GM Edge

In a world of easy game creation, lack of creativity rules all. But one game dares to be different…

Alright, enough of that. I’ll just get this out of the way right now: REZ: Havoc’s End feels lifeless at times. The enemies are essentially the same but with different sprites, and you only have one simple shooting attack. Not to mention the lack of animation. *phew* Since that’s out of my system, I’ll start reviewing what is quite possibly among the best GM games in existence.

By the way, Havoc’s main character, REZ, is also a pseudonym of the game’s creator. To avoid any confusion, I will be calling the creator Clay and the character REZ.

The gameplay is the same as the first REZ game, but with a little added to it. Usually, you have to collect a certain amount of coins in the area before you can move on. There are also some more objectives, such as collecting rubies or decimating a horde of goblins. My only real complaint is the difficulty at certain points. You aren’t given many save points, and some of the bosses are difficult to tackle (especially Loch, who has you by your balls). It can be tedious, but a great experience nevertheless.

Clay has always had an interesting spriting style. They are shaped a bit oddly, but his shading style is instantly recognizable. And this masterpiece is no different. However, the character design is a little awkward. REZ looks fatter than usual, Loch looks like the Penguin, and the fairies have almost triangular figures. Also, as mentioned earlier, there is no animation, but that is forgivable. Clay’s graphics, though flawed, have always been among the greatest in GM.

Now onto music. Like its predecessor (REZ and the Forgotten), this game steals borrows its score from various movies and sites. The selection is great, and fitting for RHE’s atmosphere. If you aren’t too fond of the fact that the music isn’t original, don’t fret. I have this strange notion that it may be different in future installments.

And now for Havoc’s story. It’s set in a colonial America during a series of witch hunts. The conservatives witch hunters are heavily interested in killing off a race of two-souled mages known as the Hoods. REZ and his uncle Nod…er…Nor are training one day, but the night before, REZ had a strange vision of himself burning down a village (sound familiar, RATF players?). After training, he sets off to find the wich hunter who killed his parents. Meanwhile, an odd merchant named Loch has arrived. The story has something of a plot twist later on.

Overall, this is one of my favorite GM games. Not because I’m biased and know the creator, but because it has the atmosphere absent in many games. Havoc is lacking in a few areas, but it was made by an  8th grader. If he’s not a prodigy now, give Clay two more years and he will be.

DOWNLOAD RHE AT TNET/REZ