In HD, true synaesthesia has been achieved. Rez HD is one of the best games ever made, it costs around $10, and you don't even need to leave the house to get it. In over a decade of critiquing games I've never felt the need to say these words in a review until now: Just buy it.

Joy has rarely come so reasonably priced and, whatever the price, videogames, rarely come so joyful. Indispensable, then.

The brilliance of Rez isn't in some singular quality like graphics, but in the way everything comes together to create an audio and visual interactive experience that is uniquely its own.

Rez does Tron better than any Tron videogame ever has.

Go ahead and spend the points on this, regardless of if you have an older version, or even if you somehow haven't heard of Rez. [Spring 2008, p.60]

Rez was good on a 32-inch CRT; in the world of 48-inch plasma screens, it's spectacular. [Mar 2008, p.92]

Rez HD is a perfect fit for the 360 and its affordable 800 point ($10) price tag makes this one a must have.

Its music and visuals might not be to everybody’s taste, but it’s hypnotic, synaesthethic and addictive – even more essential today than ever. Melting your eyes, ears, hands and friends has never been so beautiful, or cheap.

At this price the cult classic is a must buy. The game hasn't aged at all and the sharp high definition graphics and 5.1 sound really add to the experience. [Mar 2008]

Whether you played Rez back in 2001 or missed out on it, you should snap up Rez HD. The same creative gameplay, visuals and music are still there, along with some welcome additions that are sure to satisfy those who have played the game before.

The simple creativity it showed in blending the player's virtual action into the fabric of each level's trance soundtrack was a breath of fresh air in a world where 'rhythm action' mean "PaRappa" or "Dancing Stage." [Issue#30, p.120]

Turn the speakers up for a shortlived but standout shooter full of genuinely awesome gaming moments. Unplug the sub and the magic's lost to the silence.

If you missed the cult the first time round, now is the time to jump on board. If you are already part of the cult, we know you'll be playing this right now.

Even the most modern, pretentious, sensationalist piece of art can't hope to rival Rez's bold blend of craftsmanship, fun, interaction and sensory tantalisation. While art hangs on the walls in plain white rooms, Rez is out in the playground and at the front of the rave, and you're obliged to join it.

Its length is shorter than we prefer (there are only five stages), but the unlockable bonuses, including the Boss Rush mode, Score Attack stages and additional scenarios justify the meager 800-point price tag. This could very well be 2008's downloadable game to beat.

As fans know, you can’t judge Rez just upon its gameplay premises. That would be the same as reducing the Nightwatch by Rembrandt to the type of paint and the material of the canvas. Instead, the game formula is onlya means to convey something that is more than a typical game experience.

What Rez HD offers is an old-school feel with modern touches.

One of the most incoherent, bat-sh.t mental videogames ever created has just got itself some clarity – magical.

This is one of those rare titles that add strength to the argument of games as art. Get it.

Download the demo, see for yourself. Once you get a taste of synaesthesia, you're hooked.

Rez HD is a real blast, but more so for those who aren’t familiar with the original game.

There's simply nothing else like it on Xbox 360 or Xbox Live Arcade. The improved visuals are indeed pretty and though the new additions may be minimal, the game was pretty darn good without them.

Rez HD is the most aesthetically pleasing and pocket-book-friendly version of this cult classic.

Rez HD hits a rhythm that feels absolutely right for those willing to try something perpetually new, no matter what year it actually debuted. [Feb 2008, p.74]

Rez is a game with tons of character due to its initially innovative sound track, and although this idea has been used elsewhere, Rez still has its own charm and uniqueness that makes Rez HD a must buy for those on the hunt for something new.

At 800 Microsoft Points, Rez is an absolute steal, and this HD remix is best way to experience one of the industry’s most unique games.

Actually, if trance/techno really bothers you, you won't like Rez HD. You just won't. In fact, it may even come across as annoying. If that's the case, you probably won't be able to play it enough to get into it, which means the whole experience will fall apart before you even get the chance to enjoy it. A real shame too, because for the rest of us, Rez HD is frickin' awesome.

The downside to Rez is that while designed to be played repeatedly to get different aural sensations, the levels play out exactly the same way--with enemies appearing in the same sequence--so truly getting a new experience each time isn't exactly accurate. That doesn't mean it isn't fun or unique, but replay value isn't as deep as it might initially seem.

Perhaps it's the fact that, between the first Rez and this new version, I'd immersed myself in games like "Synaesthete" -- games which successfully couple music and gameplay to the point where the player experiences the game exactly as he or she would a music video. Compared to these titles, Rez HD, even with its updated graphics and improved trance vibration, now feels rather antiquated.