Hi-Fi Rush - Rhythm brawler (out now)

[thesnwmn]

Just now, cavalcade said:

 

It has gated tutorials and sassy tip fridges. 

 

For me, I was struggling with it, but when I went into the latency test it was because my set up was introducing enough to make it seem unplayable (PC into a TV). I'll be installing it on the Steam Deck at some point where I'm sure it'll be a lot better. But if you're finding it frustrating and not clicking it could be as simple as the timings are miles off. 

 

Ah, I'd just literally missed the timing element of his activation. The pulsing around the first just didn't register with me.

 

And whilst there are tutorials I managed to pass them without ever thing about the timing. And I'd probably have been fine until with a timer on it it changed my natural ryhthm of using it.

 

I'm not saying some fault isn't mine for not recognising that but for me I needed something right there to catch me. To show me it wasn't random. Maybe simple access to all the sassy fridge tips from the pause menu for example.

[cavalcade]

I play comp Apex and Valorant with my teenage kids and most of the time I spend thinking that a nearly 50 year old brain is too old to be playing videogames. Hi Fi Rush did make me pinch my nose at times and wish I was 19 again. 

 

But then I looked at my property and the rigged political system and my generous final salary pension scheme and just turned it down to easy with a smile on my face. 

[MidWalian]

I was enjoying this until the parrying which I'm shit at. Will check out the latency settings tomorrow.

[deerokus]

With regards to latency, if you've got Dolby Atmos or anything like that on it definitely introduces some imprecision to the sound. on the actual latency test it looked fine but in play it just felt... wooly? It's probably because of how it messes with sound timings to create the surround effect.

 

So switch that off. I put it down to stereo uncompressed and it feels fantastic now.

[PeteJ]

Does each track/level have a different tempo? I was smashing track 1 but sucked on 2. 

[Jamie John]

Is this good, then? I don't think there have been many reviews since it SHADOW DROPPED the other day.

[thesnwmn]

6 hours ago, Jamie John said:

Is this good, then? I don't think there have been many reviews since it SHADOW DROPPED the other day.

 

Yes. Its excellent. Reading this thread should give that impression (and when isn't the forum better than reviewers anyway). I've probably said the most negative things and I still think it is amazing.

 

This is probably the down side of the shadow drop though. Its fantastic in terms of "oh my god it happened", but there's literally no press. I'd love to see MS shadow drop like this but also blanket media advertising. Real shame that outside of big franchises MS don't seem interested in just promoting cool new stuff. Stop advertising services and just show games you already have and are adding. Not just on Twitter, YouTube or Eurogamer but on buses and billboards.

 

And I wonder if the games press is actually a bit reluctant to support and promote this release model. They thrive on ads. No previews or reviews means no constant traffic for these ads. Its made even worse by it being on Game Pass. Who cares what the reviews say? Why wait? Might as well jump in and be part of the evolving conversation before the press apply their spin on it. So I'm not sure the press have the incentive to get reviews out there.

[MattyP]

1 hour ago, Jamie John said:

Is this good, then? I don't think there have been many reviews since it SHADOW DROPPED the other day.

Well good is subjective I guess but it feels like a breath of fresh air. Well defined genres fused together with a Japanese feel to everything. Fast, slick and fun gameplay with fantastic visuals and sound. 

 

I like the way this was simply dropped out and released during a presentation too so no opinions all over the web before release etc just download and form your own opinion!  Probably why there aren't many reviews either because you don't really need them as it's out there and part of GamePass just try it. You can even instaplay it via xCloud.  

 

I get tired of all the crap these days the reviewers put out before a game releases over hyped? Paid for reviews etc etc. It's great to just play something without all the hype beforehand. In fact I'm going to adopt this on future and just wait for things to get released I'm interested in.

[Benny]

I'm finding parts of the game with certain enemies very tricky now even on normal mode because of my shitty rhythm ability, but it's not dampened my enjoyment of it one bit. It's doing exactly what it wants and I love it for it.

 

Spoiler

There was a data pad (yes I actually read some of them) that made a joke about why is there a huge timing puzzle for a section when it could just be a key - "because it's more fun!"

 

Bastards

 

[thesnwmn]

The introduction of enemies and stuff in track 8 is a real step up in terms of how hectic fights become.

 

Spoiler

The combination of fire enemies igniting areas and electric pads going off gets quite crazy.

 

[deerokus]

That's what impresses me most. They could have made the combat really simplified but they went all out.

[Majora]

Fuuuuuck I cannot get the timing of the spinning slash parry down in chapter 3. All the other parries have been fine but this one I just cannot get. Been playing on hard and found it to be just about right in terms of difficulty but I might need to drop it down to normal so I have more chances to get this parry down before I game over.

