Difference between revisions of "Rez"
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|publisher=[[Sega]], SCE (PS2 Version (Europe)), Microsoft Game Studios (Xbox 360 Version) | |publisher=[[Sega]], SCE (PS2 Version (Europe)), Microsoft Game Studios (Xbox 360 Version) | ||
| − | |developer=[[United Game Artists]] | + | |developer=[[United Game Artists]] Q Entertainment (Xbox 360) |
|system=[[Dreamcast]], [[PlayStation 2]], [[Xbox 360]] | |system=[[Dreamcast]], [[PlayStation 2]], [[Xbox 360]] | ||
| − | |europe= | + | |europe={{DC}} January 11, 2002 {{PS2}} February 22, 2002 {{360}} Jan. 30, 2008 |
| − | |usa= | + | |usa={{PS2}} January 7, 2002 {{360}} January 30, 2008 |
| − | |japan= | + | |japan={{DC}} {{PS2}} November 21, 2001 {{360}} January 30, 2008 |
|genre=Rail Shooter, Music game | |genre=Rail Shooter, Music game | ||
|esrb=e | |esrb=e | ||
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|adese=tp}} | |adese=tp}} | ||
| − | '''''Rez''''', developed under the codename '''''K-Project''''', '''''Project Eden''''', and '''''Vibes''''', is a rail shooter video game released by [[Sega]] in Japan in 2001 for the [[Dreamcast]] and [[PlayStation 2]], with a European [[Dreamcast]] release and United States [[PlayStation 2]] release in 2002. The game was developed by [[Sega]]'s [[United Game Artists]] division, which contained several former members of the disbanded Team Andromeda, the Sega development team behind the [[Panzer Dragoon]] series. It was conceptualized and produced by [[Tetsuya Mizuguchi]]. Mizuguchi is now well-known for more his more recent games, including Lumines, Every Extend Extra and Meteos. His company, Q Entertainment released a high definition version, Rez HD to the Xbox Live Arcade in 2008. | + | '''''Rez''''', developed under the codename '''''K-Project''''', '''''Project Eden''''', and '''''Vibes''''', is a rail shooter video game released by [[Sega]] in Japan in 2001 for the [[Sega Dreamcast]] and [[PlayStation 2]], with a European [[Dreamcast]] release and United States [[PlayStation 2]] release in 2002. The game was developed by [[Sega]]'s [[United Game Artists]] division, which contained several former members of the disbanded [[Team Andromeda]], the Sega development team behind the ''[[Panzer Dragoon]]'' series. It was conceptualized and produced by [[Tetsuya Mizuguchi]]. Mizuguchi is now well-known for more his more recent games, including ''Lumines'', ''Every Extend Extra'' and ''Meteos''. His company, Q Entertainment released a high definition version, ''Rez HD'' to the [[Xbox Live Arcade]] in 2008. |
The game is notable for replacing the typical sound effects found in most rail shooter games with electronic music, with sounds and melodies created by the player as they target and destroy foes in the game, leading to a form of synesthesia, enhanced by an optional Trance Vibrator peripheral. Although Rez was critically acclaimed, it did not get much commercial attention in the United States. | The game is notable for replacing the typical sound effects found in most rail shooter games with electronic music, with sounds and melodies created by the player as they target and destroy foes in the game, leading to a form of synesthesia, enhanced by an optional Trance Vibrator peripheral. Although Rez was critically acclaimed, it did not get much commercial attention in the United States. | ||
| − | + | ==Story== | |
