Rez HD

Developer: Q Entertainment
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release Date: Jan. 30, 2008
System: Xbox 360 (original on PS2, Dreamcast)
ESRB Rating: E
Official Web Site

In a nutshell: Panzer Dragoon + an art project + a rave = Rez HD

0:00 Despite being a huge fan of both rhythm and experimental games, my only exposure to this game was seeing a friend play the Dreamcast version at a party roughly five years ago. It was... it was not a wild party.

0:01 A featureless albino woman is trapped in a tube. A vaguely human shape of rounded square discs hovers around, and then a wild quick zoom out from a white room. I feel like I'm in a college film class.

0:02 The tutorial automatically comes on-screen. Hold A and move the cursor to aim, let go to fire. That's it?

0:03 You can target up to eight enemies at a time. Items can increase your "level" or provide a screen-clearing "overdrive." Seems relatively standard so far, though I like the sound effects. "What lies at the dark end of this network?" the game asks. Is it pie? I hope it's pie!

0:04 I turn on vibration for the full Trance Vibrator experience. Also, for some reason, the point display is "off" by default, but how else will I know how awesome I am?


Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

PixelJunk Monsters

Developer: Q Games
Publisher: SCEA
Release Date: Jan. 2008
Systems: PS3
ESRB Rating: E
Official Web Site

In a nutshell: PS3-top Tower Defense

0:00 After a heated, split debate on the Game Trust mailing list, I had to check this one out for myself. I love the various Desktop Tower Defense games I've tried online, and I'm hoping this will capture the same feeling on my TV.

0:01 For some reason, the screen seems stuck in a widescreen ratio, meaning thick black bars sit at the bottom and top of my TV. Not all of us have fancy widescreen TVs, PixelJunk!

0:02 How to play: "d-pad or analog stick moves, X selects, O cancels." Can't get much simpler than that! I have to walk around and turn trees into enemy-destroying bases so I can protect a flock of cute, bouncing head things. There's lots of stuff to learn, but there's a tutorial. Let's go!

0:04 "They'll come soon! Get ready!" Creepy! I build an "arrow" tower and watch as a helpless monster wanders into its attack radius and explodes with a cute little yelp. Collect the coins it drops, build another tower, lather, rinse, repeat!

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer