Do not trust the bad reviews. This is another "political" review bombing. These people are putting the artists in front of the art. This game is stunning. I can't say enough good about it. The soundtrack is retro but ambient. The gameplay is tight and adorable.

Actually I'm pretty sure no one pays attention to the User section in gaming anymore...

I've had an absolutely amazing time playing this. The amount of hype (at least that I've experienced) is fully justified. The soundtrack alone is worth your $10, let alone the huge world and atmosphere contained within this spectacular platform-puzzler.

Epitomizes everything that is pure and heartfelt about retro platformers (our history), and indie gaming (our future). Fun as hell and a kickass soundtrack to boot.

Charmed. While playing this game, I'm absolutely delighted. With a grin on my face, I think back to older platform puzzlers, a mechanic that reminds me of Paper Mario, the mysterious "save the world premise" all bundled into an attractive pixel art style with superb music and topped off with just the right level of humor. There's no penalty for death - so you are empowered to explore and experiment as you please. Only not a 10 because I've run into a few bugs and the world map and some UI elements aren't as clear as I'd like, but nothing that detract from the overall amount of enjoyment of the game.… Expand

And just as expected, the Internet Trolls have descended upon Metacritic once again to hammer a Great Game with a bunch of Zeros. Of course, knowing damn well they never played the game. Probably don't even own the platform the game is available on.

The game is absolutely Fantastic. Don't be fooled by trolls. Try it for yourself and if you do enjoy it, give it a proper score.

This game is a total masterpiece, and I continue to be completely enamoured with its world, the exploration, and the secrets. Many low Metacritic user scores for this game are based on people's disdain for the developer rather than the game himself. While your opinion on the developer is something I won't try and change, I ask you, gamer to gamer, to at very least give the demo for this game a try. There is a great chance you will fall in love with it just like I did, and many others will. It captures a feeling that I haven't felt in some time in a game, a sense of wonder and excitement from exploring, learning, and conquering. A must play.… Expand

This is simply great!! The mood and atmosphere are tranquil and peaceful while the world is vividly colorful and beautiful. The music and sounds are equally beautiful, peaceful and colorful. You can really feel the personality of this game. It actually feels like it means something and has purpose behind it. This is one of the most beautiful games I've ever played!!! It has a lot of innovative gameplay as well. It really puts a smile on my face when you flip perspectives and three ladders or platforms that are miles apart from one perspective perfectly lineup from another. Buy this game!! It's only $10 and it's definitely an experience every gamer should have. This made me realize games don't have to be a $100 million production to be great.… Expand

Fez is one of the most breathtaking games I have played in a long time, the colours are amazing, the music breathtaking, and gameplay is great although the 3d turning has been done before, Fez does a great job with the mechanic. This game is a must buy.

This game could be fun...if it ever worked. In the intro alone there was a fatal error that caused the game to crash and restart. I tried again, only to have it crash on me a second time. Within 30mins of attempted game play, Fez crashed twice, chat windows would randomly change location and size (while trying to read the same sentence), and the graphics glitched out. It's a shame really as the game could be fun...if I could play it.… Expand

An extremely fresh and new platforming game the oozes style. Fez features well done music, cool game play, neat puzzles, and a really nice retro looking style. One of the major highlights of Fez is rotating the world left or right in order to solve puzzles or get a grasp on the area. I have seen a couple glitches with this title though, such as one block from the first block puzzle in the game went through a platform and ended up on the other side somehow, or Gomez falling through platforms he should have grabbed on to. The game is also far too easy as there is zero penalty for dying as you re spawn pretty much right where you died. The maps you collect could use a little more indication of what they mean but i guess that's half the fun of figuring it out. For 10 dollars this is a great title to check out.… Expand

Easily one of the best games I've played on the XBOX 360, let alone the Arcade. Fez is an intuitive puzzle platformer that challenges players to think, which is also why you'll see so many bad ratings for it. Because people that gave this game a bad review are stupid.

What makes FEZ so wonderful isn't just the art style, the music, the cute Adipose-Like protagonist Gomez, or even the mind boggling perspective switching. FEZ succeeds so triumphantly because all of these aspects coalesce into game that is fun, inventive, and, probably most importantly, interesting. While arguments can be made as to its originality, even the borrowed aspects of the game, like the desirable and well executed faux-8-bit art style, all feed into the experience that makes the most of simplicity. I won't make promises that this game is truly revolutionary or that it will be the best game you've ever played, but I rate it a 10 because it does something that no game has done for me since my young childhood; it intrigued me. While I am usually dominated by an achievement hunting approach to games, I found myself going out of my way to solve puzzles that weren't pertinent to my present goals. I got off my couch and downloaded a QR scanner on my iPad to see what the game was hiding from me. And, every step of the way, I felt like I was learning the game. If you can think in three dimensions (and what modern gamer can't?) then learning to navigate this title doesn't take very long. However, you can still constantly be learning new tricks to move about more quickly, discover the treasure maps that will unlock secrets you may have been stuck on for hours, feel like a genius when you can finally read the Tetromino puzzles, or even how to use the daunting map system! There wasn't a moment of the game that I didn't feel like I was growing as a participant.

