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| Last Updated 2006.01.02 | |
The first time I tried Rez, I was very impressed. And over the next few days, images and sounds from it passed through my mind constantly. For me this is a sign that I have found something worthwhile. Once I bought my own copy and played through it again, I found new depth and detail that increased my appreciation. The fifth area alone presents one of the most immersive artistic experiences I have ever encountered. 
Words and screenshots can't hope to accurately describe the experience of Rez, but if asked to describe it I might say that the gameplay sort of resembles the video game Space Harrier, and the graphics sort of resemble the movie Tron. Sort of. And the backbone of the game is its music, an excellent electronic soundtrack that is inseparably tied to both the visuals and your actions. I think that synchronization of sound and graphics (as seen in demoscene productions) is underused in video games, and I doubt it's ever been used to the extent it is in Rez.
"The first thing we did was decide on musicians. They had to understand what we were trying to do with the game - not only the music, but the visual design as well. That was important."I have read reviews that complain that Rez is too short. I agree only in the sense that I don't like a good book or video game to end. I like being able to play the game through in one sitting, and there are very few video games I've replayed more than this one. I've been through Rez enough times to know it well, and its familiarity only adds to its appeal. 
The creators of Rez cite Russian painter Kandinsky as part of their inspiration. His abstract work dealt with synaesthesia, a merging or overlapping of the senses. "Old games, like maybe 20 years ago, were like this - vector scan and wireframes. But Rez isn't being nostalgic. The look is a conscious choice. Current games are a little too real now - there's no room for interpretation. But I think Rez is an experience, so I didn't want to put lifelike graphics in it."Rez was developed by United Game Artists, one of Sega's development teams. It was released for the Sega Dreamcast in Japan and Europe, and later for the Playstation 2 in Japan and the United States. Unfortunately, production in the US was extremely limited. Links: Official Rez site Unofficial UGA site - music and prototype videos to download Andrew Vestal's review - how I learned of Rez (originally at thegia.com)
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