Hi-Fi Rush don't mean a thing.

In the absolute broadest sense, I want more games like Hi-Fi Rush. I want more original IP, I want more studios to make games that seem outside of their wheelhouse, I want games to tackle new ideas and genre fusion can be a good place to synthesize something unique. I want more small-scale games that aren't structured with the goal of being the only thing I spend my free time on for the next year. I want more games that run at high framerates and resolution even if that means cutting back on the highest gloss new visual technique.

But if I look just a little closer at any part of this thing I just don't get it. As an action game it feels sluggish, stiff. As a rhythm game, I mean, come on; you get 8 licensed songs and they're all corny bullshit from over a decade ago, not new enough to be fresh, not old enough to be revered. Half the songs are from 90's acts who had certifiably entered a "washed up" or "sellout" phase by that point, and mixed in you get things like a Wolfgang Gartner novelty Mozart remix. People praised the original soundtrack (i.e. "streamer mode") when the game came out, saying that playing without the licensed tracks was no real loss, and I just really don't know how anyone listening to either score could interpret this as anything but an insult to both.

The game is full of platforming segments, but between the player's complete lack of momentum and how completely ineffectual both jumping and airdashing are, every single obstacle is a clunky chore. During combat the game practically plays itself; in fact, the idea that you don't really need rhythm to play this rhythm game was a selling point (although "selling point" may be a poor choice of words since everyone's playing this on GamePass). The entire experience feels like a checklist, there's just not a single moment of joy in playing this. There isn't even much extrinsic motivation because it always seems that even if I keep my style meter at S for an entire battle I end up getting a B. The only difficulty curve this game has starts at "win sloppily" and goes up to "win skillfully" but when the ranking gives you such an unclear idea of how well you're actually doing, why should I care?

This game has the misfortune of being the next high-profile action game after Bayonetta 3, and looking and feeling a whole lot like a worse Transformers: Devastation, and that's Platinum at their absolute most milquetoast. Its style could be best described as "inoffensive", the main character is just a regular guy, the robots you beat up are just regular robots, and everyone else looks like what I see in my mind's eye when I try to imagine "a RWBY character who only shows up in one episode", or "dollar store Promare". There's a guy who does JoJo poses, when you pick up collectables an announcer says "Excellent!" following by some electric guitar noodling. It's an original IP in the literal sense of not being directly based on an existing license, but it feels so attached to pre-existing media that I don't think it stands particularly well on its own. A game referencing Xenogears is not a replacement for new games as interesting as Xenogears.

The game has rhythm but it has no bounce, it gives the player no medium of expression, it's a consistent, plodding march. I don't even know what's "Hi-Fi" about it, it's an MP3 player and some earbuds!

We're starting to see the return of old Mikami.

This is a total asshole nitpick on my end, but I am pretty disappointed that this game stays in 4/4 time signature most of the game. Mechanically, it's the best way to introduce the core Stylish Action (or Character Action, if you prefer, but I'll take my nomenclature from the people who actually made the genre) combo systems, 4/4 measure of a two quarter notes, quarter rest, then another quarter note doing the classic "X, X, nothing, X" styles of combos. Not having any penalty for getting off the beat ensures that it's not too demanding, there's no chance of failure and only rewards via an increase in damage.

But by the fifth or so mission the novelty was wearing off and all I was left with was an above average Stylish Action game that's gimmick isn't as defining to the game as it wants you to think. How cool would it be to have a stealth mission in a 2/2 time signature where you need to use slower and more deliberately placed presses for dashing, or a hectic boss fight in 6/8? It feels like a major missed opportunity for a game that's whole identity is rhythm.

There's a ton of work simulator games but not many about workers, which is a shame, cause it adds a lot to this one.

The core game play rules. It just really clicked with me. Learning the ships felt good. Trying to work too fast and getting sucked into the furnace really made me re-experience the feeling of fucking up at various jobs. I like how mistakes aren't really punished mechanically, but the context makes you feel bad anyway.

In general, I was a big fan of the writing. Lot of the specifics about the work and the characters felt real. A subtle thing I think they nailed is how there actually are people who like doing dangerous, physically demanding jobs, and people who take pride in their work, and how the company uses that earnestness to exploit them further. Also, upgrade trees suck, so it was a good joke how all the upgrades are about having to pay for proper software updates and safety measures.

The dialog gets a little hokey, and I didn't like all the performances, but whatever. The endings (both of em) were just awful. But overall a game that was extremely my shit.

It's a 2d top down rougelike with a Special Mechanic: the dungeons are made up of floating platforms on the water and you can move the platform you're on with the right analog stick. I really do enjoy this twist, being able to literally change your battlefield on the fly opens a lot of possibilities! And also there are fun puzzles when you navigate through the dungeons!

The game as a whole though I did not enjoy. Its many systems and mechanics contradict each other often.

Its combat features the soulslike staples like light/heavy attacks using RB/RT, dodging, parrying, estus, viscerals, etc. and it just doesn't feel right. The small pixel art makes it hard to tell what is happening, when to dodge/parry, and what enemy hitboxes are. The frantic rolling and parrying, which uses the A and B buttons, and the tactical platform moving don't go together. The weapon and item system that encourages you to combo light attacks also don't go well with the constant dodging and parrying.

Also parrying isn't satisfying.

The other big contradiction is in the rougelike part. I feel like it wants to be something like Dead Cells, with knowledge (the currency that unlocks items) lost on death but spendable between levels, as well as bonuses for finishing levels quickly. But then you have long levels, costly unlocks, and knowledge just doesn't drop very often. So runs felt... not rewarding. Also the encouragement to rush through levels and enemies felt contradictory to the puzzle solving and combat; plus the clock ticks in the safe zone!

There are some really nice new mechanics like the sliding platforms, the potion gambling, and the dungeon modifiers you can equip. But overall the game is just... not something I want to do one more run of.