Another incredibly important and enjoyable aspect of FEZ is its respect for gaming. The game is full of nods, nostalgia and throwbacks that never dominate the game, but may just make you smile, even if it's as simple as your Dot companion saying, "Hey, Listen!" Similarly, though the platforming may look like any old Super Mario bros installment, it still feels like its own. I'm not claiming that FEZ has reinvented platform jumping, but it has certainly done well in making this game its own.

The aesthetic of the game is also very noteworthy.Unlike Sonic The Hedgehog 4, it doesn't take the glory days of side-scrolling and slap a 3D texture on it, nor does it try to be an 8-bit game with a limited color palette and weak animation. The art style screams "retro" in sight and sound, but it is so much more than that. The use of the 8-bit style not only increases the game's accessibility to newcomers and nay-sayers, but it also permits FEZ the freedom from the weighty expectations of a more graphically intense title. In doing so, it allows itself a more open and imaginative feel. The narrative never gets more complex than, "Hey, this just happened. Go fix it." And in a lot of ways, that's great. Your concern is the gameplay and having as much fun as you can learning the game. So, gathering a lot of cubes is silly. You're wearing a fez and playing MC Escher's wildest dreams, so who cares?

All in all, this game is fantastic. As an FPS player, I never thought a side scroller could invigorate me as much as FEZ has. Even after I spent $500 on Halo 4 and beat its campaign on solo Legendary, I was never as truly engages as I was hopping around the delightful squares and curious cliff sides as the ever so adorable Gomez. Don't load up the game thinking your world will change from a $10 indie title, because it won't! Like Portal and Braid before it, FEZ simply takes ideas you know, love, and have probably mastered, and turns it on its side with a single mechanic that really is a game changer in every sense of the phrase. Pairing that with a beautiful setting and a soulful construction, FEZ is not a game you should pass up.

This game feels right, it plays right, it looks right, and you can really tell that Polytron cares to make a great game; I can confidently say that they have. Pick up that controller, don that multi-dimensional headgear, and try not to smile. I dare you.… Expand

A truly great gem of a game from the Xbox Marketplace. Vibrantly colourful, wonderful music, and oozing with style. I've played a good few hours of it now since its release and I've been pleasantly surprised with the challenging difficulty which has stumped me but not to the point of giving up and searching for a guide, with similar games like Braid. Definitely worth 800 points, they probably could have priced it at 1200, to be frank.… Expand

Fez is a beautiful, and sometimes psychedelic world with painstakingly crafted pixel-art. Its puzzles aren't too hard, so its a great game for everyone, but even the experienced gamer will have trouble finding every little secret that lay hidden around this 3D world.

I think this is a very cool game. It has a very original idea and its implementation at the highest level. Also in Fez beautiful music, with anything that can not be compared. All in all a great game if you want to relax, it will be one of the best decisions. MFB

First game in a long time I've been content to simply explore-- to be a tourist in someone else's world. For 800 points this is a slam dunk 10-out-of-10 game.

FEZ: a fun experience; a bad purchase. While not an original theme or gameplay premise, it can still be a fun game. However, due to repetition, lack of challenge, and technical issues, FEZ is more for nostalgia enthusiasts to experience than for average players to enjoy at the current price. Some negatives... This game has a number of technical issues that are inexcusable in a game so long in development. It may be retro-themed, but it is still held to the standards of a modern game release. "Old-fashioned" is only quaint if it's functional. Some positives... Conversely, originality is not the sole benchmark of a fun game. FEZ's premise still provides a fun spin on the platformer experience, and players should check out the free demo first to see if it suits their tastes.
Final... "Retro" is only a theme, and it is only a good thing regarding nostalgia, not quality. The game may be different from a lot of other games, but the money out of pocket is the same. And it isn't worth $10. Wait for a sale...or go to a retro enthusiast's home to play it.… Expand

I wanted to wait until I fully completed FEZ to write a fair review, but I just can't hold it in any longer. Fez is a spectacular Indie game, which features a mind bending perspective changing mechanic. Fez starts out as any other indie platformer would begin. But then, a few hours in you begin to see patterns, reach rooms which have no foreseeable solution, and have to turn back. That's the brilliance of FEZ; it takes the best of games like Metroid and Castlevania (in an exploration sense) and utilizes them to create an amazing and unique world. It's no only fun and challenging to explore, but it is also extremely intriguing and magical as well. The scope of the game is gigantic. Then comes the meat of the game, which obviously not one negative review could understand. What pretty much every negative review is claiming is that there are simple puzzles, ones which with a little manipulation are easy to figure out. Play this game to a solid end, people. The game just doesn't have platforming, but also very difficult puzzles that, if you care, you'll solve. I guarantee that the metabombers responsible for such a low score only played and explored until strange symbols block your path. While some of the platforming gets challenging, the puzzles are wicked tricky. I literally have a sheet with esoteric symbols and characters and decoders to be able to solve the puzzles in this game; something I haven't needed to use for a game since my first time play through tLoZ: OoT when I was a kid. It's brilliantly nostalgic. Collecting the cube is only part of the game. The major part of the game is discovering a long lost civilization and language. Doesn't sound like the negative reviews understood this game at all. It's incredibly challenging, wonderfully crafted, and has an absolutely wonderful and charming chip-tune score along with a beautiful 16-bit graphical pallet that is artful as well as colorful. The 16-bit world is wonderful to explore, and your protagonist, Gomez, is an extremely lovable character. Fez is a triumph. It's platforming is not what you come for, but to explore a rich and deep world that truly makes the player think and wonder about what happened to it, and what it was like before the...well...you'll just have to experience FEZ for yourself.… Expand

This game is amazing, a great work of art. It is what we were hoping for when we brought indie games to the forefront. If you don't like puzzle platformers no you wont like it, but play the trial and if you like the trial chances are you will love it.

