Pre-TGS '07: Rez HD Hands-On

Hot on the heels of Q Entertainment's recent announcement of Rez for Xbox Live Arcade, we had the chance to head over to the Q's offices in Japan to get a look at an early, work-in-progress version of the game. The unique game was a labor of love from Tetsuya Mizuguchi's United Game Artists development studio at Sega and hit in early 2000. Originally developed for the Dreamcast, the game migrated to the PlayStation 2 as Sega started shifting to multiplatform development. The timing of the game's release, as well as its unique mix of gameplay, music, and trippy visuals made it challenging for Rez to find broad success. (We also expect the limited run and PlayStation-only US release didn't help either.) However, in spite of or perhaps because of the game's bumpy road to release in the US, it gained a devoted cult following.

For those who aren't familiar with the unique shooter, we'll try to fill you in on some details. The big challenge in describing Rez is that while the game might sound unremarkable (it's best described as a futuristic rail shooter), once you play it Rez winds up being something more. The combination of stylized visuals and music offers an experience that's rarely been seen since.

The actual game content is essentially the same as the PS2 and DC games from back in the day. You'll be able to play the proper game mode that sends you through five oh-so-trippy levels and face off against bosses at the end of each level. However, you'll also be able to go through the game in several other unlockable modes that range from time attack to the low-key traveling mode, which lets you just kick back and enjoy the trippy presentation. Besides featuring upgraded visuals, Rez's audio is getting upgraded to support 5.1. The gameplay is faithful to the original game's minimalist approach and sends you through the five levels on rails, throwing assorted enemies at you. You'll defend yourself by shooting at enemies you target with an onscreen reticle. If you start to get overwhelmed, you can use a powerful smart-bomb-style "overdrive" attack, which unleashes a massive flurry of attacks that takes out anything around you for a short period of time. You'll also be able to enhance your firepower by collecting power ups, which evolve you into one of six different forms, each of which has improved attacks.

So how does all this hold up on the Xbox 360? It holds up really well so far. We had the chance to try a bit of the first two levels and are pleased by what we've seen. The visuals pop, thanks to their HD makeover. Q is working with developer HexaDrive Inc., an Osaka-based studio made up of ex-Capcom employees, to ensure that the game is jaggy-free and ready for HD resolutions. For those who like it jaggy, hoping to keep it real, Rez HD will let you choose between HD and SD modes. As we mentioned, the early version of the game we tried looked and played quite well. There are some minor performance issues right now, but that is to be expected given its early state.

Based on what we played, Rez is shaping up very nicely for its HD close-up. The visuals and audio are both headed in the right direction. They should also ensure Rez offers the same, trippy experience the original did, but now in HD. While the game still isn't for everyone, Rez feels surprisingly contemporary despite its age and should fit in quite nicely with the eclectic catalog of XBLA titles. Fans or the curious should keep an eye out for the game when it hits Xbox Live Arcade next year. Look for more on the game in the coming months.