they just don't make them like they used to. This game reminds me of the mid-budget mascot platformers of the ps2 era in all the best ways. I went in with high expectations and they were all exceeded. The style and personality of all the characters and the world itself are all immaculate. Everything moving to the beat is such a cool design choice. The cutscenes, dialog, characters, environment, everything always fits the beat of the background music. The game was actually funny too without being cringey which feels like a big accomplishment these days. I liked all the characters and their growth throughout the story. Gameplay is great, too. Fighting to the beat never got old, especially when they are constantly throwing new enemy types at you throughout the entirety of the game. And most of all the boss fights all ruled. Every one was an improvement on the last. Just a really fun game that I feel typically doesn't get made much anymore in the modern AAA games landscape. A breath of fresh air. Note: 05/07/2024 - RIP TANGO (I hate Microsoft)

I originally played this at launch on Game Pass, and it was immediately apparent it was "my kinda shit" From the Saturday morning cartoon visuals and humour to the Nine Inch Nails tracks and Bill & Ted-esque chants of "EXCELLENT!" when collecting upgrades.

And on top of that its a fantastic character action game!

I could gush about this thing all day, it was my favourite game of 2023, and even playing it so soon after my initial completion it fills me with the same sense of joy. Which leads me to the most important thing I have to say about the game...

Microsoft shutting down Tango is an actual crime. Fuck those guys!

This game suprised me I heard very good things about it back when it came out last year and I always meant to try it and I'm so glad I finally did this game looks and sounds beautiful the characters are lovable and there are plenty of funny moments the game play is really satisfying especially the parrys omg and even has a fun suprise gameplay wise at the end my biggest complaint is the lack of a lock on I found it very hard to focus on one enemy or switch targets easily and the camera didn't exactly help either but that didn't stop me from loving this this game I'm so glad I finally played it if you're into action games or rhythm games this game is absolutely a must buy
Also Korsica is a cutie

Fuck Microsoft for closing Tango Gameworks, Hi-Fi Rush owns. Rarely has an action game felt so intuitive and effortless. The sheer adrenaline I got from the soundtrack makes me want to replay it almost immediately. I literally jumped of my chair during the cantina scene, although I already knew the song was in the game. And I did it again during the wolf boss iykyk. As a big fan of rhythm games and an average character action game enjoyer gameplay-wise I'd say Hi-Fi Rush feels almost perfect.
My only criticism is that the story feels sort of bland for most of it and is just set-dressing, the characters feel severely under-cooked and especially the overall message the story carries is one I highly disagree with. I'm okay with the story being mid, but I can't unsee that all being worked towards here is a different person running the company, instead of the guy who developed the literal mind control machine. Never mind that the basic structure of exploitation and the drive to do everything for money (which is what some characters heavily criticize throughout the story) are still in place. Everything the game says against corporatism is very very surface level and in some instances even funny in dialogue, but never brings the thought to an end. That doesn't mean, that there are no funny observation about corporatism and the ins and outs of a production line in this game. The analogy works very well in the realm of games production too, which gives the satire a little more punch and a sad undertone, considering that whatever the joke at hand, has probably happened to multiple people on the team. Game development just sucks.

As a game overall, Hi-Fi rush is a banger from start to finish and I can't recommend it enough, which is something I didn't want to negate with my critique. These are just things I picked up on and disagree with.

Peppermint: Guys… we’ve got company.

Chai: Well, THIS is awkward. Aaaaaaaand, the enemy is right behind me, isn’t it? Wait, did I just say that out loud?

(fight ensues)

Korsika: Bad news guys, they are hacking into the mainframe!

Chai: Can you repeat that in English?

Korsika: They are fucking our asses!

(Chai looks at shiny SELF DESTRUCT red button placed at the back of a robot)

Chai: I’ve got an idea…

Peppermint: Chai NO! DON’T… touch that.

(alarm sounds)

Maccaron: Watch out Chai, it’s gonna blow!

BOOM!

(robot limbs fly all over the screen while Chai gets blown away to a different platform)

...

Chai: So... THAT just happened.

What a rad game.

It’s basically Bayonetta meets a rhythm game meets a good cartoon. There are lots of ways for something like this to go wrong, but it works out super well in the end.

The presentation is phenomenal as the game is vibrant and full of life. Every inch of this game has something to express, whether that’s the characters, environments, music, or combat. It’s ridiculous just how much is packed into this game.

The platforming and level design are really good too. It reminded me of a great Ratchet and Clank game, which is my bar for 3D action platformers like this.

When it comes to combat, I’ll be honest. I really suck at it. But it’s so creative that I was never really frustrated by it. If anything, I just wanted to get better at it. And that’s a sign of a very good combat system.

RIP Tango Gameworks.

I absolutely ADORE this game. I CAN NOT STRESS ENOUGH HOW GOOD THIS GAME IS! The simple but effective story, the loveable cast of characters, the writing being smart and comedic so seamlessly, the gameplay is something truly of its own, it's a beautiful fusion of both rhythm game and hack n' slash, the soundtrack is nothing but BANGERS, and this game's cel-shaded slick style makes it timeless. The amount of replay value and unlockable stuff there is will keep you entertained for a loooong time. I instantly did a New Game+ Run with how much I love this game. This game is just...perfect for me. It truly is something an absolute gem that I would recommend EVERYONE should play.

It's truly a shame that Tango Gameworks was shut down and it's also pretty ironic given this game's criticism of corporations. I hope everyone who put their hearts and souls into this game goes on to do greater things.