Fez Xbox 360

• Developer Polytron Corporation
• Publisher Microsoft Studios, Polytron, Trapdoor
• Genre Platformer, Puzzle

The goal of Fez is to collect 32 cubes, which have been scattered around the world, to rebuild the Hexahedron and restore Gomez’s world before it is torn apart. Cubes and cube fragments are visible and can be collected by simply moving over them. Players can also collect 32 “anti-cubes” by solving various puzzles, many of which require some form of cryptanalysis. As the player collects cubes and anti-cubes, doors become unlocked and allow the player to access new areas.

Fez is presented as a 2D platform game in which Gomez can walk, jump, climb and manipulate objects. However, the player can shift perspectives at any time, rotating the world 90 degrees relative to the screen. This reveals doors and passageways and causes platforms to realign on the screen. Since depth is not a factor in the 2D gameplay, the player can (and must) take advantage of this mechanic to perform actions that would normally be impossible in a true 3D world. (For example, while standing on a floating platform, shifting the perspective 90 degrees allows Gomez to jump to another platform that had previously been on the opposite side of the screen. Rotating back to the original perspective after the jump reveals that Gomez has moved a great distance.)