The game is set in futuristic computer "supernetwork" called the K-project where much of the data flow is controlled by an AI named Eden. Eden has become overwhelmed with the amount of knowledge gathered on the network, causing her to doubt her existence and enter a shutdown sequence, which would create catastrophic problems everywhere should she be able to complete this. The player plays the protagonist hacker, logging into the K-project system to reboot Eden while destroying any viruses or firewalls that happen to inhibit progress, and analyzing other sub-areas of the network to gain access to Eden's location. The K-Project name and much of the game's visual and synesthesia inspiration comes from the Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky, whose name is mentioned at the very end of the game credits, whereas the Rez name was inspired by the Underworld track of the same name. | The game is set in futuristic computer "supernetwork" called the K-project where much of the data flow is controlled by an AI named Eden. Eden has become overwhelmed with the amount of knowledge gathered on the network, causing her to doubt her existence and enter a shutdown sequence, which would create catastrophic problems everywhere should she be able to complete this. The player plays the protagonist hacker, logging into the K-project system to reboot Eden while destroying any viruses or firewalls that happen to inhibit progress, and analyzing other sub-areas of the network to gain access to Eden's location. The K-Project name and much of the game's visual and synesthesia inspiration comes from the Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky, whose name is mentioned at the very end of the game credits, whereas the Rez name was inspired by the Underworld track of the same name. | ||
| − | + | ==Gameplay== | |
| − | Rez is a rail shooter in which the player takes control of an onscreen avatar traveling along a predetermined path through the computer network. The player cannot affect his or her movement in any way. The player targets foes by holding a "lock-on" button while moving an aiming reticule over up to 8 enemies. Once the "lock-on" button is released, the avatar fires shots that home in on each target. Failure to hit an enemy or projectile in time may cause a collision, which reduces the player's current evolution level by one and changes the avatar's form. The game is over if the avatar is hit while at its lowest possible level. At higher evolution levels, the avatar appears as a humanoid figure, while it appears as a simple sphere at the lowest level. | + | ''Rez'' is a rail shooter in which the player takes control of an onscreen avatar traveling along a predetermined path through the computer network. The player cannot affect his or her movement in any way. The player targets foes by holding a "lock-on" button while moving an aiming reticule over up to 8 enemies. Once the "lock-on" button is released, the avatar fires shots that home in on each target. Failure to hit an enemy or projectile in time may cause a collision, which reduces the player's current evolution level by one and changes the avatar's form. The game is over if the avatar is hit while at its lowest possible level. At higher evolution levels, the avatar appears as a humanoid figure, while it appears as a simple sphere at the lowest level. |
Some enemies drop power-up items when destroyed. Two different items enhance the player's avatar by increasing his/her "evolution bar" by one and three points respectively. Another item enables the player to trigger an "Overdrive", which releases a continuous shower of shots at all enemies on the screen for a short period of time. In some game modes, score bonus items also appear periodically. | Some enemies drop power-up items when destroyed. Two different items enhance the player's avatar by increasing his/her "evolution bar" by one and three points respectively. Another item enables the player to trigger an "Overdrive", which releases a continuous shower of shots at all enemies on the screen for a short period of time. In some game modes, score bonus items also appear periodically. | ||
