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Just the facts, ma'am.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 34 / 34
Date: January 16, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Someone else has already done an extensive review, so I just thought I'd share some interesting trivia and minutiae about Rez...

This game was originally unveiled in May 2001 under the code name "K Project." No explanation of this title was given. Now, upon finishing the game and watching all of the credits roll, finally we learn what the K stands for: "K Project- Dedicated to the creative spirit of Kandinsky." (Something to that effect, anyway.) Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) was a painter who is generally regarded as the father of "abstract/modern art." Kandinsky claimed that he heard sound when he saw colors. When senses overlap in this manner, it is called "synaesthesia." Much of Kandinsky's work revolved around this. He often descirbed and titled his own work in musical terms. This is very much the basis of Rez. Sight and sound comingle to form a whole. Rez's tag line is, in fact, "Go to Synaethesia."

Many will note the similarity between the play mechanics of Rez and the first two Panzer Dragoon games; using a cursor to lock on to multiple targets, and then firing at them all simultaneously. Well, there's a very good reason for this similarity: supposedly there are no less than seven former members of Team Andromeda on Rez's staff. Team Andromeda was the developer behind the Panzer Dragoon series.

The entire game is clearly influenced by the 1982 movie Tron. Aside from the obvious visual similarities, (get a load of the 3rd level boss... it's worth millions of our man-years!) both the movie and the game are about someone being sucked into a computer system and fighting their way through it. I'm quite sure that the title "Rez" itself is a direct reference to Tron. If you look up "de-rezz" in a dictionary, you'll find that this word was originally coined by the writer/s of Tron. It's short for "deresolve". When a program was "killed," it was de-rezzed. It was an allusion to an image on a computer monitor losing it's resolution and disappearing. When you play Rez, you'll see exactly why the opposite of "de-rezz" is a perfect title for it.

Open Your Senses.....

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 38 / 40
Date: December 13, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Once in a while a game comes along that serves a purpose beyond just entertainment. It stands as an example of human creativity, merging with technology to produce a synthetic world that's nothing less than astounding. Rez is an amazing creation that stands apart from other games due to its perfectly created virtual world.

I have the Japanese PS2 import, and it's developed by United Game Artists, a division of Sega. Rez is at its core a simple on-the-rails shooter, in the vein of Panzer Dragoon, Space Harrier, and Omega Boost. You move your character up/down/right/left as the terrain unfolds in front of you. You've got a lock-on firing weapon and an ''overdrive'' (i.e. a smart bomb), and that's it. Simple enough....

...but the setup is where the ordinary stops. Your character is invading a computer to try and stop....something. You dive through wire-framed landscapes, as enemies appear above, below, behind, and in front of you. The environments are beautifully done - they remind me of the classic film Tron, or what William Gibson must have envisioned when writing Neuromancer. They succeed in making you believe you're inside a giant computer. The enemies come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, including giant unfolding flowers and a lightbeam-riding vehicle that resembles the Tron Lightcycle. As you lock-on and destroy them, different power-ups emerge: red nets you an overdrive (you can hold up to four at once) and blue evolves your character into some pretty incredible-looking forms. Travel through the layers successfully and you'll reach a boss - the battles are often long and multi-formed, reminding me of Radiant Silvergun. Beat the boss and you open new areas. The game is a magnificent visual creation, effectively enfolding you in an alien world.

You can't talk about Rez without mentioning the audio. Much has been made of how you contribute to the soundtrack via your actions on-screen, and this feature has been implemented perfectly. The soundtrack to each layer consists of techno/house/ambient beats, and each lock-on, firing, and enemy explosion adds its own note or sound to the musical track. It never sounds muddled or messy, but is a wonderful addition to the gameplay. You can try to create your own song as the landscapes whiz by, or can simply play the game - the extra audio can be as much or as little a feature as you want. I must also mention that some of the tracks are wonderful just by themselves. There is also a Travelling Mode that is cool to just sit back and watch.

Hard-core shooter fans will be disappointed at the game's relative ease, but Rez is much more than just a simple shooter, despite its rails-shooter roots. It delivers an experience that few games deliver - complete immersion in an alternate reality. Rez's synthetic universe will stay with you long after you put down the controller, and you will look forward to your next visit. The visuals are augmented by the audio perfectly, and vice-versa. There are also many secrets to unlock, providing high replay value - and some of the secrets are very rewarding. Rez is only for a single player, but sometimes the best games concentrate on only one. It's the kind of game that can't be defined by a single genre, but ends up being a unique title that every gamer should experience.

Save Her, Who Is Still Trapped In The System

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: May 01, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I wrote a review previoiusly for this game, giving 5 STARS despite of its relatively short length, simply because I thoroughly enjoyed it. It has been few years, and I felt like playing it again after midnight; and it's 2:20 right now. Gosh, I just can't help but to come back here again to tell you how incredible, overwhelming, nostalgic, wonderful,... I don't think any of these adjectives does justice for this needless-to-say masterpiece. I consider only two games in my life as something almost divine; Ico and Rez.

