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Hi-Fi Rush, the game that was shadow-dropped during the Xbox and Bethesda Developer_Direct, took the world by storm, and rightfully so. The rhythm-based action game comes courtesy of Tango Gameworks, the developers behind the very underrated survival-horror series, The Evil Within, as well as last year's Ghostwire: Tokyo.
Following its announcement during the event, Tango Gamework's rhythm-based action game was immediately made available to players on Xbox Series consoles, Windows PCs (via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Windows Store), and Xbox Game Pass for both PC and consoles.
Hi-Fi Rush is an action game at heart, with traditional levels that see players go up against hordes of mechanical adversaries, complete fun and engaging platforming puzzles, and at the end of each level, face a boss; however, developer Tango Gameworks gave the traditional formula a unique spin by adding a robust rhythm-based gameplay system to the mix.
Note: This article reflects the author's opinions.
Hi-Fi Rush does not feature any co-op or online multiplayer features
While Tango Gameworks showcased plenty of single-player gameplay during the announcement, some players were left wondering whether it features any co-op or multiplayer aspect, given that there are some sections in the trailer where the protagonist, Chai, is joined by other NPCs who help him fight the villainous robots.
Unfortunately, as of writing this article, Hi-Fi Rush does not feature any form of co-op or online multiplayer aspect to allow players to enjoy the amazing rhythm-based action game with their friends. It is also very unlikely that the game will get a co-op or online multiplayer feature added, given that it's built first and foremost as a purely single-player experience.
Players who were looking forward to enjoying the game's rhythmic action and spectacular boss fights with their friends in the co-op will be left disappointed; however, the game's single-player aspects, from a fun and engaging story to over-the-top action-filled gameplay, are robust enough to allow players looking for a good single-player action game.
Why Hi-Fi Rush needs a co-op multiplayer mode
Being a character action game akin to titles like Capcom's Devil May Cry and PlatinumGames' Bayonetta series, Hi-Fi Rush features an incredible level design that permeates throughout the game's runtime.
While Tango Gameworks specifically designed the game as a single-player adventure from start to finish, it can be argued that their latest action can also work as a fantastic co-op game.
The game's combat is designed as a mashup of old-school rhythm games and modern character action games, requiring players to sync their in-game actions to the background score for additional damage. This system feels like a great fit for a co-op game mode, where players must coordinate with others in their party to keep the rhythm going while also trying to dispatch hordes of mechanical enemies.
It already features some levels where the protagonist, Chai, works in tandem with other members of the ragtag resistance group while taking out groups of enemies.
How cool would it be to have these AI-controlled NPCs as actual fleshed-out playable characters with their own abilities and weapons and have them as co-op options for players who want to experience the game's amazing storyline with a group of friends?
Multiplayer or not, Hi-Fi Rush is something that fans of action games should not miss out on, especially with the game being available at no additional cost on Xbox Game Pass, in part due to its robust rhythm-based gameplay and also due to its incredibly fun story and characters.
Hi-Fi Rush is one of the first Xbox-exclusive games from Bethesda
Hi-Fi Rush is one of the very first games from Bethesda and its subsidiary development studios (id Software, Arkane Studios and Tango Gameworks), which is an Xbox console exclusive. This means the game is available only on Xbox Series X|S and PC and not on PlayStation consoles. This is no surprise to most players, given Xbox's acquisition of Zenimax and Bethesda in 2022.
The upcoming first-person action game developed by Arkane Studios, Redfall, is another Bethesda title that will be released as an Xbox console exclusive on May 3, 2023.
Much like Hi-Fi Rush, Redfall will also be released on Xbox Game Pass and PC (via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Windows Store), with no PlayStation release planned as of writing this article.
