Words cannot describe…

…how excited I am that Rez is coming to Live! Arcade. And not just Rez, though that would almost be enough on it’s own, but a revamped Rez in glorious High Definition and Dolby 5.1 surround sound.

It’s like someone looked into my heart and made manifest my deepest desires.

Rez is more than just a game. In fact, taken solely in the context of videogames in general, you could even say that Rez isn’t particularly remarkable; at the core it’s a rail shooter whose combat is relatively shallow. But this is the view of someone who hasn’t actually experienced Rez. I used the word “experienced” rather than “played” deliberately — Rez is about the synergy between action and sensation, about the way its gameplay integrates seamlessly with complex, morphing visual and aural aesthetics. It’s one of the few games that is just as much fun to watch as it is to play.

The “HD Revolution” that the 360 and PS3 were supposed to bring to gaming is yet to materialize, in my eyes, primarily because it just isn’t necessary. Gear of War looks great, and there’s no denying that the increased graphical capabilities add to the impact of the aesthetic, but it’s a far cry from an argument for the necessity of HD. Rez, a game that depends on its artistic visuals, music and sounds for its brilliance, will be the truest test of HD gaming.

I’m pretty excited.