Few games have had such a resounding impact on the gaming landscape as Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s aural and visual feast, Rez. A rails-shooter with a core difference, players engaged in a type of synaesthesia as they shot down convoluted vector graphics in a computer construct, each hit contributing a certain musical stanza to a wider, undulating sonic weave. There’s some debate regarding whether or not Rez was the first ‘musical shooter’. If it isn’t, it’s unquestionably the best one.
Of course, the term ‘musical shooter’ is in itself something abstract, Rez owning the unenviable accolade of being one of the hardest games to define. Most gamers simply said: “Just play it”; the game’s intrinsic appeal quickly embedding itself into the minds of those who, at first, hadn’t the foggiest what the hell was going on.
Rez went on to get a HD remake for Xbox LIVE (a version that is regarded as a glorious rendition of the Dreamcast and PS2 classic), but it wasn’t until Mizuguchi-san announced Child of Eden would we see a true sequel. Or at least a follow up in a “spiritual sense” if we’re to use the parlance of the day when talking about a continuation of a game property in all but name due to licencing issues.
Now that Mizuguichi-san is no longer with Sega, Ubisoft will publish the Q Entertainment developed Child of Eden, Q Entertainment being the development studio set up in the wake of Mizuguichi-san’s departure from the giant Japanese publisher. Akin to Rez, the game has a personified artificial intelligence angle, with players charged with saving Project Lumi from a pernicious virus attack. If Lumi manages to survive the hack and reach completion, the AI will create a human personality inside of Eden. As naming conventions go, Child of Eden is actually quite apt.
Though demoed in close connection with Microsoft’s address at this year’s E3, it’s important to note that Child of Eden is not an Xbox 360 exclusive title. The game is designed to work with Kinect, yes, but traditional controllers can also be used with the game, with some reports coming out of E3 that Child of Eden is actually more enjoyable using physical rather than gesture control. Move compatibility has yet to be announced for the title but we’d be genuinely surprised if it does not feature when the game launches some time next year.
We’ve placed Child of Eden so highly on this year’s list solely based on Q Entertainment’s pedigree. We don’t know if Child of Eden will manage to emulate the success of its precursor, Rez. We do love Rez, though, and it’s because of this simple, unadulterated affection for Child of Eden’s older brother that we’re so eager to welcome this new offspring into our homes.
Dan Lee
Absolutely cannot wait for this game. *dribbles*
cc_star
Can’t wait for it at all
TSBonyman
I did read a hands-on article a few months ago which said that it didn’t work well with Kinect and there was also a video around the time of E3 where one of the programmers said kinect implementation was proving to be difficult. However that was a few months ago and hopefully things have improved since then and they will also make it Move compatible.
Still, it looks really good so if i have to i’ll play it with a standard controller.
rht992
very very excited to see how this works or to play it in a certain state of mind. i’ll leave it at that
BLAGGER
After a Lambrini?
Origami Killer
so what exactly is this game about?
nichotshoter
why this game only supports kinect and not move is abit silly IMO. money talks and bullshit walk i guess.
nofi
Or Kinect offers more control for a game like this than Move?
nichotshoter
are you being serious?? please tell me that your joking. with the precision that move offers over kinect i dont see how this would work better on kinect.
BIGAL-1992
“Move compatibility has yet to be announced for the title”
AKA Odds are they’re working on it.
tantalus_blank
Move may be much more accurate but Nofi may be suggesting full body gesture control is a more appropriate control scheme. For example playing that big red ball kinect game wouldn’t work well with move unless you strapped them to your knees/feet
MaD dOctoR 79
hahaha nice one…
unless you’re being serious…
if this works on Kinect then it would work on the PS Eye as well…but add the Move in there and you have a game that responds accurately to your controls.
bunimomike
I think Kinect would offer the better experience if it had the precision and response of Move. It’s one of those games that really doesn’t look like it requires buttons or anything tactile to control with. However, Kinect seems to be proving troublesome (and I’m guessing it’s down to the two problems we know about).
I’m absolutely sure Move will be supported as surely the devs have thought “hang on, this new fangled Sony Sex Stick is the dog’s dangleys and is perfect for the game!”
DrNate86
I never played Rez, might hunt it down on xbla. Can’t wait for the top 10!