Rez

Rez, released on the Sega Dreamcast and Playstation 2, has been widely hailed as one of the most innovative video games in the history of the industry. Rez totally defies conventional classification, and is described by lead designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi as an experience in "Synaesthesia". "Rez is a game that combines music, visuals, and vibrations," explains Mizuguchi in an interview with IGN.com's David Smith. " 'Synaesthesia' comes from two words: 'syn' as in 'synchronized' and 'aesthesia' as in 'aesthetics.' This is a phenomenon discussed by artists around a hundred years ago, people like Kandinsky, looking at the way different senses work together or cross over. For example, when you hear something, it can create a picture in your mind. You can smell something, and link that to a visual image. Now, we can create art that combines different senses -- seeing, hearing, feeling -- together."

In it's most simple form Rez could be broadly described as a forward scrolling shooter. However, "calling Rez a shooter would be like calling a discotheque a light bulb" (Mifsud, 2002). By controlling an avatar and shooting 'enemies', one simultaneously creates an artistic experience that combines amazing hi-tech wire frame graphics, techno music, gameplay and touch (through controller vibrations).

A typical scene from Rez. (© United Game Artists)

"The game's music and visuals are strongly bound together; changes and mutations in one are mirrored or countered in the other. More importantly, everything the player does creates sound and vision - not mere sound effects, but music. Every time the player presses the lock-on button, a snare drum snaps. Each enemy lock-on brings forth a hi-hat click. Firing plays out a musical phrase, different according to the number and type of targets, stage, layer, and avatar. Explosions are hard-hit power chords; layer changes are swelling crescendos. All of this is matched by a frenetic display of cycling colours, rotating perspectives, oscillating boundaries, and non-Euclidean geometries. The controller's vibrations are also carefully balanced between accenting the music and reinforcing the player's actions." (Vestal, 2002)

Indeed, it is quite difficult to fully comprehend Rez without experiencing it for oneself. It is not hard though, to realise that it does provide a fascinating, totally unique interactive gaming experience.