Hi-Fi Rush (PC/XSX|S/Cloud/Game Pass/PS5). Tango Gameworks Rhythm brawler. Out now on PS5, 91% on MC.

kazanova_Frankenstein wrote:
Albear wrote:Wow, this is a great game.

Really polished and beautiful to look at. I don't mind the characters yet, but only an hour in so that might change.

Feels really satisfying when you nail a combo with perfect timing.

kazanova_Frankenstein wrote:Not really enjoying this after about 4 hours. It just feels like I am having to memorise loads of combos for the sake of it (the rankings feel like the reason to play it, not the dreadful story), and so every time I get in to the flow of it I distract myself trying to remember whether it's light heavy heavy etc etc. I have exactly the same issue with Bayonetta and DMC - nothing feels instinctive to me and my brain. It's that Tony Hawks thing where you are just crossing off a list of combos to maximise score, not because the situation dictates it.

The final turd in the u-bend was when I was insta-killed 4 times in a row by closing in energised shields (?!?) because I could not work out where I had to jump (more Bayonetta flashbacks for me there). So that would instantly mean a "C" rank at the end of the chapter, despite me getting primarily A grades up to that point.

Thank goodness for Game Pass I guess - the way everyone is going on about this I thought it was going to be some sort of genre defining masterpiece.

Maybe you're not a fan of this genre? Totally get that. I just try to not get too caught up with the whole grading angle.

I guess you’re right. I love rhythm games, but I feel like the requirement to do mental gymnastics to cycle through a list of arbitrary combos and companion swaps is completely at odds with the innate feeling of rhythm. I would just rather play Streets of Rage 4 / Sunset Overdrive or Beat Saber depending on what day of the week it was.

I know I’m in the minority in this one, and that’s fine, I'm not suggesting everyone else is wrong. It just surprises me that I am on my own with this feeling.

I can't click with Hades. I should be able to, I like the genre, it looks great and everyone loves it. It bores me to my very core and I don't know why.

Albear wrote:
kazanova_Frankenstein wrote:
Albear wrote:Wow, this is a great game.

Really polished and beautiful to look at. I don't mind the characters yet, but only an hour in so that might change.

Feels really satisfying when you nail a combo with perfect timing.

kazanova_Frankenstein wrote:Not really enjoying this after about 4 hours. It just feels like I am having to memorise loads of combos for the sake of it (the rankings feel like the reason to play it, not the dreadful story), and so every time I get in to the flow of it I distract myself trying to remember whether it's light heavy heavy etc etc. I have exactly the same issue with Bayonetta and DMC - nothing feels instinctive to me and my brain. It's that Tony Hawks thing where you are just crossing off a list of combos to maximise score, not because the situation dictates it.

The final turd in the u-bend was when I was insta-killed 4 times in a row by closing in energised shields (?!?) because I could not work out where I had to jump (more Bayonetta flashbacks for me there). So that would instantly mean a "C" rank at the end of the chapter, despite me getting primarily A grades up to that point.

Thank goodness for Game Pass I guess - the way everyone is going on about this I thought it was going to be some sort of genre defining masterpiece.

Maybe you're not a fan of this genre? Totally get that. I just try to not get too caught up with the whole grading angle.

I guess you’re right. I love rhythm games, but I feel like the requirement to do mental gymnastics to cycle through a list of arbitrary combos and companion swaps is completely at odds with the innate feeling of rhythm. I would just rather play Streets of Rage 4 / Sunset Overdrive or Beat Saber depending on what day of the week it was.

I know I’m in the minority in this one, and that’s fine, I'm not suggesting everyone else is wrong. It just surprises me that I am on my own with this feeling.

I can't click with Hades. I should be able to, I like the genre, it looks great and everyone loves it. It bores me to my very core and I don't know why.

Blimey. That’s possibly the only gaming opinion more unpopular than the one I have posted further up.

kazanova_Frankenstein wrote:
Albear wrote:Wow, this is a great game.

Really polished and beautiful to look at. I don't mind the characters yet, but only an hour in so that might change.

