‘Fez’ adds innovation to 2D game genre

By Josh Alfrey

“Fez,” a mind-bending and innovative platformer, allows a player to take their gaming love to another dimension.

“Fez” will be available for PCs through Steam on May 1. Many players had been waiting quite some time for the title to reach other gaming platforms, and after many hurdles and release delays the wait is finally over.

“Fez” was created by independent developers Polytron Corporation. The game is about a two-dimensional character given the power to see his world in three dimensions with the help of a magic fez. Players navigate through puzzles to collect cubes and anti-cubes to restore the world by turning the map from the second dimension to the third.

The maps throughout “Fez” take platformer environments to the next level in terms of design and creativity. The beautiful textures and shapes featured throughout the game won the developers “Excellence in Visual Art” award at the 2008 Independent Games festival four years before the game’s release.

The visual art of this indie game is supported by the hypnotic, ambient music composed by Rich Vreeland. The music creates a dreamlike atmosphere, as players are completely immersed into the game by watching and navigating the perspective-changing world.

“Fez” garnered attention when it was featured–while it was still in development–in the 2012 documentary “Indie Game: The Movie.” This movie features developers going through different phases of producing and marketing an indie game.

Phil Fish of Polytron Corporation had to go through legal, programming, financial and family problems to finally be able to release “Fez.” All of these issues that indie developers face are explained throughout “Indie Game: The Movie.”

“Fez” is an incredible game which personifies the perseverance and love that goes into indie games. This platformer embodies the fact that video games are an interactive, collaborative art form, which is discussed in “Indie Game: The Movie.” Without the hard work and co-operation of writers, artists, musicians and programmers, creative and innovative games like “Fez” could never happen.