Hi-Fi Rush Is 2023's First Surprise Hit

2023 is shaping up to be a great year for gamers. Already players have gotten a superb "Dead Space" remake that improves upon the original game in every possible way. And now a new title from the developers of "The Evil Within" and "Ghostwire: Tokyo" has arrived to steal the show. The music action game by Tango Gameworks, "Hi-Fi Rush," was announced and released simultaneously for Xbox and PC on January 25 during the Xbox Bethesda Showcase. In "Hi-Fi Rush," gamers take control of Chai and, with a guitar, fight against a shady corporation and its minions via rhythm-based combat. And because players need to fight to the rhythm, there are many memorable tracks.

"Hi-Fi Rush" features original music from groups such as Nine Inch Nails, The Prodigy, and The Joy Formidable. And although the launch was unexpected, and there was little marketing for the game, gamers and critics alike love Hi-Fi Rush. As a result, the game is flying off the virtual shelf.

As of writing this, "Hi-Fi Rush" is number three on Steam's top-seller list in the US, securing a spot behind the upcoming "Hogwarts Legacy" and the "Dead Space" remake. What's even more impressive is the game is free to anyone with Xbox Game Pass, so the Steam list doesn't account for the thousands of gamers playing the game via the Xbox launcher. And, of course, it doesn't account for Xbox console players, either. Not only is the game selling like hotcakes on Steam, but gamers also love what they are playing.

The Xbox version of "Hi-Fi Rush" is sitting at an impressive 9.2 on Metacritic. And the PC version has a 98% positive rating on Steam. Gamers are praising the game calling the combat addictive, the stylized graphics a treat to look at, and the original music incredible. And on social media, gamers are sharing their love for the game via gameplay clips and screenshots. Players are also sharing some of the fun easter eggs in the game, such as the multiple "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" references and a callback to a previous game Tango Gameworks worked on.

It's doubtful anyone could have predicted that one of the most talked about games of this year yet could have been announced and released on the same day. But "Hi-Fi Rush" is a special case, and it is only picking up more steam as time goes on.