Hi-Fi Rush: Tips for beginners

Get into the gripping rhythm combat with these helpful tips

Xbox made the bold move of announcing and releasing Hi-Fi Rush, a rhythm action game from the developers of The Evil Within, on the same day. The move seems to have paid off, as people are flocking to play the game that is also on Xbox Game Pass. So far it’s popular with players, who enjoy the rocking soundtrack and timing their attacks. Here’s some helpful tips if it’s your first time playing.

Play with the options first

When you first play Hi-Fi Rush, you are hit with a number of options, but there are even more if you go into the options menu once you enter the game. If you are struggling with combat, there is an easy mode that will let you complete combos as long as your button presses are in time to the beat. If you find the combos difficult, then this will let you get into the rhythm gameplay without worrying about memorization.

Timing is more important than hitting

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Attacking as fast as possible is not the best tactic, and in fact will get you into hot water quickly. The game intends you to match the beat, and slow and steady button presses will always win over panicked pressing. If you find yourself off the beat you can run away in order to reset yourself. One of the easiest ways to do this is to grapple away using LB.

Make sure you visit the shop

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There are lots of areas just off the beaten path that have bundles of gears. Collecting these is important as you will need them to buy upgrades in the shop. You can talk to Peppermint to get these after levels, one and two, and Macron to do the same level three and onwards. After level two you will unlock Chips, which are some of the most powerful items.

Use visual cues to keep you on time

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Hi-Fi Rush uses a number of audio and visual cues to keep you on the beat. The whole environment vibes with the music, and 808 will release a pulse that shows the timing. However, in the heat of battle this is easy to miss. A better visual cue is the beat bar you can have at the bottom of the screen. You can turn this on and off using the ‘View’ button on the controller.

Dodge in time to move faster

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One of the downsides of Hi-Fi Rush is that Chai’s movement speed is rather slow, and dashing doesn’t seem to speed things up. That’s because, like all things in the game, you have to do it in time with the music to actually gain speed. Dodge in time using RB, you’ll know if you did it right as music notes show above your head.

Call in your friends

As you play you will get to call in friends that can help you in combat. These charge up surprisingly quickly and have a number of added bonuses. Peppermint, the first friend unlocked, can stun enemies and break shields. The stun is more helpful than you’d expect, as it holds enemies still for a surprising amount of time while you take out the others.

Master the parry

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Parrying is by far the most powerful combat technique, and there are sections where it is required in order to take certain enemies out. While the timing can be difficult it is worth trying to get this one down. On certain mini-bosses you can take them out in one hit if you counter a multi-hit attack, this is the quickest way to end tough battles.