The main reason I'm writing this review AGAIN is to warn those who finished game with only first 4 areas. Yes, it's true that you can finish this game and get the ending with 4 areas. However, if you are putting this game away after that, then you are making a big mistake here. I did exactly same thing, putting it away after finishing first 4 areas, which was nevertheless exhilarating experience.

MAKE SURE TO UNLOCK THE LAST AREA, WHICH HAS TO BE THE MOST AWE-INSPIRING PART OF THE GAME, PERIOD.

I know that this game costs alot these days, however, it's worth your money especially for those who want to 'experience', not just to play video games (Dreamcast version is also available). I get soaked with this strange feeling (after finishing all 5 areas straight), which I get time to time when it triggers the human's basic intrinsic questioning of its existence; who am I? where did I come from? Why am I here? Seriously, this is no video game; its existence is beyond that. You can't help but to be immersed into the world of Rez, the world of synesthesia.

save her, who is still trapped in the system.

please.

Rez: one of the best, most misunderstood games ever created.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 11
Date: April 01, 2002
Author: Amazon User

These days, developers are creating games that are very misunderstood by the general gaming public. Games like "Maximo" and "Gun Valkyrie" are declared as too difficult to be fun, when they actually either pay respects to old-school forms of gameplay ("Maximo") or try to distinguish gamers between casual and hardcore ("Gun Valkyrie"). "Rez" is one such game, but for a different reason. Gamers expecting one of the deepest gameplay experiences from "Rez" will be sorely disappointed; "Rez" can only be appreciated when seen as what it's supposed to be.

On the outside, "Rez" looks like a simple rail-shooter. In terms of gameplay, that's essentially true, but that's not what the game is trying to be. So what is "Rez" about, exactly? One word: synaesthesia, which is defined as "a condition in which one type of stimulation evokes the sensation of another." If this definition sounds vague, it is. Truly describing "Rez" is very hard to do, but I'll try anyway.

Essentially, you play a hacker who is trying to hack his way into Eden, a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence that is shutting itself down after it started to question the purpose of its existence. But the story plays virtually no part in the game (it's read in the game's manual) other than to explain why you're doing what you're doing. However, the question about the gameplay shouldn't be what you're doing; instead, it should be what you're experiencing.

Your character is a person who is floating through cyberspace along a fixed path, and along the way he must "hack" his way into Eden's mainframe by shooting various forms of cyber-protection such as firewalls and anti-viruses. But here's what makes "Rez" interesting: every action in the game, from pressing the trigger button to locking onto enemies to destroying them, triggers a musical command such as a downbeat or a synthesizer chord. And the Dual Shock 2 controller rumbles with the beat and actions of the game. Add to this some of the trippiest visuals ever seen and some wicked trance music, and the game shouldn't even be called a game; it should actually be called a dream gone haywire. Needless to say, the experience in "Rez" is undoubtedly one of the more unique experiences ever convieved, and my description can't even scratch the surface of how "Rez" actually plays.

Visually, the game can't exactly be said to push the PS2's hardware to its limits. However, in retrospect with what the game is trying to accomplish, the visuals compliment the game beautifully. Musicwise, you have to like trance music to like the game, but again, the music compliments the game beautifully.

Actually, it's wrong to divide the game into various sections such as gameplay, visuals, and music. Everything in "Rez" has to be looked at as one entity that creates something no other game can create. The description of synaesthesia perfectly fits this game (the word is even on the back of the game's box), and to dismiss this game as a simple rail-shooter would be like saying the Earth is simply one of nine planets orbiting a relatively-small star.

Is "Rez" the greatest game ever created? No. Is it for everyone? No. But is it a game that everyone should at least look into? Yes. Whether or not you like or appreciate "Rez" will be up to you, but it has to be played at least through a rental. It's amazing that this game was released in the US at all, and gamers who can see "Rez" for what it really is will be the ones who really enjoy it.

An Amazing Game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: November 17, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Simply put, this game is amazing. Rez is one of the most innovative games to come along in a while. On the surface, it's simply a shooter, but the experience goes much deeper.

The makers of Rez set out to create a game that blended sight, sound, and feel into one synergistic experience, and they succeeded. Let me try to explain.

When you start out, there is a very basic music track playing in the background. Everytime you lock onto and shoot an enemy, the music grows. Every hit is in beat with the music. As you progress through each level, the music grows more complex, the visuals become more complex, and the vibration of the controller increases. Once you reach about 60% of the way through the level, you are so drawn into the game that the experience is amazing.

Granted, there are only a few levels, and a seasoned gamer can play throug very quickly. However, this game has immense replay value. After finishing the game, you begin opening up more and more options. Perhas the coolest option is the travelling mode, where you get to play, but don't take any damage. My wife loves this. She loves the experience of Rez without the pressure of staying alive.

The controls are great. The become intuitive rather quickly and have the option of having normal or inverted movement. The music won't sound familiar, but the tracks are great and work perfectly for the game.

I highly recommend this game to everyone. It goes beyond mere gameplay and is an amazing experience. It's too bad that it's difficult to find and didn't get the recognition it deserves.

