Rez Dreamcast: The Fatboy Slim Prototype by United Game Artists

Name: Rez

Platform: Dreamcast

Publisher: SEGA

Developer: United Game Artists

Genre: Musical / Rail Shooter

Status: Released

Release (Planned): 2001-11-22

Playable Prototype: Yes

Prototype Archived: 1 (GDI)

Build Date: Jul 30 2001, 13:21:06

Build Type: Mid Prototype

Build Features: Unused Music

Rez Dreamcast: The Fatboy Slim Build

The psychedelic, experimental musical rail shooter from United Game Artists remains a well-known UFO among Dreamcast enthusiasts. Before Rez, its creator, Tetsuya Mizuguchi, had already delivered several unconventional productions on SEGA’s console, notably Space Channel 5. In 2001, he followed it up with a game that, more than twenty years after its release, still has no true equivalent.

Anyone discovering Rez either immediately falls under its spell… or remains completely impervious to its universe. The game leaves little room for anything in between: you either embrace it within the first few minutes, or not at all. Sometimes, however, giving it a little time and allowing yourself to adjust is all it takes to tip the scales in its favor.

The United Game Artists title features a minimalist visual style built around wireframe environments. Driven by a techno soundtrack, Rez immerses receptive players in cybernetic worlds where they must thwart the plans of an artificial intelligence named Eden, whose actions threaten humanity.

The Prototype in Video

The great originality of Rez lies in the way music is woven directly into the gameplay: every shot and every enemy hit triggers a note. Combos thus create genuine musical sequences that alter the soundtrack in real time.

With its eccentric art direction and extraordinary approach to music, Rez is an essential game that simply must be experienced.

The July 30, 2001 Rez Prototype

Although it is similar to build 876 (available for download here), this prototype nevertheless deserves a dedicated page after further consideration. It contains several secrets, two of which in particular are worth bringing to light. One of them is sure to delight Rez players looking for something new!

PS2 Start what? (Main Menu)

Where to begin? Of course, with the usual introduction to the prototype analyses available on the site, while also inviting you to discover the Rez making-of, in which Jake Kazdal (Graphic Designer) and Cord Smith (Associate Product Manager) look back at the behind-the-scenes story of its development and release.

This version of Rez on Dreamcast, internally numbered 899 by United Game Artists, dates from July 30, 2001, at 13:21:06. It predates the final version, released on October 4, 2001, by approximately two months. The developers burned this GD-R (Gigabyte Disc Recordable) “28 days later” than beta 876. To push the pop-culture reference a little further, however, who knows whether Rez’s avatar could have crossed paths with the zombies from Danny Boyle’s film! Perhaps those from The House of the Dead II or III instead…

Let’s liven up this latest article about Rez with a little electronic tune found buried in the prototype’s files (TEST.STM). Okay, it’s no chart-topper. But since this track is exclusive to this prototype version of the UGA hit, we might as well listen to it and hit the dance floor together. No no, no no no no, no no no no, no no there’s no limit! Okay, I’ll stop… You’ll probably prefer the next paragraph, because that’s where the real surprise awaits.

Rez Test Music (Exclusive to This Prototype)

So, what makes this prototype so exceptional? I’m getting there… As explained on the main page dedicated to Rez, SEGA decided not to include The Rockafeller Skank by Fatboy Slim in the final version of the game. At the time, the British DJ was facing legal issues surrounding the track. To avoid any controversy and amid uncertainty over potential legal action, the console manufacturer chose to abandon its use. Yet this beta still allows players to experience AREA 2 to the unmistakable big beat of Fatboy Slim, a remnant of the early musical choices considered by United Game Artists.

Let’s set aside the graphical differences in the menus—the size and layout of the information in the level selector, as well as changes to the epilepsy warning message at startup—and get straight to the second distinctive feature of this Rez build. After this, I promise I’ll stop bothering you. In the upper-right corner of the title screen, but only when the Debug Menu is enabled, a small label appears referring to the PlayStation 2. But what on earth is this mysterious “PS2 Start” doing in a prototype intended for the Dreamcast? The answer seems obvious (or almost): this is most likely a multiplatform build.

Epilepsy Warning Message (prototype on the left, final version on the right)

Promise broken, sorry. I hope you won’t hold it against me. Lost in my ramblings, I forgot to mention that the Debug Menu can be activated, unfortunately, only through a non-standard method. You can find out how to enable it and how it works in the [Rez Debug Menu] chapter of the main page dedicated to Rez, its making-of, and its prototypes.

Would you like a little more Rez? Well, no, that’s it… for now! See you again when the next discovery about the game comes along. Let’s hope the next one finally concerns the legendary underwater version of the game!!!

You can download this build of Rez Dreamcast below :

Rez The Fatbox Slim Build (Jul 30, 2001 Dreamcast Prototype)

Acknowledgments:

to Joris "CDi" Lelong for proofreading and correcting the French text
to Woof for the English translation of the article
to Woof for investigating the Rez Dreamcast prototype and helping analyze it

Really special prototypes (big differences, early Builds, weird ones, etc.): Guilty Gear X (DC) - Dead or Alive 2 (DC) - Samba De Amigo (DC) - Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram (DC) - Spirit of Speed 1937 (DC) - Re-Volt (DC) - Phantasy Star Online (DC) - San Francisco Rush 2049 (DC) - Evil Twin: Cyprien's Chronicles (DC) - Toy Racer (DC) - Space Channel 5 (DC) - Sega Smash Pack Vol.1 (DC) - Red Dog (DC) - Propeller Arena (DC) - Half-Life (DC) - Jet Set Radio (DC) - Daytona USA 2001 (DC) - Floigan Bros. Episode 1 (DC) - NBA 2K1 (DC) - NFL 2K1 (DC) - NHL 2K (DC) - World Serie Baseball 2K2 (DC) - Rez The Fatboy Slim Build (DC) - Rez The Undercower Build (DC)

More than 300 prototypes have been digitized. You will find them available for free download in the section: [Dreamcast prototypes (and more) available for download]