Fez (2012)

FEZ' formula is the protoype of a quintessential indie game: take a traditional genre (platformer), add one single but innovative mechanic to it (perspective change) and you can shine by well made design rather than with things that require high production cost.

FEZ has a sweet, quirky look and beautiful soundtrack, a low key interesting small narrative attachement but as the title says, what really makes it stand out is that continuosly pressing the buttons to change perspective never gets old and feels nice and fresh the entire short duration of the game.

The simple yet brilliant idea to add the third dimension to the traditional 2D-platformer without actually turning it into a 3D-platformer is almost genius and enough to make FEZ a very special experience.

Fortunately, not only the idea is good, it is executed well. The game organically turns the otherwise often way too stressful platformer genre into a riddle game.

The only critique I can come up with is that the almost metroidvany non-linearity of the world is actually quite unnecessary and confusing. I managed to find my way eventually, but when I had to retrack everything to get the full 32 cubes FEZ overstayed its welcome, frankly.

Oh, and FEZ was one of the first platformers without the backtrack after death penalty. Hence, it helped erase on of the most terrible game meachnics in the genre, once established by Mario Bros.

This game moved me quite a bit. I debated docking it a point over a few things I thought held it back a bit (tedious backtracking mostly, but also some puzzles that are a bit too cryptic for their own good), but by Grouvee standards, I "loved it", hence the 5 stars.

I'm fairly convinced that Fez impacted me first and foremost by its soundtrack, secondly by its gameplay, and thirdly by its world. In fact, the world, nor the pacing of the game, would be the same without the soundtrack, which to me is one of the best soundtracks in video games. It imbued me with a sense of loneliness and wonder as I wandered through countless worlds and dimensions steadily progressing, and plenty of times I paused to soak in the musical atmosphere as I pondered the meaning of it all. And the ending. Goodness.

The "meaning" of the game could be considered a hit or miss depending on the player. A lot of things are extremely esoteric, and while I have no shame in the fact that I looked up a guide on how to decipher the codes (props to those willing to take the time to decipher themselves), I did deeply enjoy thinking about why certain things in the game were the way they were (don't want to be more specific for fear of spoiling the game for those who haven't played). You learn to be more comfortable with the confusion.

The gameplay, also, is quite fun. Even if you aren't the type of person who enjoys seeking out and decoding hidden messages, the game can still be completed primarily as a puzzle-platformer. The main gimmick of shifting perspective stays fresh throughout the entire game and is thoroughly engaging. Lastly, the level design is stellar!

Check this game out, especially if you're into VGM.

“There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” -Aldous Huxley

.

FEZ is a game which has interested me for some time and my interest in it has only grown in recent days. This is because when I first purchased a PlayStation 4 and brought myself kicking and screaming into the current generation, one of the first games I watched a friend demo via the share play feature was FEZ. My comrade-in-games knew I gravitated toward pixel art and friendlier atmospheres so this was right up my alley. However, it would be more than a year later before a convenient sale on PSN furnished me with my own copy of the puzzle-platformer to plow through.

With the purchase came the inevitable critique and analysis. With research for this analysis came the inevitable discovery of controversy surrounding the creator of FEZ. With that came the loss of that beautiful bliss of ignorance. I have to ask myself: would I rather live without knowledge and happily enjoy things like FEZ or would I instead want to fully realize the controversy of the designer of this indie game, and risk having that color my experience of it? FEZ is a game about perception and now has my perception of it changed?

Another set of questions to ask, and important ones in our day and age, is can a creation be enjoyed separately from the character of its creator(s)? Can the persona behind a project be denounced while the project itself be praised? Or by purchasing and enjoying the project are you condoning all behaviors of its creator(s)? To what extent must the sins of the creator be distinct from the triumphs of their product before the product can be enjoyed? Do the moral failings of a given individual behind the development of a game really create not only the opportunity but the ethical necessity to cease and desist from enjoying their game, if indeed you purchased it in the first place? If so, then at what point and in what quantity do a creator’s moral failings equate the necessity of a boycott? Which moral failings must be present in order to reject their project? Which moral failings are acceptable in order for their project to still be enjoyed? What is the general consensus which must be reached in order for it to be deemed socially acceptable or unacceptable to participate in enjoying the project in question, if social pressure is even a relevant factor?

Okay, take a deep breath. It’s actually a lot more fun to talk about this than it seems.

Click here for the full review... https://thewellredmage.com/2017/09/19/fez/