Polytron/Kokoromi's FEZ

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So, apologies if there is already a thread for this, but someone's "Location" info using the word "fez" makes the site search useless.

Polytron Corporation's oft-delayed (originally revealed in 2007) Fez is probably going to show up early this year. XBLA only as far as I know.

I'm pretty excited for it.

It's beautiful, and the concept's great, I just can't tell if the game will be great as well.

cyrax wrote:

It's beautiful, and the concept's great, I just can't tell if the game will be great as well.

I predict over-hype. I wouldn't mind checking it out if it was on PC.

There may or may not be some high expectations due to the long production cycle, but Fez is a neat game. It's not the kind of experience Braid or Dear Esther deliver - you're not going to see mags pooping up oh-so revelatory articles about the medium 'games'. But it's an entertaining platform game with some interesting tricks and puzzles.

Spunior wrote:

But it's an entertaining platform game with some interesting tricks and puzzles.

That's usually where it starts. I'm wondering if I should do a timer to the "Fez cured my cancer and helped my friend get back together with his ex-wife" posts and articles.

I very, very much enjoyed playing it at PAX East last year. It's almost enough to make me but an xbox. Am pretty sad there is no PC release (as yet)

Got a cool vibe to it. For some reason, it twigs me to remembering Virus on the Amiga and Atari ST.

Malor wrote:

Got a cool vibe to it. For some reason, it twigs me to remembering Virus on the Amiga and Atari ST.

Reminds me of Nebulus (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTxrc...). Which I think was called something else in the US (internet suggests Tower Toppler or Castelian on the gameboy)

DanB wrote:

It's almost enough to make me but an xbox. Am pretty sad there is no PC release (as yet)

I guess one simply has to be patient. After all, Braid and Limbo also got ported later on, and it seems like Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet is on its way, too. Releasing Fez on PC wouldn't be a huge effort in terms of development, because it was running on a PC just fine last time I played it.

If you're looking for games to compare it to, I'd say that Super Paper Mario is what comes closest. Less linear. (Been ages since I played SPM though.)

cyrax wrote:

It's beautiful, and the concept's great, I just can't tell if the game will be great as well.

Also the music they've revealed thus far (three free downloads here, plus some different stuff in some of the videos, I think) has been fantastic (if you like chiptunes, I guess).

Interesting...

One step closer (Now rated by ESRB)

How the $%#% is this game not out already? It feels like I've been hearing about how amazing it's going to be for years and years (Edit: Oh, sh*t, 2007!). I hate that about indie games. Any anticipation I once had has really been crushed by the wait. Just like Jurassic Park 4.

Every time I hear about this game, I'm surprised that it hasn't already come out.

Even closer

Blind_Evil wrote:

How the $%#% is this game not out already? It feels like I've been hearing about how amazing it's going to be for years and years (Edit: Oh, sh*t, 2007!). I hate that about indie games. Any anticipation I once had has really been crushed by the wait. Just like Jurassic Park 4.

I think I was finishing up grad school when this was first announced and that was... 5 years ago or more? O-o

Also, why no PC release

New trailer thingy

Over here they showed that new trailer after Indie Game: The Movie. Positive response from the audience, though you're definitely on Phil Fish's side after the film. Looking forward to playing the PC release, if that happens.

wordsmythe wrote:

Every time I hear about this game, I'm surprised that it hasn't already come out.

Phil Fish is, if anything, a complete and utter perfectionist. The game's taken him four years, but I'm happy to wait another four if it means that he's presenting me with something he's happy with. Of course, I've heard (IG:TM is yet to show over in the UK) that he also threatened to kill himself re: Fez, so a release sooner rather than later might not be that bad an idea. Besides, no true artist is ever completely happy with something.

Gremlin wrote:

Over here they showed that new trailer after Indie Game: The Movie. Positive response from the audience, though you're definitely on Phil Fish's side after the film. Looking forward to playing the PC release, if that happens.

What I find interesting is that the game is so calm, so explorative and almost timid (no combat, etc, thank god), but Phil Fish - at least on Twitter - tends to rage in all caps and very much seems like the explosive personality that would be completely at odds with the game's overall feel in the videos I've seen thus far. I'd just really like to see IG:TM, to get a better understanding of his relationship to the game - if anything, I think that'll improve it - knowing that Jonathan Blow put his fears and insecurities into Braid completely changed my interpretation of its narrative, when I returned to it.