Great art direction, Graphics, soundtrack and level design. Figuring out what to do is a challenge but it is so rewarding thanks to the great levels! It's only 800 Microsoft Points, Download it now!

It is such a shame that a lot of people are giving such bad reviews just because the developer had an opinion you disagreed with. It really shows the true face of the internet, an **** Do you feel invincible behind your screen? Do you enjoy hurting one another? You are the cancer of the internet, you do not deserve it. As for my review of this game, its god damn amazing. I'd like to address the negative points that are being told. People are claiming it to be just a simple flash game, with no challenge, no objective and just a gimmick holding it together. It is far from simple. There is a HUGE amount of challenge, you just haven't realised it. The intention of the game was to create a non-threatening environment to explore. You respawn when you fall for a reason, there are no enemies, no bosses for a reason. The game encourages you to explore at your own pace. It gives you a simple objective of collecting cubes, but its up to you to find the new clue, and to solve the puzzle that is Fez. The game is nothing short of fantastic. It had me writing sheets of symbols down to try and solve it, sheets of ridiculous theories that made just a tiny bit of sense in my brain. I kept searching and finding more clues, just this game did not hold my hand, it set me free into its world. The presentation is also great, the visuals are very clean and crisp, and the environments are beautiful. The music is astounding and definiately one of Disasterpeace's best albums to date. Its simply gorgeous. I haven't come across any bugs or crashs like a lot of people are complaining about, little hiccups here and there are the worst of my experiences. Please do not trust the negative reviewers, they are simply trying to hurt, destroy, our internet.… Expand

Fez is a game that could have been good... but it's not the case. Graphics are maybe 16bits, but lazy ones. Same thing for the soundtrack. Controls are unsensitives, and worst af all, the game concept is a bad copy of the Crush's one (Crush is a Sega game retailed on PSP and 3DS).
I love retro gaming, i'd be pleased if more of retro games were coming, but good ones, not like Fez.

phil fish more like, fill me up with fish LOL


OWNED?
yeah, youer' owned
only buy this game if you can accept how DEEP it is
it's so deep it makes a hole look like a mountain

No objectives but collecting blocks put in plain sight, no goals otherwise. No indication of where to go. Music is just ambiance, and every time you enter a new area there's a long intro scoping around it like it's some piece of art.

It obviously thinks it's something deep and gorgeous when it's a bare bones platformer. Exploration isn't fun or interesting, just boring. No consequences, fall damage prevents needing to redo platforming you screwed up on.… Expand

Horrible game breaking bugs ruin what is an otherwise fantastic game. I really want to give this game an 8 or a 9 because it truly is wonderful to play (when it works) but my experience of this game has been severely tarnished by a myriad of technical issues. I can deal with the occasional drop in fps or the infrequent crashes, but twice now I have had to restart the game (both times from ng+) because of the game becoming selectively unresponsive in seemingly random places. First time at the beginning of new game plus I could never proceed past the introduction as the prompts to carry on a conversation were completely unresponsive. So I started the game again and completed it to get to ng+. This time I could continue past the introduction and quite a way into ng+. But then on one level after the game had crashed everything became unresponsive again - I cannot move my character and he is completely frozen to the spot. Unfortunately the game autosaved after the crash so my game is, well, broken again! I'm now starting right from the beginning again for the third time and I have to say this is really quite disheartening. I experienced less serious bugs in all the Elder Scrolls games combined! Well, that's probably not really a fair comparison, but I have to say, for a 5 year development period, I expected a lot better from Polytron.… Expand

I fail to get ANY errors, in fact, the game runs beautifully. AMAZING level design, controls are fantastic. The game looks wonderful and the environment in very accessible. the only thing that is a little weak would be the storyline, but who needs that when you have such a fantastic experience otherwise

One of the best XBLA games ever

The look of the game is amazing, plays fantastic... very original.
Music is amazing too.
And its only 800MS, its a must buy.

