This is a game that is in love with the idea of music as a form of expression - not necessarily for the player, but for the core cast. It's in love with the idea of rhythm as a binding mechanism, of people as instruments of art. It oozes passion and love. This game was someone's pet project, and I sorely hope they make more.

Boss fights are the clearest example of this adoration of music. They start with a beat, and as you feel out the attacks of the boss, their contributions to the rhythm overpower yours. It's strings or voice or synth against guitar. Then, when you find your footing and draw first blood, the guitar makes its presence felt in the track - you're finding your way into the fight, and you're matching their instruments note for note.

By the third phase, it becomes a predominantly guitar-driven melody. You're in the driver's seat and as such, the soundscape is that of a rockstar's chaotic melodies, not the collected menace of the boss' instrument of choice. The change in music isn't scripted at all; it's entirely down to your attacks, timing, and persistence. Every attack you and your allies do fits the beat, so you can craft your own masterpiece within the game's rhythmic confines. No other game allows you to author the soundtrack to your own success quite like this one, and it's an experience that I didn't know I needed before I played Hi-Fi Rush.