Fear is the mind killer

November 15, 2007 2:14 AM

Like a missing entry from Adam Pennyman's Catalogue of Obsolete Entertainments, the game Rez (previously on MeFi) combines abstract visuals with 21st century call-and-response musical theory (subscription site) for a synesthetic experience that changes through the player's on-screen interactions. Playing through four levels; Earth, Mars, Venus, Uranus, and Eden the player's avatar evolves within a sentient computer network as you attempt to free the core AI from suicidal depression. Woefully underpromoted upon release everywhere except Japan, and with few merchandise opportunities available to it, the game slipped into obscurity and attained cult status, retaining almost full value on the second-hand Dreamcast and PS2 markets. Unfortunately for the second-hand market, HD Rez has recently been announced for X-Box Live Arcade in early 2008 in glorious Hi-Def and 5.1 surround. Rejoice!
posted by Molesome (25 comments total)

I've got Rez for the PS2. While the music feature is, indeed, very neat, Rez does have one regrettable commonality with every single shooter game ever produced, to wit: I suck at it.
posted by Faint of Butt at 2:33 AM on November 15, 2007

HD Rez sounds nice except for my whole not-owning-an-Xbox problem. I keep hoping they're going to make some sort of Rez sequel for the Wii but I doubt it will ever happen.
posted by palidor at 2:39 AM on November 15, 2007

This is almost certainly going to cause me to dig out my dreamcast and play rez compulsively later today.
posted by apathy0o0 at 2:43 AM on November 15, 2007 [1 favorite]

Rez is great, but really suffers from not having more levels. I don't expect 80 or anything, but 7 or 8 instead of 5 would have been nice.
posted by Bugbread at 2:45 AM on November 15, 2007

I miss the dreamcast.
posted by oh pollo! at 3:24 AM on November 15, 2007 [1 favorite]

NSFW but hot
posted by CautionToTheWind at 4:56 AM on November 15, 2007 [1 favorite]

I have no idea what this post is about but I am in awe of your 1st posting class and subject. Intrigued and bookmarked to investigate later.
posted by tellurian at 5:02 AM on November 15, 2007

I didn't want to post until I had something to post about. Also, I can count to five, honest. One, two, three, five. See?

I left out the Gamegirl link because she's tired of the attention and left it to the previously but hey, it just adds to the weirdness quotient of the whole experience I guess.
posted by Molesome at 6:41 AM on November 15, 2007

This and Ikaruga are going to be my favorite XBLA purchases by far. Now I'll just have to wait on a proper Samurai Shodown...

Reverse-engineering efforts to allow the Trance Vibrator to attach to and be controlled by a PC have been successfully executed in Japan, resulting in a device driver for Microsoft Windows XP and Windows 2000.

...there are no plans for a 360 compatible Trance Vibrator peripheral.

I'm not holding my breath on 360 BC, even though it is a USB device, but that would be great. The only time I actually played either of these games was with a DC Emu, and that sucked so bad I was absolutely thrilled to hear these were coming to this service in HD.
posted by prostyle at 6:49 AM on November 15, 2007

I paid $70 for a PS2 copy and don't regret it. Rez is a great and unique game. If you like it, check out Tetsuya Mizuguchi (水口哲也)'s other games. Lumines and Meteos are both brilliant. The Lumines port to Xbox 360 is pretty good. I love the way music and graphic design work together in his games. His new XBLA game Every Extend Extra Extreme isn't so good, unfortunately. Lots of flashing lights and music but the gameplay is even more simplistic than Rez, so it felt tedious.
posted by Nelson at 6:53 AM on November 15, 2007

They used to have it set up at the Museum of the Moving Image but I could never get very far.
posted by muckster at 7:26 AM on November 15, 2007

In a sort of side note, Rez is among the most famous cult-classic games that has been reissued by Game Quest Direct. These reissues are often nearly-indistinguishable from the originals. It's indicative of the growing status of classic gaming, and game collecting, that we can have arguments that record collectors were having twenty years ago.

(And speaking of cult-classic games with XBLA reissues: Puzzle Fighter is just about the best block-dropping game ever made.)
posted by box at 7:48 AM on November 15, 2007 [1 favorite]

Oh wow - that would just kill with a Wii directional controller.

I suck at FPS games where I have to aim with a tiny joystick. Gimme something that I can point and shoot any day.
posted by jkaczor at 8:43 AM on November 15, 2007

It was awesome on PS2. I wasn't particualrly aware that it was underpromoted or sold poorly - it seemd to do pretty well in the UK. Great music.
posted by Artw at 8:51 AM on November 15, 2007

I totaly bought the hype on this one, so I snagged a bargain bin copy. Pretty choice purchase, but I feel as though I'm not quite playing it right. I never noticed much of a change when I would try to synch my shots to the music.

box: has exquisite taste. Adversarial puzzle gaming reached it's zenith with super puzzle fighter II turbo
posted by butterstick at 10:33 AM on November 15, 2007

That's cool. i have a stack of games that I refuse to ever get rid of. Rez is one of them. I don't even own a PS2 anymore. I figure, should I decide to play it, a used console will be easier to track down than specific games. Although emulation makes this strategy increasingly obsolete. I will say though, some games, just beg to be played in their original format. I can play Tecmo Bowl on just about every device known to man, but with that original NES controller, I am unstoppable.

Other games I would like to see re-released in HD

Arch Rivals
Dr. Mario
Mappy
Zaxxon
posted by billyfleetwood at 10:48 AM on November 15, 2007

The only time I've ever seen Rez being played, I was high. It was pleasant and confusing.

My family used to have the Zaxxon board game, but not the video game, for some reason.
posted by Metroid Baby at 11:11 AM on November 15, 2007

The only times I've ever played Rez, I was high.
posted by box at 1:42 PM on November 15, 2007

Does anyone here have the vibrating attachment that Rez originally came with? My understanding was that my girlfriend would find some of the Rez levels to be highly entertaining. My used copy didn't come with this accessory. Come to think of it, I don't think I want this accessory in used condition.
posted by Area Control at 2:41 PM on November 15, 2007

I think you could get away with it if you practiced safe Rez
posted by Molesome at 3:04 PM on November 15, 2007

I never owned a Trance Vibrator myself, but I once bought one off eBay for my then-girlfriend. If memory serves, it also works with the PS2 version of Space Channel 5.

(Also, previously on Metafilter.)
posted by box at 3:28 PM on November 15, 2007

(Oops--that link's in the post.)
posted by box at 3:29 PM on November 15, 2007

Yay! HD Rez makes life worth living! And the Lucky Wander Boy reference makes me want to kiss you.

Area Control: Sega included a washable pouch with the vibrator. Not that I can imagine that would change your mind.

box: Oddly enough, the few times I was high and playing Rez I was unmoved.
posted by Weebot at 3:55 PM on November 15, 2007

Own it. Love it. Sweet Zombie Jesus, I must have that t-shirt!

And thanks to NationalKato, I also now have a nice free Xbox 360 to play it on. Goodbye PS2!
posted by Dantien at 4:20 PM on November 15, 2007

If I've never played Rez, yet still know all about it, it's not so obscure.
posted by mrgrimm at 10:42 AM on November 16, 2007