Fez is a great game if you have an inquisitive mind. It's brightly colored, and harkens back to the days of NES, Genesis and SNES games. The music is ambient, appropriate, and most of the time: pretty damn good. The game's main gimmick, perspective changing, takes a back seat to puzzle solving. The lack of "enemies" will probably turn off most gamers, since without goombas to stomp simply because they exist these folks will get bored. Fez is a little more cerebral, not unlike Braid. Unlike Braid, these are a little more "old school". This is 1980's and 1990's PC game "I need a pen and paper" puzzle solving, not "how do I get past the hammer bros. without dying?" puzzle solving. Some people won't like that, and that's okay. They should probably go buy a game that will quench their gaming thirst. There is lots of platforming in this game, but the goal is to explore and solve, not unlike Myst. Players are rarely pressed with twitch gaming involving the platforming. Without a doubt, this game will test your skills with attention to detail and inquisitive nature (if you have any). Without those, this game can be completed in a few hours and probably forgotten. If you're the right person, though, this game is amazing, and will call forth a sort of yearning for old gaming styles, where hands aren't held, and where the only enemy is your ability to solve puzzles. It's not flawless, and suffers from some technical issues, but it's a must play game for anyone that doesn't just dip their toes in to gaming, and likes to experience different concepts from time to time.… Expand

Fez, is a little masterpiece, whe watch that the indie games be better, posible better than the AAA games, and Fez is a great example, is funny, creative, ingenious, and addictive. The graphics are beautiful, the control, music, all is amazing, one of the better games of this year.

Unfortunately I'm seeing a lot of reviews saying this game is unoriginal but I find that to be quite hilarious. I've never played any other game like this and I LOVE the fact that they put out a retro style game in the sea of games being released now a days. I honestly think everyone should give this a try. If you're not a fan of puzzle/platform games it's not for you. Take it as it is and enjoy Fez!… Expand

Fez is a true masterpiece, such blocky old school visuals familiar to anyone who gamed through the 80's except the attention to detail is amazing. Simply put, although this game looks retro it's only because of the modern hardware that it's made possible.

I really can't give this one the pass. The game is extremely boring, there's never a sense of challenge. Perhaps there were some puzzles I had hit that made me rack my head but for the most part the game is just jumping and rotating.
What we have here is just another indie platformer. Average chiptunes soundtrack, gimmick trying to carry the game, and trying to have some sort of charm. It's a cookie cutter indie game. I'd pass it up, there's a flash game called Sky Island that has the same gameplay and that one's free. And also has enemies so there's an actual threat to you.… Expand

I am not sure we needed more gimmicky cheaply made games that actually cost quite a bit for what they bring. Plays like a dollar Indie game. The whole old school stuff at some point becomes so much used by games, that GOOD graphics, 3D WORLDS and SOMETHING NEW has become retro.

I thoroughly enjoy Fez. After the first 'introductory' period... navigating easier levels... seemingly the second half of the game's difficulty is significantly increased. The difficulty spike does feel somewhat harsh as there are puzzles that are a fair amount tougher to solve and perhaps may put some players off... so much that they don't care for completing the game.

The look, sound but overall "feel" (a subjective term, I know) of the game is one that I miss from most games today... in the world of shooters we video game players live in. Disasterpeace's soundtrack fits the game perfectly... accompanying the sense of exploration, confusion and adventure that a player feels, traveling through the world Polytron has created.

The 2D/3D shift mechanic is quite an accomplishment and actually quite lovely to figure out. An enormous game with plenty of time to enjoy it. (8.67/10 rounded up to 9)… Expand

One of my favorite games so far this year.. The fact that it required the internet -- the collective hive-mind of humanity -- over a week to solve the last puzzle is unprecedented. Solving some of the puzzles in this game without help is one of the most rewarding experiences gaming has to offer right now.

The art's beautiful. The sound track's awesome. The elements of the world make so much sense together, it's almost kind of magical.

The only problem I have with it is the inconsistent frame rate. Hopefully, when Phil Fish gets around to porting it this to PC, that will no longer be an issue.

Highly recommended.… Expand

Adorable characters in a wonderful environment. This was a platformer done right in my opinion. 8-bit 2D worlds that could be manipulated to 3D. Soundtrack is epic, like LoZ epic. Jump, twist, vine climb, fall... awesome! Smooth gameplay and a joy to play. Repitition comes into play but they try to mix it up with a deteriating screen. Good times. http://liquidgamer.podbean.com/

A very nice XBLA game, with retro 16 Bits graphics (that have some beautiful scenarios, colors and details in them by the way), and a gameplay that is a cross between platform and puzzle games... you're in a 2D world, but with RT / LT can rotate this world, creating a pseudo 3D world to explore, and reunite 32 cubes scattered in this world, that needs some thinking to solve the puzzles. One of the best creations in the last months - games are not only about graphics guys, they're about gameplay and originality too. My score: 8,6 / 10,0 .… Expand

This game honestly just didn't do it for me. The great 3D gimmick it totes also became one of the bigger headaches in the game. I'd pass this one up.

When I got the game, I was initially impressed by the graphics and soundtrack. Very pleasing to the eyes and ears. However, as I progressed through the game, it become very apparent that the game was just too easy. I expected the puzzles to become more challenging, but they just didn't.

This game uses the idea of 3D and 2D very well, but it is riddled with such a myriad of bugs, you'd almost wish it didn't have it. Sometimes, when you rotate the camera at certain areas twice, the game immediately crashes to the X360 dashboard - pretty lame.

