Hi-Fi Rush arrived last year as an absolute surprise, and its launch on Game Pass was a cherry on top. Developed by Tango Gameworks, the arcade-esque rhythm game combines multiple popular genres into a stylish beat-em-up experience.
Originally, it was the Xbox/PC exclusive that was showing promise for the console at large, but in 2024, the game is now available on the PlayStation 5, and some are even admitting that the game looks better in terms of visuals.
On the PS5, Hi-Fi Rush seems to have better-looking shadows
It may not be crystal clear at first, but a careful look at Hi-Fi Rush’s gameplay on the PS5 shows how the game looks more polished, especially when the textures and shadows are concerned. Even in its launch version, the game has looked great, making use of cel-shaded textures. Now, it’s interesting to see how the console manages to push this further.
YouTube channel Digital Foundry has highlighted these details, making a side-to-side comparison with the Xbox Series X. However, not everyone agrees that it makes much of a difference, while diehard fans of the game are defending this comparison, celebrating the game’s arrival on a new platform.
Users like Richard Loveridge on Twitter have even pointed out how the difference doesn’t indicate much, since it’s only because of the latest version of the game and not because of any special treatment for the PlayStation 5.
It's simply a case of it being a newer version. The PC version has exactly the same shadows as Series X. And that's even in a 4090.
— Richard Loveridge (@selnor1983) March 30, 2024
An update will simply sort this out on the PC and Series versions
If this is true, then it’s likely that both Xbox and PC versions of the game will soon receive a similar update, and fans across different platforms can enjoy the game in its best state. It would be fun to see how the developers bring more quality-of-life updates to the game as time passes.
The game’s arrival on PS5 marks a new direction for Xbox exclusives
When the title first arrived on Microsoft’s platforms, fans were thrilled how the game’s core design loop was something fairly unique and marked a new direction for the quality of exclusives being pushed by Microsoft. The game may not seem too challenging at first, but everything in this colorful world syncs to your rhythm, and that makes combat/movement part of the learning curve.
However, this direction by the teams at Microsoft was then changed, leading to what the Xbox brand is today. Unfortunately, Phil Spencer’s leadership hasn’t highlighted the console in a positive light recently, and the platform is slowly starting to shift away from the idea of exclusives altogether.
Hi-Fi Rush, Sea of Thieves, Grounded, and many other titles are now starting to move towards different player bases around the globe, and it’s a little sad to see how the console won’t be in its prime anymore to keep bringing high-quality exclusives. Then again, that is good news for players worldwide.
What are your thoughts on the game’s visual update? Let us know in the comments below.
