Rez Infinite (2016)

Having the audio-visual sensory ride of my life in Rez Infinite.

Vaguely remember the original on PS1 and wasn't sure what to expect here, but they've given you the original Rez experience to play on desktop or VR, and then a new VR-only Mode that's very short but more inline with Tetris Effect. Both are gorgeous to look at and listen to. Really enjoying this!

Even without a PSVR2 set, I was able to get "in the zone", completely submerged in the visuals and music. I can't even imagine the experience of playing in VR.

Sadly, the new native version for PS5 doesn't have any obviose new features. If you already played it and enjoyed it in other system, no need for this one.

Full review in spanish on GamerFocus.

Now let's try Tetris Effect: Connected.

very good just short (and the main game is a port that amazingly fits this medium) and really simple and easy so there isnt too much replay value. would love to play shooting games like Astebreed, sin and punishment etc in VR. the neat thing here is the mixed control scheme in both gsmes (classic and area x). you use a wand like a wimote and aimpoint your lock on reticule, while also may use head tracking to override your wand movement. the result is pretty nice for a shooting game.

game factor: 4
experience factor: 4
length/replay: 2
physical intensity: 1

PROS

• Rez is a classic and it looks better than ever here
• Dope soundtrack that puts you in the game, especially on headphones
• Wonderful audio design mixes the sound of your every action into the beat
• VR mode is silky smooth and very immersive
• Weird thematic combination of hacking and evolution creates a unique tonal experience
• The end stage boss fights are beautiful and super fun to fight
• New Area X is visually breathtaking

CONS

• VR headset aiming makes the game ridiculously easy
• Campaign is way too short
• Mechanics are probably too simple for serious Rail Shooter enthusiasts

Rez is a synesthetic cyberpunk rails shooter designed by Tetsuya Mizuguchi, initially inspired by the works of Bauhaus painter Wassily Kandinsky and originally developed for the Sega Dreamcast. Those that know me could probably predict my enjoyment of the game from that sentence alone.

Rez Infinite is the third and best incarnation of the game I've played (the other two being on PlayStation 2 and the Xbox 360). It remains (IMO) Mizuguchi's most self-contained and focused work, and a testament to how well stylized aesthetics and straightforward mechanics tend to age.

Area X was fun, but its emphasis on particles over polygons did not impress me as much as the main game. That said, I was not able to play in VR, which seems like the preferred method of play for this mode.

I initially played the Rez Infinite demo on PSVR and found it lack-luster. After some prodding from @tylerisrandom I put it on my Steam wishlist. With the Steam sale, I finally grabbed it and fired it up on the Vive. My first few minutes with it were much like I remembered my PSVR experience: a game that seemed neat but was surprisingly difficult to control in VR. Thankfully, I dug into the settings and was able to change the aiming to head-tracking only (control type 3) and my next 30 minutes were a blur of exploding vector lines and dynamic 2000s electronica.

I kept most of the more immersive settings turned down (in case the game made me puke), but given the success so far and the relatively short time required to complete, I think I'll crank everything up to max and see how immersed I can become.

So after ignoring this game since it was released I finally got around to playing it. It's bizarre looking at old reviews and everyone acting like this was some wonder-miracle. It's basically a rail shooter with a lock-on like panzer dragoon. The gimmick, which come out as techno blips, is the sound effects change their pitch to work better with the music, creating a more dynamic rhythm. It's cute, maybe even something more games should have, but hardly a reason to put laurels on the game.

The game itself is mostly a novelty that wears out pretty fast. I did enjoy it for about an hour so, but no more. The shooting isn't particularly intense, with many screens not even having anything that can harm you and the scoring system is just measuring what % of guys you killed. The art style is supposed to be a visual representation of you 'hacking' your way into the enemy computer, although it's not done particularly well done. A bunch of prismatic low poly 3D shapes floating around a psychedelic background is an image that wears out pretty fast. There's only 5 levels but they all look very similar to each other minus the bosses.