Note about the writer.
Rose Jordan is Quest Daily’s Accessibility Editor. In March, Rose was nominated for Best Tech Reviewer at the Samsung IT Journalism Awards following her in-depth and personal review of the PlayStation Access controller.
The opening act of 2023 is finally making its way to PlayStation! Hi-Fi RUSH, a show-stopping rhythm action title developed by Tango Gameworks, shadow-dropped on Xbox in January 2023 and immediately made waves in the video game industry. Since then, it’s won a myriad of awards and stolen the hearts of almost every gamer. I say almost, because if you didn’t have an Xbox or PC you would’ve missed out on playing it.
That is, until now, thanks to the game’s launch on PlayStation 5 on the 19th of March! This is the perfect opportunity for me to test out the game everyone has been raving about, and see how well it performs with the PlayStation Access controller.
With final sound checks out of the way, let’s get this show on the road.
That’s Mister Chai To You: Gameplay
It’s no secret that Quest Daily absolutely adores Hi-Fi RUSH. You need only read our original review to know that. As such, I won’t dilly-dally on the finer details of the game. However, if you need a refresher on the set list, here it is.
READ MORE: Review | The PlayStation Access Controller
Hi-Fi Rush is a fun rhythm action game with comic book visuals and modern rock music. You play as Chai, a young lad with dreams of becoming a rockstar, who ultimately gets caught in a web of power-play and conspiracies as he tries to escape from the island of Vandelay Technologies. Altogether, the game takes a little over 10 hours to complete.
The moment-to-moment gameplay switches between combat and platforming. When in combat, Chai will use a myriad of combos and skill upgrades to take down increasingly difficult enemies. He can also call on the aid of the friends he makes along the way to assist with enemies that have special abilities or armour.
Outside of combat, those same friends can be called upon to assist with various puzzles and obstacles for Chai to progress through the level.
Streamer Check!
Whether in or out of combat, almost everything Chai does is to the beat of the music. This game has an incredible soundtrack, one largely produced in-house, but with licensed titles sprinkled throughout. If needed, you can turn on “Streamer Mode” to remove the licensed music.
No mic checks are needed, the PA system in Vandelay Technologies is working great. Though they don’t speak often, when they do it is always witty, dry, and humourous. It throws me right back to my childhood and the days of Theme Hospital (or its most recent iteration, Two Point Hospital) and some of the wild and heinous things the PA announcer would say in that game. A nice touch to a fun romp.
Paint It Black Yellow: Player Guidance
Should games incorporate markings on ledges to indicate grabbable edges to players? The ongoing ‘Yellow Paint’ debate reflects differing opinions, ranging from concerns about game realism to accessibility considerations for various player demographics.
In the instance of Hi-Fi RUSH, there were quite a few times I found myself wishing for a more clear indication of where I needed to go. While there are signs and signals aplenty, they blended in too well with the aesthetic and surroundings, ultimately not standing out like yellow paint on a cliff and leaving me frustrated as I tried to navigate what is a largely linear experience. Ultimately, developers should be aware of how they guide players through their gaming experiences.
READ MORE: Review | Hi-Fi Rush rocks hard (Xbox Series X)
Overall, the game is an entertaining show.
So This Is Where The Magic Happens: Accessibility
Hi-Fi RUSH has taken home a multitude of nominations and awards since its release. You might know that Hi-Fi RUSH won the award for Best Audio Design at The Game Awards last year, but what you might not know is that it also won the Best Deaf / HoH Accessibility award and was shortlisted for Best Representation at the 2023 Game Accessibility Conference.
The on-stage award-winning fun is only what the casual audience sees; backstage this game is working hard to bring disabled gamers into the spotlight.
From the menu, players have the option to choose from accessibility features that help with vision impairment, auditory impairment, and motion impairment. Each setting comes with a description of what to expect when turned on or off, and for the most part, this is helpful.
As someone with Rheumatoid Arthritis, I will always turn the game difficulty down and adjust the faster-paced gameplay moments to accommodate my inability to press buttons at an average speed.