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The final area features a variable difficulty scale, depending on the player's performance in the first four areas. According to Sega, this system was employed to make the game more accessible to casual players, while also making it more challenging for experienced players, thus potentially increasing its replay value. In addition, completing all five levels unlocks alternate gameplay modes, color schemes and secret areas. | The final area features a variable difficulty scale, depending on the player's performance in the first four areas. According to Sega, this system was employed to make the game more accessible to casual players, while also making it more challenging for experienced players, thus potentially increasing its replay value. In addition, completing all five levels unlocks alternate gameplay modes, color schemes and secret areas. | ||
| − | Unlike most games, Rez contains almost no sound effects or spoken dialogue. Instead, the game is set to trance music, which plays in the background and gradually evolves as the player moves among sections. The music is enhanced by musical effects (such as trills and drums) generated by the player's actions, enemies and surroundings. Player actions are usually locked to the rhythm of the music, such that shots and hits against enemies occur exactly on each beat (as opposed to occurring in real time). Graphical elements such as the polygons that make up the player's avatar, as well as background elements, also "beat" in time with the music. In reference to these coordinated effects, [[Sega]] focused its marketing of Rez primarily on the game's qualities of "synesthesia", the association of different senses and stimuli with one another. | + | Unlike most games, ''Rez'' contains almost no sound effects or spoken dialogue. Instead, the game is set to trance music, which plays in the background and gradually evolves as the player moves among sections. The music is enhanced by musical effects (such as trills and drums) generated by the player's actions, enemies and surroundings. Player actions are usually locked to the rhythm of the music, such that shots and hits against enemies occur exactly on each beat (as opposed to occurring in real time). Graphical elements such as the polygons that make up the player's avatar, as well as background elements, also "beat" in time with the music. In reference to these coordinated effects, [[Sega]] focused its marketing of ''Rez'' primarily on the game's qualities of "synesthesia", the association of different senses and stimuli with one another. |
| − | + | ==Production Credits (Dreamcast Version)== | |
| − | Producer: [[Tetsuya Mizuguchi]]<br> | + | {{multicol| |
| − | Director: Jun Kobayashi (Mem)<br> | + | '''Producer:''' [[Tetsuya Mizuguchi]]<br> |
| − | Art Director & Lead Artist: Katsumi Yokota<br> | + | '''Director:''' Jun Kobayashi (Mem)<br> |
| − | Programming Director: Mitsuru Takahashi<br> | + | '''Art Director & Lead Artist:''' Katsumi Yokota<br> |
| − | Game Designers: [[Hiroyuki Abe]], Katsuhiko Yamada<br> | + | '''Programming Director:''' Mitsuru Takahashi<br> |
| − | Graphic Artists: Yasuhiko Matsuzaki (Mem), Noboru Hotta (Mem), Hideaki Takamura, Jake Kazdal, Haruka Yoshida<br> | + | '''Game Designers:''' [[Hiroyuki Abe]], Katsuhiko Yamada<br> |
| − | Programmers: Osamu Kodera, Kyosei Yukimoto, Keiichi Noda<br> | + | '''Graphic Artists:''' Yasuhiko Matsuzaki (Mem), Noboru Hotta (Mem), Hideaki Takamura, Jake Kazdal, Haruka Yoshida<br> |
| − | Assistant Producer: Mineko Okamura<br> | + | '''Programmers:''' Osamu Kodera, Kyosei Yukimoto, Keiichi Noda<br> |
| − | Assistant Director: Yu Ohmura<br> | + | '''Assistant Producer:''' Mineko Okamura<br> |
| + | '''Assistant Director:''' Yu Ohmura<br> | ||
| − | Sound And Music: [[Wave Master|Wave Master Inc.]]<br> | + | '''Sound And Music:''' [[Wave Master|Wave Master Inc.]]<br> |
| − | Sound Producer: [[Yukifumi Makino]]<br> | + | '''Sound Producer:''' [[Yukifumi Makino]]<br> |
| − | Sound Director: [[Tatsuya Kousaki]]<br> | + | '''Sound Director:''' [[Tatsuya Kousaki]]<br> |
| − | License Coordination: [[Fumitaka Shibata]]<br> | + | '''License Coordination:''' [[Fumitaka Shibata]]<br> |
