Xbox Live Arcade To Get Rez HD, Chessmaster Live

Representatives from Q Entertainment have announced that this Wednesday's Xbox Live Arcade update will see the addition of its HD remake of Dreamcast/PS2 synaesthetic cult shooter Rez. Q says the XBLA update will contain all five original areas in both regular and score attack modes, as well as the Beyond mode, Direct Assault, Lost Mode, the free play Trance Mission, and a Boss Rush mode. It also notes that the game has been updated both for HD sets as well as 5.1 surround sound with new sound and visual effects, "allowing for a customized Rez experience." The game will also feature the usual leaderboard and achievement features, as well as a replay theater to view both your own runs as well as others, and a version of its "trance vibration" mode, with other 360 controllers receiving trance vibration signals. In November of last year, Q founder Tetsuya Mizuguchi spoke at length about the genesis of the Rez HD project, who stressed that "this is a complete version of Rez. It's very smooth, with no jaggies, no stress, widescreen and really good sound." In addition, Microsoft has announced that the service will also see the addition of a version of Ubisoft’s Chessmaster series with Chessmaster Live with both single player and Xbox Live play. Microsoft says Chessmaster Live will feature five different chess variants, including Message Chess, which lets players "engage in matches over the span of several days, weeks or even months." Both Rez HD and Chessmaster Live will be released at a price of 800 Microsoft Points ($10).