WOW

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: February 03, 2002
Author: Amazon User

That's all you can say really. This is an experience in video games like I've never had. To put REZ into words would be like trying to describe a Pink Floyd concert to Helen Keller (to quote EGM), it just can't accurately be done. Most amazing game. I am really dumbfounded at this game. I'm at a loss of words at how great it is. If you really want a full on REZ experience, I suggest going with the import Dreamcast verson. Same game, but the images are much sharper adding to the visual experience. I reall wish I could say more, but there is not much to say, besides GET IT.

P.S. Keep the Visine nearby...

Synesthesia

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: January 25, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Rez is a game based on the concept of synesthesia originally penned by painter, philosopher and drug addict Kandinsky. Synesthesia is when you experience one of the five senses through multiple senses simultaneously, such as seeing and feeling music, or hearing and feeling color.

Although it's an odd starting place for a video game it works brilliantly. Rez is a "stuck on rails" shooter (your character flies on a pre-determined path while you shoot things) that incorporates this concept very well. As you lock on to and shoot enemies, their explosions add to the music playing in the background and create visualizer-style effects on the screen. All the while, the controller and environment are pulsating to the rhythm of the game.

I have introduced this game to several friends of mine and they are typically overwhelmed by the experience. Couple that with the existentialist science fiction story line of the game and Rez rises to the level of art.

While the graphics are mostly simple wireframes, the integration of the audio and visual aspects of the game are beyond anything you can find in any video game. Although it's on the short side, there are a ton of extras to unlock that add lots of replay value. My brother and I already treat it like a classic, and I'm sure we'll still hook up the PS2 years from now to play it.

Sega Wastes No Time Establishing Its PS2 Talents

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: January 16, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Always one to try something unusual, Sega unveils its next-generation shooting/music game, "Rez," and proves once again that it's the software, not the hardware, that makes a game great.

Developed by United Game Artists (previously responsible for another unusual title, "Space Channel 5"), "Rez" is probably best described as "Panzer Dragoon" meets "Tron" meets your local dance club's DJ.

The "Panzer" component comes from the game's linear 3D shooting format. You can only control where your character looks and generally not where it goes. Instead of dodging bullets/missiles and the like, you need to search around and shoot them before they get to you. As can be expected, take too many hits and it's Game Over. Like "Panzer," your weapon has lock-on capabilities, allowing you to target up to eight different enemies at a single time. Like "Panzer Dragoon Zwei," you also have access to a destroy-everything power-up dubbed an "overdrive." Once unleased, enemies are targeted and destroyed automatically for a period of time (about 10-15 seconds).

The "Tron" component of the game it its story. You control a sentient computer program assigned to invade and destroy an enemy-infested system. This enemy will throw everything it can at you, from small grunts that need only one hit to large behemoths that need several locked-on missiles to destroy. The larger bosses are no cream-puffs, and require fast reflexes to defend yourself and counter-attack.

As you destroy enemies, you can pick up power-ups that let you use overdrives or enhance your character's performance. Pick up enough performance power-ups and your character will evolve. Take too many hits and your character will "devolve" into a lower form.

Where "Rez" truly shines is in the music/graphics department. Part video game and part light/sound show, "Rez" puts you in direct control of the game's sound and look. Almost everything from pressing a button to locking-on creates a sound. The sounds even change depending on the form of your on-screen character. These sounds combine with the background beat to create an innovative soundtrack that has house and techno written all over it. Taken with the wire-framed graphics and psychedelic color patterns, "Rez" gives you a most unusual PS2 experience.

One minor warning: the game does support DualShock controllers (as most PS2 games do nowadays), but the vibration effect is on almost constantly, and grows in intensity as the game advances. While the rumble-to-the-music vibration is unique, it can cause strain on your hands/wrists during extended play. I suggest you hold the controller lightly during play and take frequent breaks to let your hands rest if you leave the vibration effect on (you can turn it off, too).

Rez is revolutionary

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: February 04, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I have no clue why Rez's production was stopped. This is the coolest game ever! Fast paced action that has awesome music to go with it! The music's pace and style goes along with the gameplay. I have to congradulate Sega and UGA on such a great contribution to the PS2 game library. There are many more levels than 4 unlike many people's beliefs. It has great replay value, it's never the same the second time, or the twentieth. It never loses its fun value, a must buy. Go out and purchase one if you have the means. =D

Nice graphics and clever sound design

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: October 31, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Rez basically leads the player along a predefined path where you can look and aim in 360 degrees, a genre sometimes called a "rail shooter." The graphics and presentation here are what is outstanding. Supposedly this is a music game, where you can manipulate the music depending on when you fire or how fast you progress through a level. Sometimes you can lay down an enjoyable riff, like adding percussion cymbals, shakes or hand claps by timing your combos. Upgrading your "entity" changes the sound of your attack. The best level by far is the last, which can only be unlocked by beating the first four levels. I didn't quite appreciate this game until I played that last level where everything sort of came together into a confluence. Rez is definitely a creative effort that is a lot more than the sum of its part. It is also very short and can be finished in a couple of hours. The ray traced graphics in this game are dedicated to the Russian artist Kadinsky.

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