Imagine the shooter-on-rails gameplay of Panzer Dragoon. Now imagine that the developers were on a major acid trip. Put the two together, and you have Rez.
Rez is, at it's most basic level, a shooter on rails. As is the course for games of this type, the story is feather-light, and the action is non-stop. So what makes Rez stand out? First and foremost, the graphics. Rez's visual design is the most creative in any game of the past year...maybe longer. While Frequency uses the same vector graphics in a tempest-esque fashion, Rez utilizes them in a style all its own. The result is as impressive as when Jet Grind Radio pioneered the use of cel shading.
The gameplay matches the music, which really makes it impossible to play the game out of sync with the beat. In addition to moving, you use one button to fire, hold it longer to lock on, and use a second button to unleash what amounts to a screen-clearing super bomb. On paper, Rez may seem to be simplistic. In practice, while not as deep as games like Metal Gear Solid or Devil May Cry, Rez is not as shallow as it may seem. And even if it is, the game simply manages to be a whole lot of fun. Part of this is due to the fabulous usage of the Dual Shock feature. Rez represents the best use of vibration since the whole "rumble pak" craze started back in the N64 days.
The music isn't composed of mainstream artists, but the soundtrack is downright catchy. Besides, without the beat-heavy substitute and the way it interacts with your controller, the game would lack its addictive quality. However, addictive as it may be, Rez's 5-level main game can be beaten in the course of an evening, leaving only its few other game modes, which all seem rather similar to the main one. Still, there's something about the game that draws you back for more.
Some gamers will appreciate Rez for its vision and unique attributes. Others will play it once and be done with it. No matter which group you fall into, you owe it to yourself to experience Rez...if only for its one of a kind visual presentation.
-George
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