Overall Feeling:
Fez bends the platforming genre to its will by allowing players to rotate a 3D world and traverse across it as if it were a 2D structure. Along with some relaxing, low-stakes platforming and a focus on collection, Fez features some incredibly complex and demanding puzzles that require some serious attention to detail to solve. This is a game that rewards players according to how deep they want to go, and stands as an example of the level of quality indie games should aspire to.
The Pros:
+ Perspective-shifting gimmick never gets old
+ Hidden puzzles are challenging and intelligently designed
+ Atmospheric, calm environments are accompanied by a wonderful 8-bit soundtrack
The Cons:
- Platforming isn’t overly challenging
- Puzzle clues can be impossibly subtle at times
- Occasional slowdown can be a bit disruptive
Fez, from indie developer Polytron, isn’t an easy game to review. That’s not because it’s bad, disappointing, or polarizing. Fez is a remarkable achievement, and a new touchstone for what indie games can aspire to. It’s difficult to talk about Fez because the less said about the game and its mysteries, the better.