The game may only be 800MP, but you can enjoy a couple other platformers far superior to this in just about every aspect (Banjo series...). When I play platformers, I tend to look for a fun world to explore and some danger, or challenge, in it. This aspect would've made Fez much better, but it's just so boring. Pass this one up guys... cause, it's the worst.… Collapse

Fez is something special, the graphics and its soundtrack isn't the only thing that is impressive and charming, but the adventure and exploration is something worth to behold. Though this game isn't for everyone as you can tell from some users on here. But for some like me who enjoy a harmless, colourful and creative retro style game like Fez is definitely worth your 800 points.

I'm not sure what the game is supposed to be, as a puzzle game it's a pretty easy one, and I am a little bit tired of indie games with SNES graphics coming out every other month. The one gimmick that makes this game so unique has been done before, in a Flash game called Sky Island, which is free, and is much harder than FEZ.
I'm not sure why it took the game so long to come out, or why it got such amazing reviews, when Sky Island was criticized into obscurity although Sky Island used the rotating world gimmick way better in terms of gameplay, making a better puzzle game than FEZ.
FEZ shouldn't be treated as a game, I can see why it is beloved by many, it does contain lovely graphics, while not hardware breaking, they are simple and nice to look at. The music is also relaxing. But I have a feeling people love for this game is more related to the hype of a game that has been into development for years. Speaking of being developed for years, I have no idea what they did that justifies that, the game is riddled with bugs, and severely lacks gameplay.
Overall I think it's just another "indie" platformer with a twist, like many other "indie" games that came out these past few years. Sky Island got 7.0 on Armor Games, I'm giving FEZ 6.0 for having even less content than Sky Island, which is a FREE FLASH GAME.… Expand

Fez is an amazing piece of work that shows meticulous attention to every little detail that it shows to the player. What makes Fez stand out, however, is all the little things that aren't directly obvious. There is an almost intimidating and uncountable amount of content that is hidden, secret or written in non-existent language. Fez presents itself through amazing art and animation, music and a careful tendency towards being a calm & peaceful place with a darker undertone. The lack of combat might make Fez feel somewhat slow or uninteresting to some that are more pre-disposed towards Call of Duty or more action-oriented games, but to me Fez stands out as the first real adventure game in a decade. It is a game I want to play without walkthrough or spoilers simply because it so subtly challenges me to figure it out myself through its elaborate world and fiction.

Fez appeals to me in the nostalgic craving for a proper adventure game, yet stands out because it goes beyond just being a nostalgic throwback. Fez isn't scared to radically overthrow some notions about what games should be while being a truly interesting game first and foremost at all times.

Fez is something remarkably special.… Expand

Fez has been in the making for a long time. Long enough that people have been given time to form strong opinions on the game before having played it. Not only on the game, but on its outspoken creator. However, none of this enters the actual experience of playing Fez. Those who give this game a low score may simply not have figured out what to do, may have been lazy or superficial in their approach. It is not impossible to dislike this game after having played it thoroughly and given it a chance. But it does seem like most negative reviews are based on bitter opinions.

The game is an absolute gem. The music, the ideas, the atmosphere, the mystery. It will take you back to when you were still amazed and baffled by video games....if you really immerse yourself in it.… Expand

Fez is a wonderful looking game with an overall feel that hark back to the magical days of the SNES, pen and paper notes and all. Also, Disasterpeace's ambient music is really good and soothing when you're working on homework or the like! I highly recommend this game to anyone who is looking for a good challenge.

This game is a pleasure to play. The levels are always fresh and beautifully designed and as you progress the puzzles get increasingly difficult. It's a lot of fun and a fresh change from the same old shoot'em up **** marine games that tend to repeat themselves.

5 years in the making. Holy hell, it's finally here. Fez is one of the greatest games I've played in YEARS. It gave me happy tears. The first things I realized while playing it: The visuals are amazing. 2D, but revolving around a 3D axis that is made of voxel like worlds The platforming is great. Renaud must have put in a lot of attention so the game feels good to play The game is huge and insanely detailed. Everything you see in screenshots usually has a reason to be there. Wow.
The music is the best thing Iâ… Expand

It's a triumph! A gorgeous exploration of what games can be. A beautiful and serene world to explore and relax in. It took me back to the past, when games were full of wonder and mystery.

If you want to explore, solve mysteries, decode lore, and get lost in a visually and musically fantastic gaming experience, play this. It will make you feel like a kid again.

The game promises revolutionary gameplay the likes of which would change the gaming world. What FEZ presents is a watered down experience from an indie blender. The art style of Cave story, mixed with the gameplay mechanics of Paper Mario and Monolith. All in all, the game leaves much to be desired, especially when you can get better for free.

motiva que los creativos indie rescaten esa estética de lo pocos bits que es tan singular y veía perdida en la nostalgia... hacer cosas visualmente bellas retomando las "carencias" de la vieja escuela

Wrote a long review, didn't work. Get this game if you love titles like Braid, Limbo, VVVVVV. Enough said. If you like those games, you will LOVE this one.

Fez is not just a game , it's art. A beautiful environment combined with a great soundtrack and a good story. You have to understand the meaning and the work which has gone in the makings to really understand it.

