Rez Infinite is an on-rails shooter for the PS4. This is a port of the Dreamcast game, but of course with updated graphics and a brand new area. Both parts are compatible with PlayStation VR, which is a nice bonus if you have that peripheral. The game has two modes, Rez and Area X. Rez is the original game, while Area X is the new portion for this version. Bearing in mind that this is an older game, the graphics are not stellar, however, its aesthetics, deliberately being low-res polygons and wireframes has aged well and still looks pretty good to this day.
The gameplay and controls are simple. This is an on-rails shooter, so the character moves forward automatically. As the player, you basically just shoot everything that you can. You can only control the target reticule with either the analogue stick or the d-pad. Enemies will appear in front and move around, as you move the reticule over them and hold down X, it will lock onto them. When you release the X button, the character will shoot and strike the enemies down. Enemies can also attack you by firing projectiles and they will always hit as you control only the target reticule and nothing else. Therefore the only way to avoid damage from those projectiles are to shoot them down as well.
In addition to the basic lock-on attack, you get a special ability known as Overdrive. This basically automatically shoots everything on sight for a few seconds when activated, which is perfect for when you’re overwhelmed with enemies or projectiles. This has limited use, and you need to obtain it from red orb from enemies first, stacking up to four uses at a time. The other thing is that enemies drop blue orbs, which act as your health in a way. Your character has various forms, and collecting eight blue orbs will level up your character, changing their form to be more sophisticated. This has the practical effect of allowing you to take an extra hit (and if you do take a hit, you’ll go down a form).
It’s a simple game but that’s what makes rail shooters so fun and hectic. Rez Infinite has the added advantage of adding music into the mix. The background music syncs up with the sounds that it makes whenever you shoot something. It’s a hypnotic combination that works surprisingly well. Then there’s the controller vibrations. It has one of the best haptic feedback in a game as it syncs so well with the music. Coupled with the constantly shifting wireframe or low polygon backgrounds, and this is an extremely unique experience that’s hard to describe. It’s easy to get into the “zone” while playing and be completely immersed into the game.
However, there are some flaws with the game. As you’d expect, the game is level based, with only five levels in its main single player mode. The difficulty starts off easy but will ramp up. Early enemies can be defeated with only one hit, but later on they’ll take multiple hits. You can only lock onto eight enemies at once, but when they are spread farther apart, it can be harder. Later levels also have obstacles spawning right in front of you so you get less time to react and get rid of them. Once the enemies that can bombard you with projectiles shows up, then you need to be aware of everything that’s happening around the character as the camera angle can be shifted around you.
Each level has a boss at the end and levels are generally fairly short, which is a good thing because if you die, you’ll have to start the level from scratch if you wanted another shot at the boss. So the first four levels take around 10 minutes each, but it’s the fifth and final level that’s slightly annoying. It’s the longest one, taking around 20 minutes but it features a boss rush at the end, and just like the other levels, if you die, you’ll have to repeat it from the beginning which can be grating.
To help alleviate some of the frustration, the first four levels can be completed in a mode where you cannot die. So if you want to just enjoy the sights and gameplay without the stress of dying, then that’s for you. The fifth level doesn’t have this option though so you’ll need good skills to defeat the final boss but all told, it’s only take you around two to two and a half hours to complete, which isn’t long. What gives the game longevity are the other modes.
After you’ve finished the five main levels, the game will unlock Score Attack. You can play through the levels again to gain a high score. Then there are the Beyond levels. Most of these reuses the same levels but adds in a twist like playing through all five levels in one hit. There is a level that’s different though which is worth playing through as it’s a new experience. If you’re aiming to complete everything and gain the Trophies though, it’ll be tough.
Area X is the brand new portion of the game developed specifically for this re-release. You can tell because the graphics are on a whole other level. It looks absolutely stunning, especially the colorful particle effects. It’s the perfect combination of sights and sound. The gameplay is similar, but you now lack the Overdrive attack, and leveling up to gain a higher form only requires one item instead of collecting eight. On the flipside, the level is easier and it only takes 15 minutes to finish, which is a little bit short and underwhelming, especially with how good that was.
Area X doesn’t have much left to do once you’ve gone through it once. You can go through it one more time to fight the alternate boss, but the only difference being the ending on whether birds or butterflies appears. There’s also the mode where you cannot die. There’s no official score although you can go back in to aim for a higher shotdown rate (basically how many of the enemies you’ve taken down) but that’s it. Compared to the main portion of the game, this is basically just an extra level rather than a more substantial addition.
Overall, Rez Infinite is a unique game combining music and rail shooter into something that you would have thought wasn’t really possible. While the original portion’s graphics are dated, it’s sharpened up enough to have that old school charm. The new Area X is fantastic though, and it’s a shame that there’s only that short portion. The game itself can be experienced within a few hours, so it’s up to the player on whether they’ll continue to replay the same levels in order to gain high scores or achieve the Trophies. As it is, Rez Infinite is still a great game worth experiencing.
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