14 DAY TRIAL // Fez has been a long time coming, as independent developer Polytron spent quite a few years working on the quirky puzzle platformer, missing some deadlines along the way.
Now, the title has finally been released onto the Xbox Live Arcade on the Xbox 360, so it’s time to see if this indie darling can actually deliver on its promise or if it’s more art than video game.
The first thing that really impresses you when you start up Fez is its sharp colors. While the game still has a pixelated look, like most other indie titles that want to recreate a retro feel, Fez complements this with extremely vibrant colors that make going back to other, more realistic games, a hard thing to do.
The character design is also pretty interesting, with the main protagonist looking loveable right from the get go, while the rest of the animals he encounters retain their identities even if they’re quite pixelated.
Once you actually start playing Fez, it’s a mixed experience. The controls are sharp as there’s no lag when inputting commands and your character always stops when you want it, a crucial aspect for any platformer.
Sadly, while the level design is quite smart, the game doesn’t want to hold your hand, so you’re forced to figure out quite a few things.
I got stumped 30 seconds into the game, as I didn’t realize that you could turn the world around while jumping because the game made no effort to at least hint at the possibility.
Fez requires quite a lot of thinking and, in case you aren’t ready to make a mental effort, you might have a hard time progressing through its clever levels.
What’s more, there are still a few glitches present, as I managed to enter an actual level and kept dying whenever I wanted to get out. Also, when you try to exit the game, it, or at least its trial version, stops responding and shows you just an endless loading screen.
Fez is a sharp looking game and its controls handle well. Unfortunately, some peculiar glitches and the level design that’s a bit too clever for its own good, not to mention the lack of tips, make it a bit hard to approach.