| − | Artist Coordination: Masakazu Hiroishi<br> | + | '''Artist Coordination:''' Masakazu Hiroishi<br> |
| − | Sound Creator: Keiichi Sugiyama<br> | + | '''Sound Creator:''' Keiichi Sugiyama<br> |
| − | Assistant Sound Creator: [[Tomonori Sawada]], Koji Sakurai (Cubisme), [[Masafumi Ogata]] (Ams Co. Ltd.)<br> | + | '''Assistant Sound Creator:''' [[Tomonori Sawada]], Koji Sakurai (Cubisme), [[Masafumi Ogata]] (Ams Co. Ltd.)<br> |
| − | Sound Design & Supervising: Edizoo Tanuma<br> | + | '''Sound Design & Supervising:''' Edizoo Tanuma<br> |
| − | Game Tuning Support: Sarugakucho Inc, Ryosuke Oishi, Koji Nojiri, Hiroshi Sato, Toru Hashimoto, Noboru Matsumoto, Rtsushi Miyake, Miyuki Sato<br> | + | '''Game Tuning Support:''' Sarugakucho Inc, Ryosuke Oishi, Koji Nojiri, Hiroshi Sato, Toru Hashimoto, Noboru Matsumoto, Rtsushi Miyake, Miyuki Sato<br> |
| − | Technical Director: Osamu Hori<br> | + | '''Technical Director:''' Osamu Hori<br> |
| − | Technical Producer: Ryichi Hattori<br> | + | '''Technical Producer:''' Ryichi Hattori<br> |
| − | Special Thanks: All UGA Members And Thier Families, Toru Mita, Takashi Okamura, Kojiu Kaifu, Shigeru Araki, Michio Yokomizo, Ryutaro Sugiyama, Yoshiyuki Okaitsu, Toshihide Ozeki, Takao Esaka<br> | + | '''Special Thanks:''' All UGA Members And Thier Families, Toru Mita, Takashi Okamura, Kojiu Kaifu, Shigeru Araki, Michio Yokomizo, Ryutaro Sugiyama, Yoshiyuki Okaitsu, Toshihide Ozeki, Takao Esaka<br> |
| − | Producer's Special Thanks: Masatsuka Saki, Megumi Hosoya, Sei Ishii, Hisakazu Hirabayashi, Mitsuhiro Takemura, The Soul Of Kasumba Buore (1955-2001), [[Simon Jeffery]], [[Jason Kuo]]<br> | + | '''Producer's Special Thanks:''' Masatsuka Saki, Megumi Hosoya, Sei Ishii, Hisakazu Hirabayashi, Mitsuhiro Takemura, The Soul Of Kasumba Buore (1955-2001), [[Simon Jeffery]], [[Jason Kuo]]<br> |
===Sega Of America Inc.=== | ===Sega Of America Inc.=== | ||
| − | Vice President of Product Development: [[Jin Shimazaki]]<br> | + | '''Vice President of Product Development:''' [[Jin Shimazaki]]<br> |
| − | Localization Manager: Osamu Shibamiya<br> | + | '''Localization Manager:''' Osamu Shibamiya<br> |
| − | Localization Producer: Klayton Vorlick<br> | + | '''Localization Producer:''' Klayton Vorlick<br> |
| − | Lead Tester: Jordan Romaidis<br> | + | '''Lead Tester:''' Jordan Romaidis<br> |
| − | Assistant Lead Testers: Beejey Enriquez, Chester Lee<br> | + | '''Assistant Lead Testers:''' Beejey Enriquez, Chester Lee<br> |
| − | Director of Marketing: Mike Fischer<br> | + | '''Director of Marketing:''' Mike Fischer<br> |
| − | Senior Product Manager: Rob Alvarez<br> | + | '''Senior Product Manager:''' Rob Alvarez<br> |
| − | Associate Product Manager: Cord Smith<br> | + | '''Associate Product Manager:''' Cord Smith<br> |
| − | Director of Creative Services: Robert Schonfisch<br> | + | '''Director of Creative Services:''' Robert Schonfisch<br> |
| − | Project Manager: Angela Santos<br> | + | '''Project Manager:''' Angela Santos<br> |
| − | CS Project Coordinator: Arianne Pitts<br> | + | '''CS Project Coordinator:''' Arianne Pitts<br> |
| − | Director of Publishing: Kathy Schoback<br> | + | '''Director of Publishing:''' Kathy Schoback<br> |
| − | Senior Strategic Relations Manager: Roxana Nui<br> | + | '''Senior Strategic Relations Manager:''' Roxana Nui<br> |
| − | Public Relations: Yasushi Nagumo, Tomoe Akama, Junji Yamazaki, Mineko Okamura, Gwen Marker, Kirsten Merit<br> | + | '''Public Relations:''' Yasushi Nagumo, Tomoe Akama, Junji Yamazaki, Mineko Okamura, Gwen Marker, Kirsten Merit<br> |
| − | Promotion Art Director: Masahiro "Magic" Kobyashi<br> | + | '''Promotion Art Director:''' Masahiro "Magic" Kobyashi<br> |
| − | Executive Producer: [[Tetsu Kayama]]<br> | + | '''Executive Producer:''' [[Tetsu Kayama]]<br> |
| − | Created By: [[United Game Artists]]<br> | + | '''Created By:''' [[United Game Artists]]<br> |
| − | Presented By: [[Sega]]<br> | + | '''Presented By:''' [[Sega]]<br> |