Feels really satisfying when you nail a combo with perfect timing.

kazanova_Frankenstein wrote:Not really enjoying this after about 4 hours. It just feels like I am having to memorise loads of combos for the sake of it (the rankings feel like the reason to play it, not the dreadful story), and so every time I get in to the flow of it I distract myself trying to remember whether it's light heavy heavy etc etc. I have exactly the same issue with Bayonetta and DMC - nothing feels instinctive to me and my brain. It's that Tony Hawks thing where you are just crossing off a list of combos to maximise score, not because the situation dictates it.

The final turd in the u-bend was when I was insta-killed 4 times in a row by closing in energised shields (?!?) because I could not work out where I had to jump (more Bayonetta flashbacks for me there). So that would instantly mean a "C" rank at the end of the chapter, despite me getting primarily A grades up to that point.

Thank goodness for Game Pass I guess - the way everyone is going on about this I thought it was going to be some sort of genre defining masterpiece.

Maybe you're not a fan of this genre? Totally get that. I just try to not get too caught up with the whole grading angle.

I guess you’re right. I love rhythm games, but I feel like the requirement to do mental gymnastics to cycle through a list of arbitrary combos and companion swaps is completely at odds with the innate feeling of rhythm. I would just rather play Streets of Rage 4 / Sunset Overdrive or Beat Saber depending on what day of the week it was.

I know I’m in the minority in this one, and that’s fine, I'm not suggesting everyone else is wrong. It just surprises me that I am on my own with this feeling.

I've not properly played this but what you're saying sounds a bit like what Nathan Brown thought in his Hit Points newsletter, so might not be That rarefied an opinion. And he loves both action and rhythm action in general:

https://hitpoints.substack.com/p/180-perfect-timing

He still loves the game apparently, but seemingly with caveats like yours.

deathofcows wrote:
kazanova_Frankenstein wrote:
Albear wrote:Wow, this is a great game.

Really polished and beautiful to look at. I don't mind the characters yet, but only an hour in so that might change.

Feels really satisfying when you nail a combo with perfect timing.

kazanova_Frankenstein wrote:Not really enjoying this after about 4 hours. It just feels like I am having to memorise loads of combos for the sake of it (the rankings feel like the reason to play it, not the dreadful story), and so every time I get in to the flow of it I distract myself trying to remember whether it's light heavy heavy etc etc. I have exactly the same issue with Bayonetta and DMC - nothing feels instinctive to me and my brain. It's that Tony Hawks thing where you are just crossing off a list of combos to maximise score, not because the situation dictates it.

The final turd in the u-bend was when I was insta-killed 4 times in a row by closing in energised shields (?!?) because I could not work out where I had to jump (more Bayonetta flashbacks for me there). So that would instantly mean a "C" rank at the end of the chapter, despite me getting primarily A grades up to that point.

Thank goodness for Game Pass I guess - the way everyone is going on about this I thought it was going to be some sort of genre defining masterpiece.

Maybe you're not a fan of this genre? Totally get that. I just try to not get too caught up with the whole grading angle.

I guess you’re right. I love rhythm games, but I feel like the requirement to do mental gymnastics to cycle through a list of arbitrary combos and companion swaps is completely at odds with the innate feeling of rhythm. I would just rather play Streets of Rage 4 / Sunset Overdrive or Beat Saber depending on what day of the week it was.

I know I’m in the minority in this one, and that’s fine, I'm not suggesting everyone else is wrong. It just surprises me that I am on my own with this feeling.

I've not properly played this but what you're saying sounds a bit like what Nathan Brown thought in his Hit Points newsletter, so might not be That rarefied an opinion. And he loves both action and rhythm action in general:

https://hitpoints.substack.com/p/180-perfect-timing

He still loves the game apparently, but seemingly with caveats like yours.

What I brilliantly written piece - thanks for linking.

I also felt the same way about Metal Hellsinger. Clearly a kindred spirit.

I can never get the Samurai rage attack parry combo done. Those enemies are by far the toughest to beat. Makes surviving to the poem really tough.

As much as like the game (and I'm getting close to the end), those QTE sections can get to strawberry float. And when they get there, they can strawberry float off some more. There's a section around the beginning of the last or second to last track that nearly made me put the game down and walk away forever.