Score is representative of the effort put into Fez. It offers nothing new or original. I wish I didn't waste any money on this, I could have gotten a nice hot chicken tonight.

(it's really bad)

A stunning game. Atmosphere, music, animation, style. At only 800pts it's superb value too.
I'm about 40% into the game so far and just keep enjoying the more I play. Easily one of my top games of the last 2 years.

Fez is perhaps a true example of someone coding a game not because they feel they have to fill a niche, but becasue they have a great idea, and the determination to show us that the idea works, and we want to play it!! Beautifully styled and integrated graphics and sounds wash over you, and coupled with the gimmick - its a 2D game, in a 3D universe - very quickly you become immersed. Its easy to wind-up lost in Fez, but that I feel is the intention - it was only when I was lost that I suddenly embarked on stunning moments I never expected. With simple controls leaving you to enjoy the game, its perhaps best only to say this; the only downer to Fez is that you will either 'get it', and enjoy it, or you won't. At least try it, to see a beautifully realised game, that they sadly never release much anymore.… Expand

The game is fantastic. It's a bit of a mind blender game, so I can understand why its not great for everyone, but the mechanics are simple and the puzzles range from easy to obscure. Some puzzles are even hidden in the achievements. (hint hint) The overall style is very cute and has an old school vibe, even 'crashing' at one point to boot from bios like an old school DOS game. Really the charm of the game is its strong suit.

My wife and I have enjoyed playing for hours; one nice thing is that you are never forced to work on one puzzle at a time. If you have a problem, you can just go to another world-space and explore there.

To counter a few of the other reviews:
"Darthultros Apr 13, 2012 5 No objectives but collecting blocks put in plain sight, no goals otherwise."

Many of the cubes are hidden, even completely out of sight until you find the right angle or special combo.
Many hidden maps are scattered throughout the game and ciphers must be found to translate them. A whole lot of investigative work goes into solving the more advanced puzzles. Possibly he/she did not play past the first few worlds, as game-play progressively extends at a gradual pace as each new area is unlocked. IMHO, good design.

The game is not a platformer, its a puzzle game with platforming elements… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There's nothing in this game that's original, and what's crammed in there from various other games is a hodge podge that isn't even remotely interesting. Aside from very simple puzzles involving the mechanic of rotating the game world, there's a language you have to learn and translate. Trying to mix Myst-like puzzles with a platformer isn't a good or interesting enough idea to make up for a complete lack of challenge. Any puzzles that are there are either simplistic or intentionally obscure. It's easy to get lost as there's no direction. Not worth buying considering the free, or better alternatives that use the same perspective shifting mechanic to much better effect.… Expand

What is FEZ? Well it certainly is not the name of our hero in this game. His name is Gomez. FEZ however is a Indie game that raises the BAR for all Indie platform games. Simple and subtle yet hard when it needs to be.What is FEZ? FEZ is not predictable. Though you may think it is because you were able to figure out a couple of puzzles in route to gaining those hard to reach cubes and ant-cubes scattered across every world you encounter. Not to mention warp zones and secret rooms and cryptography puzzles and blah, blah,blah. What is Fez? Well the game itself has not even begun until its ended..twice! What is FEZ? To me its a cross between Super Mario Bros. 2, Sonic the Hedgehog{w/o the super speed} , and Tetris.What is FEZ? A game that looks cute on the outside but in reality is a total mind f#@$! What is FEZ? A impressive challenging game that will stump the smartest gamer with its puzzles and retro 8-bit graphic style coupling 2d and 3d mechanics all in one while listening to a soundtrack that is almost teasing you while you stumble through this game..oh yeah you will stumble. What is FEZ? Loads of fun. Gamers that grew up in the 80's will feel at home with this throw back title as well as the new school gamers that want to try a game with a bit of nostalgia. Best Indie game I ever played!...A bargain buy for 800 MS points1… Expand

The only thing you do in FEZ is simply change your perspective if you don't see the next block to jump on, that's it, there's nothing more to it.

The game calls itself "retro" however it offers no challenge, there are no enemies that can hinder you and no penalty if you miss a jump, if you fall off you are brought back to the point you were standing on, and apart from it's main gimmick of switching view it has nothing.

Now normally a game like this wouldn't get a 1/10 from me but after hearing that the game has been in development for 5 years, i can't help but wonder what this guy has been doing all this time,… Expand

Fez is a must play, its old school, glitches and all. It puts a creative spin on the old 8-bit classics. Fez is the best Xbox live download game of the year so far. Play this game

Fez is a charming and quirky platformer with nostalgia inducing 16-bit graphics and an awesome ambient chiptune soundtrack. The gameplay is simple 2D platforming with a "Super Paper Marioesque" 3D rotation gimmick, it's been implemented very well and the level design is fantastic. Whilst shallow on the surface there is an extra layer to the game with a decipherable language used to find secrets and read hidden messages. The map design is genius and allows you to track your progress of each area
perfectly. My only negative is the relative ease, Fez does not punish you for mistakes, whilst this does make the game more accessible I found it reduced the challenge and satisfaction from completing each area.

