Rez HD is Coming

Rez is a bit of a cult classic in the videogame world. Released on the Dreamcast and PlayStation 2 roughly six years ago, it was revered by many, though played by few. For years tracking down a retail copy was tough and expensive work. Soon, finding the game won't be an issue. The trippy rail-shooter is just a hop, skip and a jump away from releasing on the Xbox Live Arcade for 800 Microsoft Points (US$10). This is the part where you get excited.

Rez HD is the version of the game that Tetsuya Mizuguchi, chief creative officer of Q Entertainment, has always wanted to release. The PS2 and Dreamcast jaggies in the wire-frame models are all but wiped clean with the improved resolution and widescreen format. It truly is a sight to behold, but you're missing the point if you only use your eyes.

"If you listen to the sounds, the music, you can feel the color," Mizuguchi told IGN as he explained that Rez HD is just as much an experience as it is a game. As is the trademark of Mizuguchi and Q Entertainment, the sounds and vibration are intricately woven into the gameplay. Shoot down an incoming enemy and you'll add effects to the trance music already playing, weaving new layers of sound into the game as you play.

How important is vibration to the gameplay of Rez? A trance vibrator peripheral was actually released for the PS2 to extend the experience beyond what a controller could do. "I needed the extra vibration," says Mizuguchi. "PS2 had the USB port. OK, let's use this!" This explanation came after he turned on a second Xbox 360 controller and shoved it between Andy Eddy's leg and the couch. The three unused controllers on Rez HD can be turned on to trance mode if you also need some extra vibration.

There is a game here, too. It's not all just sensory explosions. If you've played a rail shooter like Panzer Dragoon then you already have a basic understanding of how Rez HD works. Obstacles are presented and it's up to you to target and shoot them down before you get hit. It's a simple gameplay concept with a design roots in the classic shooters of yesteryear. Mizuguchi told us that while playing games like Xenon 2 on the Amiga, he listened to music in his mind. Rez takes that idea and puts it into practice.

Mizuguchi has been a big supporter of the Xbox Live Arcade in the past and his feelings haven't changed in the least. "Xbox Live Arcade is a great system -- a new platform, I think," he explained. The demos going straight to the consumer and their ability to make an immediate purchase afterwards is a fantastic evolution according to Mizuguchi. When Rez first launched on PS2 and Dreamcast, it was a bit daunting for consumers. The unique experience is a tough purchase at a full retail price. That's why he wanted to bring the game to the Xbox Live Arcade. The new delivery system allows people to give it a try and then make the leap to spending money with little risk.

"I think this is a new style of gaming," says Mizuguchi while talking about the XBLA. We agree. Give the Rez HD demo a shot when it releases on the Xbox Live Arcade. In the meantime you can head over to the Rez HD website (www.thatgamecalledrez.com) and register before January 27 for a chance at snagging one of 50 prepaid codes that are being given away.

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