Hi-Fi Rush Arcade Challenge! Update Review

Hi-Fi Rush is one of my favorite games of this year. Despite the serious competition it had in its release window near titles such as Dead Space and Resident Evil 4, this game presented a very unique gameplay loop with a chill story that gave my group a lot of fun. Since my review of the game, the game’s been updated with new stuff, such as Photo Mode and alternate costumes. However, the coveted Update 5 has now been released and I have some thoughts about the new content.

Let’s get started right away. Hi-Fi Rush’s 5th content update features two new gameplay modes with a bunch of unlockable cosmetics and a reward for collecting everything. The new modes are BPM RUSH and Power-Up Tower-Up.

BPM RUSH is a game mode in which you fight hordes of enemies at an increasing BPM. The rules are fairly straightforward in this mode. Hitting enemies to the beat increases your meter, and getting hit decreases it. The point is to fill a meter on the bottom of the screen, which will activate a RUSH once it’s full, transitioning into a boss fight where you have to face off against a boss and its companions (usually 2 more heavy enemies). Once the boss is defeated, the BPM increases, and this process repeats.

The challenge in BPM RUSH comes from dealing with each enemy wave as quickly as possible and getting that meter full. As you might imagine, the challenge becomes harder the further you go up. Well, I’d like to say that, but honestly, it just made me feel more exhilarated instead. I adore BPM RUSH, especially with the new tracks that it has to offer. Each BPM increase made things harder, yes, but the songs were so good that adapting to the increase in tempo was not an issue.

There are 3 different difficulty modes for BPM RUSH. The Easy track starts you at a low BPM and then increases to 185. Normal kicks things off at 150 BPM and gradually increases to 200 BPM. And finally, the EX difficulty (which has to be unlocked by getting an S Rank in Normal mode) starts at 185 BPM and then becomes every Pump it Up player’s worst nightmare as every subsequent enemy wave is 200 BPM.

My favorite of the three is Normal difficulty. While I adore 200 BPM constantly, I prefer the gradual crescendo offered by each of the new songs in Hi-Fi Rush compared to starting things off at the highest BPM possible. While I aced all 3 difficulties without an issue, it still is a great thing to return to. Heck, I come back to this mode daily, even after finishing all the challenges in it to get my rush in.

Now we talk about Power-Up Tower-Up, which is this update’s real meat and potatoes. For some reason,  Chai loses all his upgrades and must start off a new rhythm tower climb across 25 randomly generated floors. Each floor introduces a risk-reward system in which players can select upgrades or use Bugged versions to increase their score multiplier and regain Chai’s buffs.

The more interesting gimmick comes from using Bugged versions of the upgrades. Not only do you get better versions of the upgrades you might be looking for, but you also get a challenge on top of it. For example, you could have a version in which your damage dealt and damage taken is increased or have the image be scrambled and output 480p graphics. The more you challenge yourself, the better the rewards will be.

If you want to challenge yourself even further, you can opt to not get any upgrades at all. This is the highest multiplier you can receive, and I will tell you that a no-upgrade run is possible. I did it myself. However, no-upgrade runs require an absurd amount of skill and dedication only Hi-Fi Rush’s most dedicated fans can take. The dev’s idea for a challenge is, more often than not, just leaving you in rooms full of enemies with Z-Shields, blue shields, or the new enemies exclusive to BPM RUSH and Power-Up Tower-Up.

Now, I’m sure most people don’t know that I have a vitriolic hate toward roguelike modes. This is because of the awful nature of RNG and basically having your experience tailored to it. However, I enjoy Power-Up Tower-Up because I can choose the challenge I get from each floor. Also, I don’t lose everything every time I die, I lose a set multiplier amount which can affect the final score, and that’s it. If I want to start a new run, I just pick a new run.

Honestly, Power-Up Tower-Up has given me a new appreciation for a lot of things I took for granted and also allowed me to experiment with the two new Special Moves, which are pretty great in their own right. Not only that, but I also got to experiment with the improved versions of Peppermint Shock and Macaron’s upgraded shockwave. This mode loves creativity with what you’re dealt with, and very often, I took the more challenging route instead of the easy path.

I think I can close off this review of the new modes in Hi-Fi Rush by saying that this adds another layer of depth to a game that was already complete and fun from the get-go. This update has given me a few more hours of entertainment and new ways to see the value in a lot of Special Moves and even partner chips work.

While it certainly won’t do much to gain new fans, it is a treat for the players that are already enjoying Hi-Fi Rush. I still would like it if the game had something like a lock-on feature or allowed players to use their own soundtracks. But it seems like the development team at Tango! Gameworks already has plans for the future if my interview with the game’s director is anything to go by. In a few words, I am satisfied and can’t wait to see more of this epic update.

Reviewed on PC (code provided by the publisher).

Dedicated to Adrian Lopez Rodriguez: hope you’re proud of your Rockstar.

Hi-Fi Rush Arcade Challenge! Update

Hi-Fi Rush Arcade Challenge! Update

Hi-Fi Rush continues to provide to an already complete experience with it’s latest update that brings 2 new game modes to the table. While I believe that it won’t do much to attract new players who already settled to some of the more noteworthy highlights of the year, this should please the dedicated fans of the game and players who adore rhythm games that have added depth and challenging game modes. I certainly hope that future updates bring more to the table the way the Hi-Fi Rush Arcade Challenge! update did.