VR Gaming

50 Days of PS VR #50: Rez Infinite

, & Jamie Feltham

24 August 2016

Counting down the days to PlayStation VR? Well we are, too, and starting today there are just 50 days left until Sony’s headset finally hits the market. To celebrate, we’re kicking off a new feature series where we’ll spotlight one PS VR game a day until launch. Not every game featured in this series is a launch title for PS VR, but a lot of them are. First up, we have the resurrection of a cult classic in ‘Rez Infinite’ from Enhance Games.

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There’s a lot of love for Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s Rez out there. That much was obvious when a new VR edition of the game, Rez Infinite, was announced for PlayStation VR at last year’s PlayStation Experience conference; Twitter practically exploded into a confusing stream of capitalized messages and overused exclamation marks. If you were lucky enough to play the PS2 and Dreamcast original all the way back in 2002 (or 2001 for Japanese readers) then you’ll know why.

Rez is a hypnotizing, infectious trip that’s only going to get better with Sony’s new headset. You’re going to find yourself staring in wonder at the game’s vibrant, retro world and pulsating to its lively, unforgettable soundtrack.

For those that don’t know, the original Rez was an on-rails third-person rhythm shooter originally released by SEGA. As players travel along a set path, they’ll find their avatar evolving into new forms, often adding layers onto their model. Enemies will fly in from either side of the screen and attempt to return you to previous forms, but you’ll be able to fight back in style.

Rez has a lock-on mechanic in which you can target up to eight enemies and blow them away. In the cases of bosses, you’ll often be chipping away at panels and cutting away to the core of gigantic, labyrinthine monsters. Getting a sense of scale of those beasts in VR is something we’re really looking forward to.

The combination of frantic action, addictive music and intense boss encounters earned Rez the spot it has in the halls of gaming history. Rez Infinite isn’t going to tamper with that winning formula. It features the original campaign, plus some brand new content, making full use of PlayStation VR’s head-tracking. It’s also set to run at a blistering 120fps in-headset thanks to Sony’s reprojection technique, which should ensure a smoother gameplay experience than ever.

If the VR headset isn’t enough for you, you have to check out the incredible synesthesia suit that Mizuguchi wore when he revealed the game last year. It’s a vibrating body suit that rumbles in sync with what’s going on in the game, giving you a very surreal experience. We got to try the tech at SIGGRAPH earlier this month and loved the experience. What we don’t know is if Sony or Enhance Games is actually planning to sell the suit itself come launch, but we’re certainly hoping everyone has the chance to try it out.

Best of all? Rez Infinite is going to be a launch title for PS VR. That means you have a game that’s pretty much guaranteed to be great straight from day one.

If you’re looking forward to Rez Infinite as much as we are, then you may want to check out the game’s exclusive merchandise over at iam8bit. Along with a limited edition physical copy of the game, the company is also offering t-shirts and an irresistible vinyl soundtrack that’s sure to find a home in many a fans’ collection.