Hi-Fi Rush does the unthinkable. The protagonist drops a "Well, that just happened." And I smiled.
Maybe I'm biased because "Devil May Cry except a rhythm game" was actually my dream video game, but this game just feels so right. Even the platforming bits where you have the DMC jump that feels horrible to control in the air, I enjoyed. It feels like the developers finished the game, then went back and tried to find ways to make the worst parts not feel like a problem. Platforming doesn't affect your score. QTEs can be failed and don't hurt your score too much. All that matters is staying on beat and getting big ass combos.
The story and characters are actually funny. Red alert. Yes, it's a bit Whedon, but that shit can actually be funny in a blue moon if:
The protagonist is a likeable idiot instead of attempting to be "badass". See No More Heroes.
The game actually has well animated, physical comedy. Do developers think characters falling on their face or getting sucker punched and flying away like Team Rocket ISN'T funny?
If I had one issue, it's the pacing between boss fights. There's one in chapter 2 that's great, and then you don't get another until the end of chapter 7, and those chapters are the longest ones in the game. So a lot of the best gameplay moments are back-loaded. But since early game has a lot of the funniest bits, it works out.
Hi-Fi Rush is a gem, likely my GOTY, and kudos to Microsoft for closing the Bethesda deal fast enough to pretend they had anything to do with it.
Maybe I'm biased because "Devil May Cry except a rhythm game" was actually my dream video game, but this game just feels so right. Even the platforming bits where you have the DMC jump that feels horrible to control in the air, I enjoyed. It feels like the developers finished the game, then went back and tried to find ways to make the worst parts not feel like a problem. Platforming doesn't affect your score. QTEs can be failed and don't hurt your score too much. All that matters is staying on beat and getting big ass combos.
The story and characters are actually funny. Red alert. Yes, it's a bit Whedon, but that shit can actually be funny in a blue moon if:
The protagonist is a likeable idiot instead of attempting to be "badass". See No More Heroes.
The game actually has well animated, physical comedy. Do developers think characters falling on their face or getting sucker punched and flying away like Team Rocket ISN'T funny?
If I had one issue, it's the pacing between boss fights. There's one in chapter 2 that's great, and then you don't get another until the end of chapter 7, and those chapters are the longest ones in the game. So a lot of the best gameplay moments are back-loaded. But since early game has a lot of the funniest bits, it works out.
Hi-Fi Rush is a gem, likely my GOTY, and kudos to Microsoft for closing the Bethesda deal fast enough to pretend they had anything to do with it.