Reminder: Rez HD is a trip
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Dec 22nd 2007 at 11:00AM }
If you were one of the many shmucks who didn't pick up Rez when it came out on the Dreamcast and PS2, you can redeem yourself in our eyes when a visually souped-up version of the game drops on the Xbox Live Arcade sometime in the (hopefully) near future. Yes, it might be sans one unintentionally stimulating peripheral this time around, but it still feels like playing an absinthe-fueled round of Panzer Dragoon in the middle of a warehouse rave. Hopefully the surfacing of the above gameplay footage from the uncleverly titled Rez HD is a sign that we'll find what we really want under our tree this holiday season -- a good case of synesthesia.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Patrick @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:14AM
rofl at the comment
Patrick @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:16AM
title rather, its too early i never get up before noon
James @ Dec 22nd 2007 12:01PM
Woah... duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude...
why not the LS2/LS7? @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:23AM
A very accurate representation of the Rez gameplay.
Note how the player just holds the pointer in one spot for about 50 seconds. They also have to press the button and hold it down until the cursor says "max", then release it. About 8 times of that. And bam! That's a boss battle. And there's only 5 or 6 of them in the game.
It's not really a game as much as a trip toy, and it's not even a great trip toy, although it seems it's better than Space Giraffe.
Get Tempest 2000 instead. They could redo it with the full soundtrack (from the Jaguar CD version). Tempest 2000 is trippy and has a reasonable amount of gameplay too.
dan stabbingworth @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:48AM
Geometry Wars is the way to go for that regard. If you're good enough to score in the millions sober, you can make a pretty extended run while tripping/peaking. It ends up being a good balance of not too long and not too short.
Kyattsuai @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:52AM
You also have to shoot down projectiles; in most cases, very few of them can hurt you, but it's really annoying when they do and you get bumped out of cosmic metal fetus mode because of it.
Jake @ Dec 22nd 2007 12:09PM
Geometry Wars is more of a challenging arcade style game with somewhat trippy graphics. Rez is just trippy, with very little gameplay.
I enjoyed watching (listening) to it for a couple of minutes, but I don't see how it'd be any more fun to play. Just some neat little thing you see and move on.
roxxxo @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:24AM
that characture sure is possessive, he keeps yelling "MINE!" when you click on an enemy
Kevlar @ Dec 22nd 2007 1:59PM
"MIND"
Ace121212 @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:34AM
I liked how the video was in Game Trailer's format rather than Game Videos, even though its a Game Video's Video. GV takes way to long to load.
timnc @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:37AM
Is it just me or does it look like sega stole their own targeting system from after burner and put it in this?
syco @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:43AM
This is, in my opinion, the most stylish game ever created. An example of video games as art if there ever was one.
Raikage (ROFLBERRY PWNCAKES Defence Force) @ Dec 22nd 2007 1:16PM
Yes, I want!
Tony Bowman @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:49AM
would be even better if you could control it with jonny lee's wii-mote 3d headtracking hack.
elmersglue @ Dec 22nd 2007 5:13PM
seriously, that thing is amazing.
Kyattsuai @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:49AM
Area 5 of Rez is one of my favorite levels in any game, and it looks even better all huge like that. I may end up taking the Dreamcast out of storage today...
driven2sin @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:54AM
i came
Seraphim @ Dec 22nd 2007 12:08PM
I saw, I went?
Obie @ Dec 22nd 2007 12:08PM
I can like taste the polygons man!
bigsofty @ Dec 22nd 2007 12:12PM
Looks like a 4k demo from a demo comp...
fareweathersmile @ Dec 22nd 2007 12:59PM
Funny you should mention absinthe since now it is legal to import it as of Dec. 6th. Looks good, it would probably be great on the Wii.
Bucket @ Dec 22nd 2007 1:27PM
FEAR IS THE MIND KILLER
Dear lord, it was always a bitch getting 100% on Area 5.
Jeff @ Dec 22nd 2007 1:45PM
Dune reference ftw.
Diskoboy @ Dec 22nd 2007 1:32PM
anyone who says anything bad about this game, has obviously never played it.
I have the DC import, and I'm buying again, because now it's in HD. That, and it's a damn fun game.
Zorink @ Dec 22nd 2007 1:43PM
Does it smell like purple in here?
Mr.ESC @ Dec 22nd 2007 2:26PM
Green is my favorite flavor!
roxxxo @ Dec 22nd 2007 3:04PM
the snosberries taste like snosberries!
Mr.ESC @ Dec 22nd 2007 2:25PM
This begs for a Wii port.
Hurray for acid trips.
MisterSquared @ Dec 22nd 2007 3:00PM
i just found my new favorite XBLA obsession, and its not even out yet
jesus_bon_jovi @ Dec 22nd 2007 3:31PM
it is nothing without the trance vibrator! (+Washable Slip Cover)
geeky @ Dec 22nd 2007 4:35PM
This game is more about the experience than the skill. Comparing it to Geometry Wars, you're just bombarded with enemies and a show of lights and sound. Rez is more of an interactive musical ride. Everything you do triggers a sound that goes along with the environmental background beat which combines into music. The songs have some neat buildups which make for a pretty interesting experience.
Some may find it boring but thats because they were looking for some other type of stimulation. I do enjoy it a lot as long as I'm in the mental state for it.
**I'll definately be picking this up again.**
p.s. its considerably better when using headphones, as opposed to speakers, to further immerse you in the experience.
LiK @ Dec 22nd 2007 5:20PM
i have the PS2 version and it was awesome. i can't wait to get this version. 5.1 FINALLY!
muppetmeth @ Dec 22nd 2007 8:32PM
I really wanted a PS3, but now I think Rez pulled me to the 360...weird.
why not the LS2/LS7? @ Dec 22nd 2007 8:18PM
I agree sometimes you have to shoot missiles, but often you don't, as shown in this video.
I'm glad I borrowed it instead of buying it. I loved the 1st (MCP) and 4th (Running Man) boss battles and the rest was pretty damn boring.
Moofree @ Dec 22nd 2007 10:20PM
I wonder if it has mouse support, like the Dreamcast version.
Jeff @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:15PM
I cannot wait to play this again in HD. It was awesome on Dreamcast and PS2, but I think it was meant to be played in HD.
LordJezo @ Dec 23rd 2007 11:18AM
And here I was thinking that they subtly threw in a comment about the game Synaesthete.
http://www.synaesthetegame.com/
Evan @ Dec 23rd 2007 12:39PM
The WiiMote would be a natural for Rez. There needs to be a Wii version.
Player1 @ Dec 23rd 2007 6:04PM
Do we know for a fact that the trance vibrator won't be supported? I don't see why they couldn't make it work, it's usb.