| + | }} | ||
==Physical Scans== | ==Physical Scans== | ||
Revision as of 15:40, 26 December 2010
| Rez |
|---|
| System(s): Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360 |
| Publisher: Sega, SCE (PS2 Version (Europe)), Microsoft Game Studios (Xbox 360 Version) |
| Developer: United Game Artists Q Entertainment (Xbox 360) |
| Genre: Rail Shooter, Music game |
Rez, developed under the codename K-Project, Project Eden, and Vibes, is a rail shooter video game released by Sega in Japan in 2001 for the Sega Dreamcast and PlayStation 2, with a European Dreamcast release and United States PlayStation 2 release in 2002. The game was developed by Sega's United Game Artists division, which contained several former members of the disbanded Team Andromeda, the Sega development team behind the Panzer Dragoon series. It was conceptualized and produced by Tetsuya Mizuguchi. Mizuguchi is now well-known for more his more recent games, including Lumines, Every Extend Extra and Meteos. His company, Q Entertainment released a high definition version, Rez HD to the Xbox Live Arcade in 2008.
The game is notable for replacing the typical sound effects found in most rail shooter games with electronic music, with sounds and melodies created by the player as they target and destroy foes in the game, leading to a form of synesthesia, enhanced by an optional Trance Vibrator peripheral. Although Rez was critically acclaimed, it did not get much commercial attention in the United States.
Contents
Story
The game is set in futuristic computer "supernetwork" called the K-project where much of the data flow is controlled by an AI named Eden. Eden has become overwhelmed with the amount of knowledge gathered on the network, causing her to doubt her existence and enter a shutdown sequence, which would create catastrophic problems everywhere should she be able to complete this. The player plays the protagonist hacker, logging into the K-project system to reboot Eden while destroying any viruses or firewalls that happen to inhibit progress, and analyzing other sub-areas of the network to gain access to Eden's location. The K-Project name and much of the game's visual and synesthesia inspiration comes from the Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky, whose name is mentioned at the very end of the game credits, whereas the Rez name was inspired by the Underworld track of the same name.
Gameplay
Rez is a rail shooter in which the player takes control of an onscreen avatar traveling along a predetermined path through the computer network. The player cannot affect his or her movement in any way. The player targets foes by holding a "lock-on" button while moving an aiming reticule over up to 8 enemies. Once the "lock-on" button is released, the avatar fires shots that home in on each target. Failure to hit an enemy or projectile in time may cause a collision, which reduces the player's current evolution level by one and changes the avatar's form. The game is over if the avatar is hit while at its lowest possible level. At higher evolution levels, the avatar appears as a humanoid figure, while it appears as a simple sphere at the lowest level.
Some enemies drop power-up items when destroyed. Two different items enhance the player's avatar by increasing his/her "evolution bar" by one and three points respectively. Another item enables the player to trigger an "Overdrive", which releases a continuous shower of shots at all enemies on the screen for a short period of time. In some game modes, score bonus items also appear periodically.
The game consists of five main areas. The first four are divided into ten sub-sections and conclude with a boss battle. The final area contains a larger number of sections and a boss rush, in which the player must fight variations of the bosses from the first four areas. The player then goes on to the network's core to restart Eden in a final boss battle.
