Rez

"Abstract artwork and techno music works."

Overall Game Review:
REZ, developed by UGA (United Game Artists) and published by SEGA, is a Dreamcast/Playstation 2 creation and it's one of the best, most addictive, wierdest looking games ever. If you have seen the film Matrix you will know what to expect in terms of graphics. With techno music through the whole game increasing in complexity the further you reach inside each system, and abstract surroundings/objects inspired by Wassilij Kandinsky (an expressionist, painter and artist) you travel inside a electronic world eliminating all sorts of enemys and robotic creatures that attack you with different weapons. You must also keep your character alive by shooting power up items, blue ones for health/character level, and red for 'Overload' or simply put -smartbomb.

The game is simple and addictive (although it only runs in 30 fps when played), a space shooter some would say. Each time a stage is cleared you 'log out' of that system and the next system/stage is unlocked togeather with additional other options and special stages. The ultimate goal of REZ is to save 'her' from being trapped inside the system. You start of with a simple character and in a simple grid-like scape with a simple 'techno' rythm pounding in the back ground. Now the first enemies appear. Locking on to them with your 'missiles' you place your sight over them and release the fire button. If many are destroyed at one time a power up item appears. When locking on to the item your character gets either a smartbomb (4 can be stored), or one bit of the character level increase which when at maximum the character takes another form of appearence. However, each time your character gets hit, the form drops a level down untill you die. There are 6 forms of your character, ball, silicone tile model, wireframe body, phong shaded body, sitting inside a sphere and finally the last form is a atom charged sphere. When a 'network-opening' (a wire cube with a blue light) is destroyed, you get to the next layer in the system. There are 10 'layers' in each system, and the most rewarding is to analyze all layers to get the highest score and see all the awesome graphics and scapes. Each system has a end level boss. The bosses are totally superior in design, complexity and function. They also require different strategies to be destroyed.

Graphics: 9/10
A very abstract and dreamlike electronic/artistic design has been implemented in this game. Some of the most advanced graphics ever seen in a video game. Wire frame explosions, phong shaded objects and layered transparent textures make the appearence look like the film Matrix when Keanu flies inside the virtual world. And the visual effects are superb too. With fully lit or flashing skies and back grounds, the wire frame surroundings keep moving to the rythm of the techno beat. The visuals in their greatness really makes you feel small and sometimes confused, there are simply too many things to see at one time. Nuclear reactors, electronic castles, ancient pyramids and tombs, fantasy landscapes, vectorized forrests with millipides and giant buggs are just a small part of this symphony of color, shapes and sounds. A solid 9. It would have been a 10 if it all ran in 60 fps and not 30 fps.

Sound: 10/10
While playing the game there's always a simple rythm in the start of each stage that has a new instrument added every time you climb up one layer in the system. If all 10 layers are reached you end up with a super cool pounding techno orchestra. The sound effects are made out of musical instruments like claps, drums, percussions and choirs. They blend in to the beat so that it seems as if you are doing the music yourself. Sounds weird? It is, but in a most fascinating way. The beat is synchronizeded with everything around you, and it all adds up in one immersive 'pulse' of the system. If you have REZ you don't need rave and e-pills. All in all, the 'sound' is so good it would be a shame to give it less than a ten. So a strong 10 is awarded. (Keep in mind that I personally don't like techno music.)

Control: 9/10
Control is very simple. It is easy to manouver the sight across the screen with the analog thumb pad. However, because it's in 30 fps and not 60 fps, the flow is not as smooth and fluent. But that does by no mean interfear with the game play. The controls are responsive and logical. Up/down can be reversed and the digital thumb cross can be used too. The main use of control is to move your sight around the screen to lock on targets, you cannot steer the course of your character in any way like dodging missiles and enemies. However that can be done when fighting bosses. With the movement this limited you can only fire at things that the camera allows you to see, the game does however let you panorate certain degrees to all directions so that it doesn't seem too narrow. And also the camera changes from time to time, so at times you actually fly backwards or to the side(s). Well, it's no Quake. Somewhat limited controls of character, but adequate for this type of game. So, a clear 9.

Gameplay: 9/10
It is the most innovative game ever in terms of graphics, sound, story and appearence. But it's still a 'shooter', so although the impression of it seems overwhealming at first one must remember that all you do is aim and shoot. Nothing else. There are however different modes in which to play. Travelling mode lets you fly and shoot through the available systems without taking any damage. Normal 'play' mode is for playing and reaching for the next system to finally complete the game. Score attack is for competition to get the highest possible score in a system. The 'beyond' mode, which has to be unlocked by playing well in the 'play' mode, lets you choose from new systems not in the original game like the 'lost arena'. You can also choose 'direct assault' which is a version of all the systems put togeather in one long session where you also can pick your favourite color scheme. Each time you play well and complete different systems/stages you unlock new features and options in 'beyond' mode.

Replayability: 10/10
You will come back for more, be sure. The reason will be to get the highest score, curiousity to unlock new hidden features and systems, to get high on the totally awesome graphics and music and to simply just have another experience of it. The game 'sucks' you into its system and traps you there even if you neeeed to go to the bathroom.

Overall: 10/10
Yes, ten out of ten. The 30 fps issue is the reason why it could get 9 of 10. But REZ is actually the only game that I have given a full score which does not run in 60 fps. And the reason is simple: the game swollowed me. I could not go to bed, I had to fall of my chair in agony.

Overall Ratings:
- Graphics 9/10
- Sound 10/10
- Control 9/10
- Gameplay 9/10
- Replay Vale 10/10
- Overall 10/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/26/01, Updated 12/26/01