Time to throw my opinion in a bit, seeing how it's largely the same as Hushy's it will be better to put it in the same thread. Hushy, perhaps you can edit the thread title and put the [DC/PS2] tag in front of it?
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Rez, now how to say this. Some say it's just another shooter, even being a rather weak one, while others think it the best thing since sliced bread. I'm edging towards the latter opinion. I was skeptical at first, it was supposed to be a unique, trippy experience. How right they were!
This game was originally released on Dreamcast, developed by the same people behind the good old Space Channel 5 games, another obscure game I will have to look into btw
So what is it all about? Well there is some kind of story behind it, summed up you are supposed to be some sort of hacker in a system because something is trapped inside. At least, that's what I made out of it. It doesn't really matter much, since it's all about the entire game. You play this game "on rails", meaning you don't really have much freedom to move around, you don't decide your own pace, all you do is move the cursor and decide how much you deviate from the set path. Meanwhile, there's hundreds of bullets and enemies floating around you. Don't worry, like I said, this isn't Ikaruga.
Now here's the unique part: The game isn't even hard. It requires attention, yes, but only a few of these enemies will actually try to hurt you. It's a good thing though, because you don't want to worry too much when playing this game, that's simply not the point. What you do is move the cursor, and "tag" up to eight targets at a time, release the A button and see your character shoot down the targets. Now that's when the game starts to come alive. When you start the game, there's just a beat. As soon as you press A, you notice there's a clap, which completely syncs with the beat, no matter how hard you try to go off-beat. Hushy, try it, it's fun making music.
Now as you have selected enemies, the bigger the combo, the more music will be created. Not only that, but an entire arrange of lighting effects will provide visual stimuli. Of course, you do get better scores the more combos you make and enemies to defeat, so there definitely is something to achieve in this game. It also has an effect on deciding whether or not you'll be fighting a hard boss, or an easy one.
Speaking of which, the graphics are just another unique aspect of this game. Don't expect your average game design. You will mostly see wireframes filled in with all kinds of weird textures. It's hard to explain, so a screenshot will have to do the trick here.
Yes, this really is a game you cannot play while not being completely dedicated to it. For the best Rez experience you really need to grab some quality headphones, close the curtains and tell your mom not to bug you with a cup of tea. Also, make sure you have a vibration device. Whether it's a Dreamcast Jump Pack, or your sister's USB sex toy, it's simply a vital part of the game. This is a game to space out on, and enjoy every second of it.
Some might find the game a little short though. There's not that many levels to play, yet each of them is such a unique experience, it's hard not recommending this game to any gamer who considers himself open minded. This is also a game that keeps you coming back for more, especially once you have finished the individual levels and you've unlocked the bonus modes, which include doing all levels in one go, in different colour schemes even!
In short, this is just another game that has become a big cult hit, while never having been a commercial success, much like the system it was initially released on. The game has become pretty rare, so expect to pay at least €40,- or $55,- for it. On Dreamcast, it doesn't matter if you get the Japanese or European version, both are in English, just don't look for a US version, cause there simply isn't one.
+ Unique art style
+ Unique blend of audio, video, and "rumble"
+ Great sound track
- Not for everyone