down.

That said, while the characters are likable, they don’t have much development. Their personalities are well-defined from the start, but they don’t really evolve as the story progresses. This made me feel no real need to engage with side characters or read collectible notes. Most of the optional content consisted of small jokes or extra dialogue that didn’t add much to the experience, which was disappointing because I normally love diving into lore.

Difficulty and Combat Flow

I played through the game on Hard mode, and I found the challenge well-balanced. My character died a fair few times, but that only made the victories feel more rewarding. The combat was fluid, and I appreciated the ranking system after each fight, which scores you based on how well you maintained combos and how quickly you defeated enemies.

One thing I really loved was how polished the gameplay felt. There was never a moment where I felt like the game cheated me or failed to register an input. It plays exactly like a finished, well-tested game—which is rare these days. I encountered zero bugs or glitches throughout my playthrough, which is genuinely impressive given how many unfinished games are being pushed out too early these days.

The Soundtrack: Where Are the Bangers?

Going into the game, I expected more licensed songs that I recognized. Hearing a song by The Black Keys at the very beginning got me excited for what was to come, but that excitement faded quickly. There were only two songs I recognized in the entire game; the rest were original compositions made for Hi-Fi Rush.

While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I found that the in-house soundtrack lacked energy and memorability. None of the songs stuck with me or made me want to listen to them outside the game, which is unfortunate for a game that revolves around music. In contrast, many rhythm-based games have soundtracks that leave a lasting impression—whether through nostalgia or sheer quality. Hi-Fi Rush never quite reached that level for me.

Frustrations and Areas for Improvement

1. Cutscene Hell—Why Am I Being Held Hostage?

Oh my lawwwd, the unskippable cutscenes. Because the story and dialogue were so straightforward, I often found myself wanting to skip cutscenes—but the game wouldn’t let me. The only thing I could skip was the end credits (thankfully).

This became especially frustrating during boss fights. If you die, you have to sit through the entire pre-fight cutscene again before getting another shot. I just wanted to get back into the action!

2. The Non-Essential Skill Trees

There were too many upgrade options for my liking. I unlocked all the available combos, and while they were fun to learn, they didn’t feel essential in boss fights. The only upgrades I actively used were increasing max health and boosting health pickup efficiency.

By the end of the game, I realised I hadn’t even touched the side character upgrades—and I didn’t feel like I needed to. It made me wonder whether some of these upgrade options were just there for the sake of padding things out.

3. Lack of Addictiveness

While Hi-Fi Rush is fun, I never found it addictive. Unlike some action or rhythm games where I get the urge to jump back in for “just one more round,” I often had to push myself to continue playing.

Why? The gameplay is engaging, but it lacks strong dopamine triggers that make games feel rewarding. There’s no high-stakes progression system to keep you coming back.

The soundtrack, which could have been a major hook, isn’t memorable enough to create that sense of nostalgia or excitement.

This isn’t necessarily a flaw—some people will appreciate the game as a casual, one-and-done experience. But for players looking for an addictive, high-reward game loop, Hi-Fi Rush might not hit that dopamine itch.

Final Thoughts: This Game is a Blast…

Hi-Fi Rush delivers exactly what it promises: a polished, rhythm-based action game with a vibrant art style and fun gameplay. It’s clearly aimed at a younger audience, which is why the story might feel a bit simplistic. But what it lacks in depth, it makes up for with engaging mechanics and a refreshing lack of bugs.

Have you played Hi-Fi Rush? What did you think about its rhythm-based gameplay? Let me know in the comments!

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