13 February 2023 , 12:14
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Hi-Fi Rush is packed to the brim with Easter eggs, but eagle-eyed fans have spotted one that could point to Tango Gameworks’ next title.
After a surprise launch on Xbox Game Pass last month, Hi-Fi Rush has been one of the biggest hits of 2023 so far. The game mixes a Devil May Cry 5-esque combat system with a rhythm game to create an inventive adventure that is a breath of fresh air for the lacking Xbox first-party lineup. It looks like Tango Gameworks isn’t taking a break anytime soon, if an Easter egg spotted in the game is any indication.
A perceptive fan got in touch with GamesRadar+ to point out that in the penultimate mission of the game, there's a news alert on an elevator screen that says “Sequel to popular survival horror franchise anounced [sic]” (which you can see in this YouTube playthrough). Of course, this could only refer to The Evil Within 2 getting a follow-up. The Evil Within series is a spiritual successor to Shinji Mikami' Resident Evil franchise, who directed the first game and was executive producer on the sequel.
Tango’s only other games are Hero Dice and Ghostwire: Tokyo – neither of which are survival horror games, so we could be seeing Sebastian’s nightmare continue in the near future.
This is far from the only reference to Tango Gameworks’ debut title in Hi-Fi Rush. A few times throughout the game you can find a robot named SEB-AAA. He can be found investigating the Vandelay campus, commenting on the state of the world and being very sombre about things, just like Sebastian Castellanos.
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The game also has a few fun nods to other series, like Twin Peaks and Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure – and even an ode to the cult-classic PS1 game Xenogears.
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I’m excited to see The Evil Within return, sure; I’ve never finished either game. But that’s because I’m what we in the industry refer to as ‘a big wimp’. But I’ll gladly support any new Tango Gameworks titles; it’s slowly becoming one of the most exciting studios in Microsoft's stable. As nice as all of the fantastic Resident Evil titles we’re getting are, it’s exciting to have more proper survival horror games on their way instead of endless horror games designed to generate clicks by having costumed animals jump at the screen.
Obviously this is only a small Easter egg at the moment, so I doubt we’ll see The Evil Within 3 in the near-future. Especially when you consider Tango Gameworks has released two games within the last year, and still has Ghostwire: Tokyo’s Xbox release on the way. However, it’s nice to know the series won't be stuck in the world of union for too long.