Following a very successful stint as a PlayStation VR launch title back in 2017 and a subsequent release on PC VR, publisher Enhance Games have now brought Rez Infinite over to the Oculus Quest.
I’d imagine that a lot of gamers don’t even know what Rez is… I mean, it’s certainly more of a cult release, but those who romped through its rhythm-shooting gameplay will certainly have fond memories of its zany action. Now, with the added immersion of virtual reality, it feels better than EVER to play, with Rez Infinite certainly standing out as a must-own title that should be on every virtual reality fan’s radar.
Ever played an on-rails shooter before? Well, you don’t need experience to feel right at home with Rez Infinite, with players following the peculiar floating protagonist through a range of visually epic levels whilst aiming the cursor to shoot away at any enemies in their path with homing missiles. There’s a big focus on taking out as many enemies as you can with each shot, so you’ll want to highlight them all for maximum efficiency.
The rail-based shooting mechanics of Rez Infinite work perfectly in virtual reality, with the lack of controlled movement on the player’s part making it feel perfectly comfortable to play. You won’t be pulling off quick jerky movements and you certainly won’t feel the nausea of having to crouch up and down across a myriad of complex hallways – instead, you follow a pre-set and wonderfully designed path that’s full of things to blast away at. It makes the whole thing feel fantastic to play for both virtual reality veterans and newbies to the headsets.
The gameplay mechanics of Rez Infinite are simple in design, but very effective. However, what makes the experience feel all the more special is the way in which it is presented. Besides each level being full to the brim with zany and vibrant cyberspace-themed sights that feel exhilarating to blast through in-game, there’s also a wonderful techno-style soundtrack that pulsates along with the action. This would already look and feel brilliant on a normal TV screen, but experiencing it in virtual reality? It’s absolutely fantastic and will keep you hooked into your Oculus Quest headset for hours on end (or as long as the battery lasts, I guess).
One interesting addition that’s brought to Rez Infinite is Area X, a game mode that actually gives you control of your movement and the freedom to fully explore your surroundings. In many ways it takes what makes the base game feel so special and completely flips it on its head by giving players the chance to dive into their stunning surroundings, all whilst blasting away at any enemies around them. It’s neat to see where the series could go in the future with Area X’s evolved gameplay, though its fairly limited here… maybe Rez Infinite 2 could be on the horizon, though?
Speaking about the main game, you can expect to play through five different areas in the campaign. This doesn’t really translate to an overly long experience, but there’s plenty on offer to make you come back for more, whether it’s to clear all enemies in a level or to simply admire the stages all over again. Then you’ve got things like Traveller Mode which allows you to play through levels sans any damage, Boss Rush that challenges you to take down the game’s bosses, Score Attack where you look to gain as high a score as possible, and Direct Assault that challenges you to get through the whole game in one go. It ensures there’s plenty to keep you busy, especially if you want to attain perfection across all modes.
That being said, it could be argued that Rez Infinite is guilty of feeling a little repetitive in places. The core gameplay mechanics do remain the same across all modes (except Area X) with players constantly highlighting enemies and shooting away at them. It’s a formula that has remained the same since the game first launched in 2001, with almost twenty-years of evolution coming to the genre since then.
Does it make the game any less fun to play? Hell no. Whilst the gameplay mechanics can feel a bit samey, the experience as a whole never feels any less enchanting thanks to how spectacular everything feels in the Oculus Quest headset. Whilst Rez has been around for a while (and across multiple platforms), it really feels at its best in virtual reality.
Summary
Rez Infinite is a special game that simply has to be seen in virtual reality to be appreciated, with its pulsating sights and sounds always exhilarating to experience. Add to that some mighty addictive gameplay mechanics and a myriad of modes to play through, and you’ll quickly find yourself completely hooked to this zany cyberspace-themed adventure.
It is guilty of being a little repetitive in places, but it never stops Rez Infinite from being fun to play.
Developer: Monstars Inc., Resonair, Q Entertainment, Enhance Games
Publisher: Enhance Games
Platform(s): Oculus Quest (Reviewed), PlayStation VR, PC VR
