S&S PC Review - Fez

Title: Fez
Format: PC, Xbox 360
Release Date: 5/1/13
Publisher: Trapdoor
Developer: Polytron
Price: $9.99

April 13th of last year, long awaited Fez was released on the Xbox 360. This colorful creation of a game has been ported to the PC. Phil Fish and Renaud Bedard of Polytron Corporation created Fez which has been in development since 2007. The easiest description of Fez would be a 2D platformer set in a 3D world. The world is 3D, but you always play from 2D perspectives. Each 3D world has 4 Sides.You can freely rotate your point of view in 90° increments between these 2D perspectives.

The experience I was given by playing Fez on the 360 was like none other. Playing through now on PC gives me that first time in awe experience, again. Fez in nothing but beautiful in every way. I have never witnessed so much charm from a game in my existence. Nostalgia can be trendy, but the game will bring out many different classic titles from your inner gamer. The music takes you back to a place you may not have even been alive for yet. Understand? Visually and musically soothing in cause of its ambiance.

You play as "Gomez". The goal of Fez is to collect 32 cubes, which have been scattered around the world, to rebuild and restore Gomez's world before it is torn apart. Cubes and cube fragments are visible and can be collected by simply moving over them. Players can also collect 32 anti-cubes by solving various puzzles. As the player collects cubes and anti-cubes, doors become unlocked and allow you to access new areas.

To reach higher heights and discover more cubes, you will have to rotate the perspective using the left and right triggers on the Xbox controller, or keys A and D for PC. 

While charming as ever Fez always makes you feel like you are leaving behind cubes. That's because you usually are. There can be many doors in an area which can lead somewhere else with more cubes. If you play and naturally explore you will find almost all the cubes. Leaving you having to look at your map to try to find areas where you did not get all the cubes.

Game play might sound confusing with how changing different perspectives work. But it actually works very well because it's apart of the few controls that there are.



Fez gained a lot of attention by recent documentary titled "Indie Game: The Movie". Which features indie games such as, Super Meat Boy, Braid, and Fez. This film documents inside of what it's like to create an indie game. I highly recommend checking it out, available on Netflix or even the trailer here.


Indie Game: The Movie Official Trailer from IndieGame: The Movie on Vimeo.

Final Thoughts: 
Being able to experience one of my favorite games of all time again on PC has been amazing. The controls on keyboard are easy and comfortable, and is even better visually displayed through PC. Framerate drops break up some great moments, but this is not a deal breaker. A must play for all gamers.

Play FEZ here on STEAM / GOG / HUMBLE STORE

S&S Rating:9.5/10

@BlanketsWilson