I don't doubt Fez will be pretty great but when I read things like these two:

CY wrote:

Phil Fish is, if anything, a complete and utter perfectionist.

very much seems like the explosive personality

They strike me as real warning signs about his future ability to secure funding for projects after Fez. Looking at how long development for Fez has taken you'd definitely think twice about putting any money towards New Game(tm).

DanB wrote:

They strike me as real warning signs about his future ability to secure funding for projects after Fez. Looking at how long development for Fez has taken you'd definitely think twice about putting any money towards New Game(tm).

He's a good game designer, but he seems like a total nutjob, and slamming a random Japanese games industry fellow at GDC this week furthers my opinion that he's rapidly turning himself into an outcast. Sure, the IGF may love him, but people probably won't, and with indie games that's a fairly big deal.

When Indie Game: The Movie's rights were picked up by HBO, he, without asking them, assumed the "sitcom" thing was true, and rather than emailing or calling them, chose to take to Twitter and capslock-rage his way through it for ages, threatening legal action in public. I can understand his anger, totally, but he seems to be even worse than Mojang when it comes to maintaining a professional image in public. A lot of indie devs seem to assume that just because they're bedroom coders, the rules of business and PR don't apply to them, and for that reason, many of them will suffer at the hands of reality.

Case in point: Project Zomboid. Their laptops get nicked, and they go totally nuts and rage in public when the public (some of them paying customers) quite rightly raise the point of backups and why they didn't have any, causing them to lose three months of work. Was it sad they got robbed? Sure. Is it a wise idea to lash out at potential investors? No. Many devs within the indie games crowd need some serious business training, and soon.

Edit note: Also, teaching them the difference between "transparency" and "airing your dirty laundry in public" would be lesson #2, ideally.

Agreed on the need to understand the relationship between the creator and the audience goes both ways. I think that one of the reasons Notch has been able to get away with so much is a combination of a pleasant persona and heaps of goodwill from Minecraft: you'll notice that he doesn't go off on many rants in public. He's much more likely to tweet about stuff he likes and try to spread the attention around. (Of course, he can afford to do that, but not everyone in his position would.)

I'm going to try to play Fez with an open mind. But the real critical thing for Fish is going to be his next project.

Gremlin wrote:

Agreed on the need to understand the relationship between the creator and the audience goes both ways. I think that one of the reasons Notch has been able to get away with so much is a combination of a pleasant persona and heaps of goodwill from Minecraft: you'll notice that he doesn't go off on many rants in public. He's much more likely to tweet about stuff he likes and try to spread the attention around. (Of course, he can afford to do that, but not everyone in his position would.)

I'm going to try to play Fez with an open mind. But the real critical thing for Fish is going to be his next project.

100% agree. Seeing Notch tweet about a potential court case was horrifying, any PR in their right mind would be having a heart attack due to his somewhat naive approach the public. At the same time, maybe that's why people love him so much.

As for Fish, again, 100% agreed - hopefully he won't do a Jonathan Blow and release something that just looks really bizarre and obscure, although Blow's game is using placeholder graphics, as was Braid, originally. Still seems a bit "arty for the sake of it", though.

I don't know, placeholder graphics aside, blow's new game looks really,really strong. I don't dig blow's own narration of himself/PR but braid really put his money where his mouth is

DanB wrote:

I don't know, placeholder graphics aside, blow's new game looks really,really strong. I don't dig blow's own narration of himself/PR but braid really put his money where his mouth is

I think the game, in retrospect, sounds intriguing, my issue was more the way he presents his work, if anything. I think all indies could really do with some PR help. Or training.

I think the whole auteur notion makes a lot of people--devs and fans alike--think that Fish and Blow are what true artists are supposed to be like. On that, I call shens. Totes shens.

Judging from the latest videos it seems like a nice little game but at the moment I can't see this topping Braid or even Limbo.

Hope I'm wrong though! I was really hyped about it in 2007 and have a big appetite for quality platforming!

MEATER wrote:

Judging from the latest videos it seems like a nice little game but at the moment I can't see this topping Braid or even Limbo.

And you'd be right in that judgement...because there isn't much for the public to see.

cyrax wrote:
MEATER wrote:

Judging from the latest videos it seems like a nice little game but at the moment I can't see this topping Braid or even Limbo.

And you'd be right in that judgement...because there isn't much for the public to see.

I love the fact there's no combat, the music sounds great and the art is lovely. I just feel uncomfortable giving money to someone who turns around and gives everyone the finger despite the praise we've heaped on him. With AAA titles, it's not like you'll dislike the attitude of one person and then not bother - hundreds of people worked on that game. Indie games? A handful, if that. Hmmm.

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