Still, this is one of the better games XBLA has to offer and definitely recommended.… Expand

FEZ on the whole, presents an atypical approach to its world design by presenting a pixelated 2D world in 3D terms. The concept of turning 2D to 3D isn't new; this concept can be seen in Paper Mario (by Nintendo) and Crush (by Sega). What is new is the use of pixels instead of completely flat polygons. This is a credit to Renaud Bèdard's programming ability, even though he's new to the game programming realm, the world he coded for FEZ with those pixels is warm, cute and somewhat inviting; however, its not very engaging. There's nothing that draws you personally into FEZ's world and you don't get the same sense of imminent danger that the game wants to present to you.

FEZ's story is that he has to find smaller bits of larger cubes in order to keep his world from disappearing. But you don't get a sense of that at all in the game's world, from the initial explanation of the story at the beginning of the game nor at the end of the game. None of the non-playable characters give you that sense either. So, since there are no time limits, "lives", or much of a story, you end up with an experience that has only the following three elements left: The 2D world that's viewable in three dimensions, exploration and puzzles.

The 2D spin-able world looks nice. The color palette has a nice range of colors, but your eyes will beg for more. AT least mine were like that, I definitely desired to see more depth and variations in the color choices as I played the game. The creators of this game wanted it to be some kind of love letter to old games in the past, so you're only getting a color palette that's a bit better than what the original Nintendo Entertainment System could display. Moving around FEZ's world feels a bit slow due to how the main character moves and I did have one or two issues with the game play itself. After playing for an hour or more, when I went to spin the world to get another perspective to see what I had to jump on next, this action seems to happened slower and slower with each passing minute I played over that hour. When that started to happen, jumping became a minor issue as the movement would stutter. Like many other users, I did experience the crash back to the Xbox's Home screen. Fortunately, I felt that these didn't make the game unplayable, as you can quickly get back to where you left off if you restart your Xbox if these problems start occurring. I'm hoping a future patch will clear these issues up. The map isn't very helpful in finding where you are and where you've been, so I mostly skipped it in favor keeping track of places with that notebook I was using to keep puzzle hints.

As for the puzzles, which outside the 2D/3D thing, is the core of FEZ, there's not much I can say without giving away hints or cause spoilers to appear in this review. The puzzles do range from the very easy, like pushing a block onto a switch to some more obtuse and abstract puzzles where being observant is the key to figuring out the answer, which allows you to get another cube piece. I think Brain Lord for the SNES had harder puzzles to figure out. But I can't really compare those two games since they are different experiences all around in navigating to the next puzzles with in the game world.

Finally to the exploration aspect of the game; which I thought was a bit tough to do. Most puzzle platformers give you something to draw you into the experience. Since many of these games like FEZ rely heavily on puzzles, most of them bring you into the experience by using sound effects or music. Unfortunately for FEZ, the music is a selection of soft ambient tunes; they were so soft at times, it felt almost nonexistent to me. The chiptune sounds aren't bad in the slightest, they are wonderfully composed pieces. But having something with a bit more pep or using music to add to the tension would have gone a long way in making the game more enjoyable while you're wandering around collecting cubes and solving puzzles.

How to wrap up this review? I think all in all, this is a wonderful tech demo and not a fully fleshed out game. I didn't experience the mind numbing brilliance that many other reviewers had seen when they played FEZ. However, it has a nice pixelated world spinning mechanic, some soft ambient music and puzzles that will keep you coming back, especially if you're a perfectionist. I don't think this game was fully realized and it feels lacking in some aspects. Buy this game if you're looking for a game you can slowly complete with you don't have anything else to play or on rainy days. There's no pressure, from the main character or his world. Think of MYST for PC in terms of puzzles and pressures to complete the game, mix in ambient chiptunes, a "retro" graphics engine and you have FEZ.… Expand

As an indie dev myself along with full time QA Tester, this game is fantastic!!! There are many complaints about the game being too easy and dying has no punishment. I think this was a good call in that the world of FEZ was definitely set up to pull you into it. Simply reseting the character makes you at times have to restart areas over, but prevents from really taking you out of the game. Honestly, what difference would a punishment make other than more screens to go through?
The game did take 5 years to develop and does have issues with crashing, which at times can be annoying. Here's the thing guys, those doing the cert for xbox live only have a limited time with it. They're not going to find these in that time. Also,this game was also only made by ONE guy!
Overall I greatly enjoyed the world of Fez and my journey through it. It was a nice game after a long day to play through, with lots and lots of charm. My major complaint is that the music sometimes gets a little old, and randomly changes levels of volume. Other than that it lost points for the resets to the dashboard, but with knowing some of the background of this game, I throughly enjoyed it and felt it was well worth the $10… Expand

Absolutely beautiful 2D platformer with a modern twist. Pure ambience and abstraction melded into an dreamy, self contained world that seems to go on forever. If you love Super Meat boy, Limbo, Mario and Sonic, and just platformers in general (of which there is not many in the 21st century), you won't be disappointed.

Wow this game is great! Great platforming, no annoying parts, funny script and instantly entertaining! Sometimes the puzzles can get a bit too challenging, for the age group this is aimed at.

