Bashing Capitalism with a Guitar is Enjoyable, Really

Aiyana Hunter

Staff Writer

You are not pretty much as good at rhythm video games as you assume you’re.   

Welcome to a different entry in Games for the Broke College Student. This time we’re  Hi-Fi RUSH, a recreation the place a nerd tries to reside out his goals of changing into a rock star and stumbles his approach via the large boss that’s capitalism.  

This recreation is one other that’s free on Xbox Game Pass (however $30 for the usual version on most different platforms), and in contrast to the earlier recreation I reviewed, it’s not a 60-hour-long enterprise simply to beat the sport. This one’s quick, candy, and actually leans into the colourful comic-book aesthetic. Here’s my evaluate of it, with as few spoilers as I can presumably use. 

The world of Hi-Fi RUSH simply breathes music and brims with element. It’s a cool mixture of rock themes (and rock bangers), closely saturated colours, and a futuristic tech-y ambiance—you’re in a manufacturing facility of types, and every stage is a distinct sector of the manufacturing facility. 

You see robots all over the place; they’re humorous and even human-like in some conditions. They present their very own banter, complain about their grasping, self-centered bosses, and a few have quick and humorous facet quests that you are able to do. The narrative is enjoyable, and it’s simple to develop into invested within the goofy story of Chai and the ragtag group of rebels he bands along with (who all have extra mind cells than he does). 

The story is a tackle a capitalist dystopia that’s someway foiled in a vibrant “power of friendship” approach. As talked about earlier than, you’re in a manufacturing facility of types, and also you’re one of many solely precise flesh-and-blood individuals within the majority of the realm. The antagonist is an organization who exploits their robotic staff to the boundaries after which past within the title of revenue. 

 Their situations are all the identical you’d see in a typical massive company, however pushed to comedic extremes (assume 30-minute breaks shortened to a 30-second break, paired with played-up propaganda HR advertising all through, or bots diverting motion energy from their legs to maintain up with their boss and his calls for to maintain programming extra robots).  

As you’re one of many solely individuals, most enemies within the recreation are machines. Once you get previous the harsher gameplay, it’s a bit satisfying to get combos and see gears fly. 

Everything within the recreation (principally) is rhythm-based, and you will need to keep on beat in each scenario. If you’re even the slightest bit offbeat (or god forbid you’re simply plain missing in rhythm like I’m), you’ll wrestle. Lots.  

To give the sport credit score, it does maintain your hand a bit, and you’ll toggle sure settings to make the rhythm half simpler. I’m nonetheless very unhealthy at it even with a handicap, I concern, and never even the good characters can save the sport from my ire on the annoying gameplay.  

It’s not simply the fight that’s on beat, both; the motion of the overworld itself, any puzzles, and even getting via these puzzles (you’ll be able to see the place my ire comes from, as a result of the puzzles aren’t even that tough) are all to the beat of the soundtrack. 

The story is nice, although, and if you wish to strive it or see if you’re higher than me at rhythm video games, I like to recommend you give it a go. I give the story a 7/10 (the sport’s one saving grace, for me), and the gameplay a 4/10. Combined, the sport is a median of 5/10. 

(Don’t take any of my rankings because the end-all, be-all, although. If you’re curious about colourful gameplay and music, it is best to play it.)