The final area features a variable difficulty scale, depending on the player's performance in the first four areas. According to Sega, this system was employed to make the game more accessible to casual players, while also making it more challenging for experienced players, thus potentially increasing its replay value. In addition, completing all five levels unlocks alternate gameplay modes, color schemes and secret areas.
Unlike most games, Rez contains almost no sound effects or spoken dialogue. Instead, the game is set to trance music, which plays in the background and gradually evolves as the player moves among sections. The music is enhanced by musical effects (such as trills and drums) generated by the player's actions, enemies and surroundings. Player actions are usually locked to the rhythm of the music, such that shots and hits against enemies occur exactly on each beat (as opposed to occurring in real time). Graphical elements such as the polygons that make up the player's avatar, as well as background elements, also "beat" in time with the music. In reference to these coordinated effects, Sega focused its marketing of Rez primarily on the game's qualities of "synesthesia", the association of different senses and stimuli with one another.
Production Credits (Dreamcast Version)
Producer: Tetsuya Mizuguchi
Director: Jun Kobayashi (Mem)
Art Director & Lead Artist: Katsumi Yokota
Programming Director: Mitsuru Takahashi
Game Designers: Hiroyuki Abe, Katsuhiko Yamada
Graphic Artists: Yasuhiko Matsuzaki (Mem), Noboru Hotta (Mem), Hideaki Takamura, Jake Kazdal, Haruka Yoshida
Programmers: Osamu Kodera, Kyosei Yukimoto, Keiichi Noda
Assistant Producer: Mineko Okamura
Assistant Director: Yu Ohmura
Sound And Music: Wave Master Inc.
Sound Producer: Yukifumi Makino
Sound Director: Tatsuya Kousaki
License Coordination: Fumitaka Shibata
Artist Coordination: Masakazu Hiroishi
Sound Creator: Keiichi Sugiyama
Assistant Sound Creator: Tomonori Sawada, Koji Sakurai (Cubisme), Masafumi Ogata (Ams Co. Ltd.)
Sound Design & Supervising: Edizoo Tanuma
Game Tuning Support: Sarugakucho Inc, Ryosuke Oishi, Koji Nojiri, Hiroshi Sato, Toru Hashimoto, Noboru Matsumoto, Rtsushi Miyake, Miyuki Sato
Technical Director: Osamu Hori
Technical Producer: Ryichi Hattori
Special Thanks: All UGA Members And Thier Families, Toru Mita, Takashi Okamura, Kojiu Kaifu, Shigeru Araki, Michio Yokomizo, Ryutaro Sugiyama, Yoshiyuki Okaitsu, Toshihide Ozeki, Takao Esaka
Producer's Special Thanks: Masatsuka Saki, Megumi Hosoya, Sei Ishii, Hisakazu Hirabayashi, Mitsuhiro Takemura, The Soul Of Kasumba Buore (1955-2001), Simon Jeffery, Jason Kuo
Sega Of America Inc.
Vice President of Product Development: Jin Shimazaki
Localization Manager: Osamu Shibamiya
Localization Producer: Klayton Vorlick
Lead Tester: Jordan Romaidis
Assistant Lead Testers: Beejey Enriquez, Chester Lee
Director of Marketing: Mike Fischer
Senior Product Manager: Rob Alvarez
Associate Product Manager: Cord Smith
Director of Creative Services: Robert Schonfisch
Project Manager: Angela Santos
CS Project Coordinator: Arianne Pitts
Director of Publishing: Kathy Schoback
Senior Strategic Relations Manager: Roxana Nui
Public Relations: Yasushi Nagumo, Tomoe Akama, Junji Yamazaki, Mineko Okamura, Gwen Marker, Kirsten Merit
Promotion Art Director: Masahiro "Magic" Kobyashi
Executive Producer: Tetsu Kayama
Created By: United Game Artists
Presented By: Sega
Physical Scans
Dreamcast Version
EU cover (front)
EU cover (back)
EU disc
JP cover (front)
JP cover (back)
PlayStation 2 Version
US cover
EU cover