You will never find a game of the same type like FEZ. The game world has its own history, its own culture, and most importantly, its own alphabet. None of the secrets in FEZ are easy to solve. That's why we love it. Now we learned that, living in a world of three dimensional matrix, every perspective is a entire new world. The only thing matters is what you can see from one perspective.

I just picked this game up and was only going to play a little bit before bed and I ended up playing for an hour and a half. It's a fun addictive game.

For anybody out there that actually believes Fez is just an indie platformer with a gimmick, a cool soundtrack, and retro graphics couldn't be more wrong. This game is pure insanity. After you beat the game for the first time, it breaks loose into madness. The notes you have to write for this game come straight out of a serial killers notebook. Fez is crazy. Phil Fish is crazy. Video games are awesome.… Expand

Simply put: Fez is my vote for game of the year. You need to play this game to understand the depth and genius of the design. Its games like this that revive my faith in the industry and comes as a welcome change.

I haven't got to the end yet but have been to most of the "worlds" and here's my interpretation this far. The worlds are all amazing looking. Phil Fish is a very talented artist and his work on Fez is perfectly suited. Id give the art a 9/10 since there is some repetitiveness and a lack of variety in color. The gameplay is fun but it too gets repetitive. I find myself unable to play the game for long sessions as it gets boring after an hour or so and I need to put it down due to the repetition. However, the polish of the gameplay is evident as the puzzles work just as expected and what must have been a very hard challenge to code was done very well, it is fluid and error free. The navigation of the game is probably my biggest problem with it. You will feel lost at times, and the worst part is, you will end up going through the same place more than a few times trying to figure out where to go next, and the map is of very little help (its too simple to help). Overall its nothing revolutionary but I think the creator got what he expected from the game, a peaceful adventure for players to relax, enjoy the scenery and do some fun puzzles. But since the gameplay is lacking and the repetitiveness is evident I would not feel right giving it an 8 where so many other indie games deserve that score or higher so 7 it is, not a bad score and I would say its worth playing but I'm not sure if Id buy it again.… Expand

It's a 2d platformer with a 3d twist, you rotate the level around which makes other areas reachable etc. I really cannot do it justice in words, all I can say is that it is beautiful and enchanting and needs to be played. The music and atmosphere is perfect and it really immerses you in it's cute pixelated world. It's a bit like Cave Story, only much better! It's the first game since my c64 days where I have had a pen and paper to hand to decipher in-game codes / languages etc. There is also a part where you scan a barcode using an iphone / android phone and it gives you a code, I wont say any more as I don't want to ruin any surprises but this game is the first game in years to make you feel fully immersed in it's world, so far so that you have pages of scrawls and puzzles to figure out on paper while playing. You are never sure what will be coming next and feels like a step up from standard video games where you repeat the same thing over and over.

This is the best game I've played so far this year, just fun, innovative and back to it's retro roots. If you don't like this game you have no soul.… Expand

This Game is Creative, Imaginative and the art is MIND BLOWING This is a Must Buy! This Game is Creative, Imaginative and the art is MIND BLOWING This is a Must Buy! This Game is Creative, Imaginative and the art is MIND BLOWING This is a Must Buy! This Game is Creative, Imaginative and the art is MIND BLOWING This is a Must Buy! This Game is Creative, Imaginative and the art is MIND BLOWING This is a Must Buy! This Game is Creative, Imaginative and the art is MIND BLOWING This is a Must Buy!This Game is Creative, Imaginative and the art is MIND BLOWING This is a Must Buy!… Expand

Love the gameplay and features, the sounds and graphics make it look old school and reminds you of the good 'ole times. But the lack of co-op or multiplayer makes you feel lonely and the player feels slightly sluggish moving around, especially on vines.

Fez is a perfect game. Underneath the layers of exploration and beautiful scenery is a story about growing up, about life, about adventure and about looking beyond our 2 dimensional lives at the bigger picture. While there is no permanent death in the game, you will be challenged in both reflex and wits. There is a reason this game took so long to come out, it wasn't released until it was perfect. Fez will make you laugh, it will make you smile, it may even make you cry, to me it was and always will be a perfect game. Thank you Polytron.… Expand

This game doesn't worth it, its very boring. Visually sucks, very bad programmed. It's hard to play more than an hour because it's full of ****
I think I can get better games for free in Newgrounds. Don't waste your time with this guys, seriously.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's pretty shocking to see this game currently have a 6.4 user rating... I just don't know about gamers these days and have to wonder if any of the people who reviewed this even played the game for more than a few minutes.

From intelligent and very unique/difficult puzzles to an incredible soundtrack by Disasterpeace, this game is the best platformer I've ever played. I've been a huge gamer all of my life, yet my wife could never get into any video other than Katamari Damacy. I let her play the level "Sync" in Fez and she had a blast. The atmosphere is really the best part about the game. It's so easy to just relax and become totally immersed in the world.

I'd say the only downfall of the game for me was one puzzle towards the end (SPOILER) that involved learning an entire new alphabet. It was a bit tedious to be honest. All in all though, it didn't detract that much from the game.

Thank you Phil Fish for making such a masterpiece. Thanks for sticking to this game and seeing it through to the end. I look forward to your next work.… Expand