Rez Infinite

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

I've owned multiple copies of Rez/Rez Infinite over the years. Dreamcast, Xbox 360, Playstation 4, Quest, and PC. Tonight was the first time I've ran through it in VR on PC and it's exactly what I needed after a terrible work week. I cannot recommend this game enough VR or no VR. It is and has been in my top 10 games of forever since I played it back in 2001 on the Dreamcast.

I got this for VR and it's mechanically simple, an on rails shooter like Star Fox 64 except you can easily just point in VR which is nice so you can enjoy the visuals and music.

Game has an amazing sound track and is extremely chill it's older but if you don't mind the somewhat dated graphics I would highly recommend it. The game is a visual / auditory masterpiece. That is the reason to play the game.

"Japanese games just suck. Except for Rez, it's so cool, I named my own game Fez." - Phil Fish, apparently, who is actually listed in the credits, for some strange reason.

Sometimes life feels like a constant rush, overloaded with noise, uncertainty and the pressure to keep moving. It's no wonder so many of us search for a break in the blur, somewhere off the grid and away from the static. For many people video games are exactly that kind of space, a sanctuary - both simple and profound. With Rez Infinite I wasn’t looking for much, just something that could ease the pressure a little. At first it seemed like it might be that kind of game, but the effect was subtle and never quite managed to shift the mental weight I’d been hoping to escape.
Rez sets up an idea of a story or at least gestures at one, but fails to follow through, you dive into a network to battle with some viruses. The reasons behind it? Something about overpopulation, online crime and an ultra advanced AI that is apparently overwhelmed with something, I don’t know but this game claims to be a legendary masterpiece. The developer is considered an artist, researcher and visionary, known for exploring immersive media and his goal with Rez was to create a game that fuses music, visual art and interaction into a synesthetic experience. So did he pull it off? Maybe. But in my opinion, calling it a legendary masterpiece is heavily overhyped.
Opinions differ and that’s okay. Taste is subjective, but I’m always open to an exchange of views. It’s just that for me, a legendary masterpiece is a truly standout game that was highly influential in its time, like The Legend of Zelda, Descent or Planescape Torment. In comparison, Rez feels more like something in the category of MDK, Bad Mojo or Loom. And I played a lot of MDK back then, so just to be clear, this isn’t an insult. Visually, it’s somewhat interesting but definitely not outstanding, neither back then nor today. The gameplay doesn’t offer much either. And as for sound and music, for something that aims to be experimental, atmospheric and artistic, it honestly often feels quite generic and far too repetitive but it does have its moments.
Conclusion: Not particularly impressed or convinced, it just didn’t quite win me over. But I’d still recommend giving it a try if you’re into unconventional experiences or abstract aesthetics. I haven’t played the VR version, so I can’t comment on that. If you’ve never heard of the game Rez or Tetsuya Mizuguchi (Child of Eden, Lumines) ...or are up for something else, here’s a area 1 playthrough video:

These developers are the GOATS!
I love this games' visuals. Rez 1 is all digital and low-poly coolness with some deep messages and story while Area X is a particle palooza! This game, alongside Tetris Effect, is truly a breathtaking visual and audio experience that must be experienced in all ways possible, especially in VR!