Rez
Score: 87% ESRB: Everyone (Mild Viole Publisher: Sega Developer: Sega Media: CD/1 Players: 1 Genre: Miscellaneous/ Miscellaneous
Graphics & Sound: The graphics in Rez are quite interesting. In fact, I think Rez presents one 'flavor' of what the next tier of video gaming will look like. The gaming industry has sought more realistic graphics - even life-like realism. To some degree, we've actually reached that. But there is something that lies beyond being able to recreate the minute details of reality. There's artistic style. Rez is not the most realistic game you'll ever see. It's not supposed to be. It has a very Tron feel to it - a sort of a cyberspace hacking-from-the-inside type look. It serves it's purpose well. The feeling is very submersive. The music in Rez is not just cool - it's an integral part of the game. Rez is a futuristic shooter with an interesting twist - you can stack-up lock-ons and when you release your attack, the shots are timed to the music. While this doesn't put Rez in a category with Dance Dance Revolution or Parappa The Rapper, it does create an interesting interactivity between the gameplay and the music.
Gameplay: You play the part of a intruder into a computer system, ala Tron or Cyberpunk sci-fi. The entity you control is humanoid in appearance, but when damaged it will become 'de-rezed' a bit. You can get de-rezed all the way down to a spherical primary, and beyond that is death. However, if you manage to collect power-ups as you go along, you can upgrade to higher-rezed humanoid avatars. The main benefit? More protection - if you get de-rezed, you work your way back through these resolutions. Basically, think of it as another life... or more armor. Either way, you'll find yourself concentrating on the cyberspace imagery that has been laid before you - and how to overcome its overpowering hostile defense systems.
Difficulty: It's you against the (cyber)world as you work to invade, pervade and evade the computer's security precautions and hostile defenses. If you've played a lot of shooters and you're familiar with the concept of 'stacking-up' lock-ons and firing volleys at a time, then you'll be able to get into this game pretty quickly. I personally found it a bit strange that firing occurs when the button is released - not when it's pressed. However, with a bit of practice, this becomes familiar and easy to use. The game's difficulty typically hinges on paying attention to your enemies to determine the best (AKA most effective) places to attack. Once you get the hang of that and see where your shots are best placed, there's two main things to watch out for. First, don't let the graphics distract you. It's a beautiful world - but if you want to look around and enjoy the world - watch someone else play. You'll be up to your eyeballs in angry silicon to pay too much attention to the 'good'! stuff. Second - try different strategies. If you want to build up your defenses, you'll need to watch for the power-ups in the levels. However, if you practice good evasive measures, you can get by without a lot of building up. If that's more your style of play, you can get through the levels quickly by watching for the level transporter and hitting it as soon as you find it. The way you choose is up to you...
Game Mechanics: The major downfall of Rez is that there's not enough of it. Imagine having a taste of a small (but incredibly delicious) steak. Now imagine your sadness when you find out there's no more to be had. (Hmm.... vegetarians could maybe substitute Tofu here... on second thought maybe not...) At any rate, this is not a demo, this is a whole game; but it's too short. In fact, with the exception of a little bit of a learning curve for those unfamiliar with stacking their lock-ons, the only problem this game really has is its brevity. Mind you, there are a ton of enhancements to unlock if you keep playing it. However, I have always felt that a short game with a lot of enhancements to unlock is unbalanced. Many gamers feel that once they've completed a game, they've completed it; regardless of whether or not they've unlocked all of the 'secrets'. If you make it a point to own games that mark a signpost in the history of game development, this might be worth it based solely on its graphical style. And for that matter, the gameplay is very fun in and of itself. However, I would have to suggest renting this one before purchasing. Otherwise, the length of it may be disappointing.
-Geck0, GameVortex Communications AKA Robert Perkins
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