[footle]

57 minutes ago, Majora said:

Fuuuuuck I cannot get the timing of the spinning slash parry down in chapter 3. All the other parries have been fine but this one I just cannot get. Been playing on hard and found it to be just about right in terms of difficulty but I might need to drop it down to normal so I have more chances to get this parry down before I game over.

I found the parry hard until I realised I was meant to be playing Simon Says with one button.

I found the QTE sequences on that, and the subsequent, level painful. There’s just something about the hold/release that throws me off.

 

Switching to stereo output from the Xbox has helped a lot though.

[MikeBeaver]

OK, I'm stuck, any help from peeps at stage 4+?

I've got to hit A, Then B, followed by Y hold... release.... but it just will not work, am I doing somethign wrong here?

I've tried holding the final button and not letting go, and letting go, letting go and pressing again right away.

 

It's either some fucking amazingly tight window, or I'm doing somethign wrong!

[footle]

2 minutes ago, MikeBeaver said:

OK, I'm stuck, any help from peeps at stage 4+?

I've got to hit A, Then B, followed by Y hold... release.... but it just will not work, am I doing somethign wrong here?

I've tried holding the final button and not letting go, and letting go, letting go and pressing again right away.

 

It's either some fucking amazingly tight window, or I'm doing somethign wrong!

Ha - as I mentioned above.

You have to press, hold, then release on the beat as the circle just touches the end. It’s a tad annoying, so the timing must be that little bit tighter.

[thesnwmn]

And done.

 

The last two boss battles are fabulous. Battling Finance is an absolute highlight.

 

The whole final couple of tracks are an amazing tour de force. They streamline the experience a little, striping back the collectable hunt and let you focus on the story and the feels of the game. Which leads to better pacing overall.

 

There are a lot of very easy criticisms I think you can level at it (some small tweaks, some bigger issues). And I'm sure I'll be back with those in the future once more people are done with it but I don't want to taint their experience and the general positivity this has at the moment.

 

In short... it's a fantastic experience. Get it played.

 

I think I'll be heading back into for some collectable hunting.

[CheekyLee]

Very short review: DUDE! So colourful. Oooh, button-mashy still works, but I have to actually be good to S-rank. YES, THAT'S WHAT I SAID : S-RANK, MOTHERFUCKER!

 

All I've played so far is the first level, and I loved it. You're already subscribing to Game Pass, so what possible reason can you have to not give it a try? 

[thesnwmn]

Oh god. There is so much stuff to unlock for anyone who wants to post credits. Wow, quite a surprise.

[MikeBeaver]

28 minutes ago, footle said:

Ha - as I mentioned above.

You have to press, hold, then release on the beat as the circle just touches the end. It’s a tad annoying, so the timing must be that little bit tighter.

Thank you, thanks to that tip I've got past where I was stuck

[Benny]

I would never normally do this with games - but I've been watching the next stream Max Dood did with it after I got further in the game (not wanting spoilers obviously), and the love it's getting is just intense. One of the game's (alleged) devs even popped in his chat at one point saying they worked on it and were glad people liked it!

 

It just oozes love and care all over it.

 

I think the only other game I've done that with is Elden Ring streams last year - it's just infectious being there at the start with something and seeing people go nuts for great moments.

[Majora]

I'm pretty impressed they recorded unique dialogue lines for every single robot NPC you come across if you attack them, which relate to their situation. Those are the kind of touches which really make it obvious the game was a passion project when they could have just made do and recorded a few generic soundbites for if you hit them.

[MikeBeaver]

Track 7 REALLY pissed me off, those timings were killing me, but finally made it past.

[Jolly]

First evening with it and I think I might fucking love this. Just absolutely everything I want in a game. 

[Benny]

Oh my God, Track 9. Fucking sublime.

[squirtle]

I'm only about half hour in but I've laughed and smiled more at this than I have at any other game. Really liking this.

[thesnwmn]

Re-cleared the first level in the collectable hunt. So much stuff to find.

 

Also dug into the achievement list and that's pushed me to explore more of the combat system. Obviously playing on easy means I've been able to ignore some of the more advanced tactics and combos (which suits me) but means there's now a bit more to learn to be able to unlock a few more.

 

Even smashing though the early levels again is a delight.

[thesnwmn]

My addiction is summed up by the fact I've already got 15 hours play in this. Since Wednesday 

[Benny]

That's the credits rolling. Fucking fabulous.

 

Game of the Year contender and it's only January.

 

There is definitely a difficulty spike about half way through, but stick with it, because it's an upward trajectory all the way to the end.

[MidWalian]

Just finished track 4 and still enjoying it. Managed to improve on the parry thing, though wish there was an option to make it less forgiving as I thought the end of track 3 was going to be game over for me.

 

A lot of love has gone into this.

 

 

[Benny]

I found myself tapping my foot while playing this, you just have to dodge everywhere to the beat or you're mad.

 

The credits music is amazing:

 

Spoiler

The song about working really hard on it but it being just a game, no sweat