For Hi-Fi Rush, I found these accessibility settings helped immensely:
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Single Button Rhythm Game: On
- Auto Rhythm Parry: On
Despite the help offered to me with all these settings, I did encounter one frustration with enabling the Auto-Action Mode. While the description for this mode seems to suggest that the game will automatically select actions to help you with a singular press of a button or input, what it actually should be called is ‘Ultra Extreme Nightmare Mode™’. What this setting actually does is force you into a position where if you don’t hit the button PRECISELY on the beat (down to the nano-second), Chai doesn’t do a damn thing.
READ MORE: Review | Bandle Tale ‘Charming Yet Challenging’ (PC)
This can be infuriating and disheartening when the setting designed to empower you as a disabled gamer is making the game 10 times more difficult, all because of a poorly worded description.
Do not fall into the trap of turning this setting on – leave it off, for the love of everything good.
The takeaway here is that you should take the time to play around with each of the accessibility settings, and don’t lose heart if you find yourself struggling with one of them. Just keep toggling the settings and experimenting until you find what works for you, because chances are there is a way for you to enjoy this game thanks to its largely incredible array of accessibility features.
Some People Call This Teamwork: Accessibility Icons
Remember how I mentioned that Hi-Fi RUSH was nominated for Best Representation at the 2023 Game Accessibility Conference? That’s thanks to its positive representation of prosthetics integrated with its narrative. Chai and Peppermint, the protagonist and the main side-kick respectively, each have prosthetic limbs. Chai’s prosthetic arm acts as a magnet, and can wield a guitar-shaped weapon that looks totally bad-ass. Peppermint’s prosthetic leg is not a source of power for her character, however, in a touching story moment it is noted that the prosthetic was made by Peppermint’s mother; a woman she clearly looks up to.
Each of these characters’ prosthetic limbs aren’t just token disability throw-ins, but crucial aspects to the game’s storyline. It’s awesome to see two characters kicking ass and showing the world that disabled people can achieve great things.
READ MORE: Review | Helldivers 2 ‘Explosive and Incredible Game Design’ (PS5)
How Far We’ve Come: The PlayStation Access Controller
How could a widely acclaimed video game, with a huge reputation for accessibility, make its way to PlayStation 5 without a review dedicated to its compatibility with the PlayStation Access controller?
Up front, I can advise that if you are playing this game with two Access controllers, don’t disregard the DualSense entirely.
One of the Access controller’s let-downs is the lack of haptic feedback. Playing Hi-Fi RUSH without vibration is like playing on hard mode. I relied a lot on the feedback from the controller when trying to keep to the beat, which is crucial to the gameplay. This can be easier with 808 (the floating cat at your side) and their ability to flash to the beat, but 808 doesn’t come into the picture until after the tutorial which can make the beginning of the game trickier.
The haptic feedback on the DualSense was essential to helping me play the game, but when switching solely to the Access controllers it was difficult for my brain to keep up with the fast-paced nature of the game without that feedback.
Another minor let-down is that the Access controllers lack speakers. If using the Access controllers exclusively, you will miss out on some of the fun audio cues. These aren’t gameplay-crucial, but the full immersive experience is let down a touch without it. It’s clear that the developers put a lot of care into utilising the PlayStation 5’s greatest features, but those are sadly lost on the Access controllers.
The Perfect Setup
The good news is that the PlayStation 5 allows you to have two Access controllers and one DualSense connected at a single time. The best load-out for maximising your experience with Hi-Fi RUSH is to set up the DualSense on the table in front of your two Access controllers. Depending on your table, you should be able to feel the vibrations of the DualSense and hear the sounds from its speakers without the need to touch it. This way you can solely rely on the Access controllers for gameplay while bypassing the difficulty curve from a lack of controller feedback.
READ MORE: Review | Mario vs. Donkey Kong ‘A completionist’s dream’ (Switch)
Altogether the equipment list for this show requires the use of both the DualSense and the PlayStation Access controllers if you want the full, uninhibited gameplay experience of Hi-Fi RUSH.
The Joy Of Victory: The Verdict
Hi-Fi RUSH is a phenomenal gaming journey. From the characters to the gaming mechanics, and especially the music, there is plenty to keep you engaged. Paired with the PlayStation Access controller, this title delivers a top-tier accessible gaming experience.
The joy of playing Hi-Fi RUSH will have you screaming “encore!” at developers Tango Gameworks. It’s out now on PlayStation 5.
Early access to Hi-Fi Rush was provided to Quest Daily by the publisher.