I think I'm going to encounter that section tonight as I've almost beat the game. It's a very good game though.

Isn't there an option to turn off QTEs? (I might be thinking of a different game.)

I think there's an option to make them single button ones in the accessibility menu. I might be tempted to do that on a subsequent playthrough.

Are the QTEs the rhythm games? Just looking through the options before I make a start and see this is an option, as is auto action but I’d prefer to at least try the combos before having everything dedicated to one button.

Anyway, just about to make a start on this, really not sure if I’ll get on with it or not but it’s worth trying as it’s on Game Pass, really nice graphical style they’ve gone for though from the opening cinematic.

Difficulty is changeable mid game. QTEs are certain bits in the game.

And done. On balance, an excellent game and one I'll probably return to. Seems a decent amount of post game content as well.

Felt myself nodding off last night so didn’t actually get far into this at all :lol:

think after putting a little more time into it this afternoon I’m coming to the end of the tutorial section. First impressions are really good actually, the floating cat head companion seems non existent so far other than to show the beat, plenty of time for it to become more important and interesting though.

Just got back on this and finished track 1, the boss fight at the end of that level was very reminiscent of Bongo Bongo, was a fun fight. One slight problem is I’m already feeling the urge to just blitz through the story and fob off whatever side content there is as I just find the combat really repetitive in these kind of games, its why I’ve never gotten into Bayonetta, DMC, was pretty meh on the first Hyrule Warriers as these games love you to learn the combos they have in the games to increase your enjoyment in the fights but frankly learning combos is something I just can’t be bothered with, probably sounds like I’m just being lazy :lol:

Got track 2 out of the way this morning, the initial strong first impressions are starting to wear off a little now, still enjoyable but not sure if it’s for me, might give it another track or two to see how things fare after that. The boss fight at the end of track 2 was good though, had Volgin vibes from MGS3. Wonder if later bosses will have inspiration from other games too?

Robbo-92 wrote:Just got back on this and finished track 1, the boss fight at the end of that level was very reminiscent of Bongo Bongo, was a fun fight. One slight problem is I’m already feeling the urge to just blitz through the story and fob off whatever side content there is as I just find the combat really repetitive in these kind of games, its why I’ve never gotten into Bayonetta, DMC, was pretty meh on the first Hyrule Warriers as these games love you to learn the combos they have in the games to increase your enjoyment in the fights but frankly learning combos is something I just can’t be bothered with, probably sounds like I’m just being lazy

We need to get together and publish some sort of manifesto.

kazanova_Frankenstein wrote:
Robbo-92 wrote:Just got back on this and finished track 1, the boss fight at the end of that level was very reminiscent of Bongo Bongo, was a fun fight. One slight problem is I’m already feeling the urge to just blitz through the story and fob off whatever side content there is as I just find the combat really repetitive in these kind of games, its why I’ve never gotten into Bayonetta, DMC, was pretty meh on the first Hyrule Warriers as these games love you to learn the combos they have in the games to increase your enjoyment in the fights but frankly learning combos is something I just can’t be bothered with, probably sounds like I’m just being lazy

We need to get together and publish some sort of manifesto.

To be honest, another aspect I’m not sold on is the few bits of platforming, Chai just seems to have no weight to him when he jumps, so I’ve found it hard to gauge whether I’ll be landing on a platform or not. Going to make a start on track 3 and see how things are after that, it’s an enjoyable enough game and one that’s a welcome addition for Game Pass, if I’d bought it I’d probably be feeling a little disappointed with it and would make myself finish it even if I started to hate it towards the end. At least with GPU I can just drop a game without the guilt of potentially wasted money, even though GPU is a paid service :lol:

Yep, agreed. It's a really strong, polished addition to the service, and far more striking than many games that get released. It's just not for me.

One of the best aspects outside of the graphical style of it, is the quips from the NPCs and how dissatisfied they are with work :lol:

Chapter 3 was annoying with its insistence on perfecting parrying.

My favourite quip and spoilers for replaying the game

Hi-Fi Rush (PC/XSX|S/Cloud/Game Pass/PS5). Tango Gameworks Rhythm brawler. Out now on PS5, 91% on MC.

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