Rez Trance Vibrator
Publisher: ASCII
Console: PlayStation 2
?
We realize that the Rez Trance Vibrator has been around for a long time, but after recently acquiring a unit for ourselves, we simply had to do a writeup.
You see, this item is probably the most unusual peripheral we've ever encountered. Look at the Donkey Konga bongos, or the guitar that comes with Guitar Hero. Those are peripherals with a direct and obvious purpose. The Rez Trance Vibrator, on the other hand, simply vibrates...a lot.
Ok, so there is that purpose. You know, the one that's on your mind right now. But surely that couldn't be what the makers were thinking, could it? So we set out to prove that there was more to this item than for deviant sexual activities.
The item itself comes in a small black box, with artwork matching that of Rez. A picture of the unit is on the front, while illustrations of the various body forms you take in the game are on the side.
Inside the packaging is the unit itself, along with a small, black, velvety pouch into which the vibrator snugly fits. [Please, we ask that you keep the snickering to a minimum.]
Here we have the package contents shown along with a PS2 controller and, as always, a shot glass.
And here we have a closeup view of the unit itself. You may not be able to see from the lighting, but it says, "Trance Vibrator" on the top. The unt is shaped sort of like a computer mouse, only with a flattened top.
Our next step was hooking it up. We slid it inside the pouch, plugged the cable into one of the USB ports on our PlayStation 2, and booted up Rez.
Now Rez has always been one of our favorite games at Team Fremont, so we were excited to see how the Trance Vibrator added to the experience. Not knowing where to stick this thing [Again, please refrain from snide comments], the shirt pocket seemed acceptable.
The first thing you'll notice when using the Trance Vibrator is that the motor is obviously much more powerful than the one included in the Dual Shock. If you also choose to put it in your shirt pocket, you'll feel the vibrations pulsing through your chest and throughout your body.
The vibrator reacts to the music, as well as certain things that happen within the game. It doesn't always pulse at the same time as the Dual Shock, which makes for an interesting contrast. It can be argued that it adds to the esthetic feel and trippy funkiness of the game, but in the end, it does little more than amplify - albeit a lot - the vibration of the controller.
Many people don't realize that the Trance Vibrator also works with another one of Miziguchi's titles, Space Channel 5: Special Edition. Simply pop in the second disc, and the Trance Vibrator pulses along to the music. This feature is actually somewhat useful as it keeps time for you during tempo shifts. It doesn't pulse nearly as strong as it does during Rez, but somehow here its implementation seems a bit more...useful.
Ok, so in the end we couldn't figure out a "normal" purpose to for this thing. Chances are, the makers did indeed intend for you to sit on it and get your jollies while you're playing Rez. Or, perhaps this item was intended as a way to help get wives and significant others interested in video games. Unfortunately, we'll never know as our's seem to frown upon using PlayStation peripherals for naughty pleasures.
If you're interested in picking up the Trance Vibrator (the reasons why are your own business), they're fairly easy to come by on good ol' eBay for between $10 and $30. Simply click here for the search results.
And...enjoy.
Bottom Line: For us, it's an interesting conversation piece. For you sickies, it's a warm friend on a lonely night.
Article By: John
You see, this item is probably the most unusual peripheral we've ever encountered. Look at the Donkey Konga bongos, or the guitar that comes with Guitar Hero. Those are peripherals with a direct and obvious purpose. The Rez Trance Vibrator, on the other hand, simply vibrates...a lot.
Ok, so there is that purpose. You know, the one that's on your mind right now. But surely that couldn't be what the makers were thinking, could it? So we set out to prove that there was more to this item than for deviant sexual activities.
The item itself comes in a small black box, with artwork matching that of Rez. A picture of the unit is on the front, while illustrations of the various body forms you take in the game are on the side.
Inside the packaging is the unit itself, along with a small, black, velvety pouch into which the vibrator snugly fits. [Please, we ask that you keep the snickering to a minimum.]
Here we have the package contents shown along with a PS2 controller and, as always, a shot glass.
And here we have a closeup view of the unit itself. You may not be able to see from the lighting, but it says, "Trance Vibrator" on the top. The unt is shaped sort of like a computer mouse, only with a flattened top.
Our next step was hooking it up. We slid it inside the pouch, plugged the cable into one of the USB ports on our PlayStation 2, and booted up Rez.
Now Rez has always been one of our favorite games at Team Fremont, so we were excited to see how the Trance Vibrator added to the experience. Not knowing where to stick this thing [Again, please refrain from snide comments], the shirt pocket seemed acceptable.
The first thing you'll notice when using the Trance Vibrator is that the motor is obviously much more powerful than the one included in the Dual Shock. If you also choose to put it in your shirt pocket, you'll feel the vibrations pulsing through your chest and throughout your body.
The vibrator reacts to the music, as well as certain things that happen within the game. It doesn't always pulse at the same time as the Dual Shock, which makes for an interesting contrast. It can be argued that it adds to the esthetic feel and trippy funkiness of the game, but in the end, it does little more than amplify - albeit a lot - the vibration of the controller.
Many people don't realize that the Trance Vibrator also works with another one of Miziguchi's titles, Space Channel 5: Special Edition. Simply pop in the second disc, and the Trance Vibrator pulses along to the music. This feature is actually somewhat useful as it keeps time for you during tempo shifts. It doesn't pulse nearly as strong as it does during Rez, but somehow here its implementation seems a bit more...useful.
Ok, so in the end we couldn't figure out a "normal" purpose to for this thing. Chances are, the makers did indeed intend for you to sit on it and get your jollies while you're playing Rez. Or, perhaps this item was intended as a way to help get wives and significant others interested in video games. Unfortunately, we'll never know as our's seem to frown upon using PlayStation peripherals for naughty pleasures.
If you're interested in picking up the Trance Vibrator (the reasons why are your own business), they're fairly easy to come by on good ol' eBay for between $10 and $30. Simply click here for the search results.
And...enjoy.
Bottom Line: For us, it's an interesting conversation piece. For you sickies, it's a warm friend on a lonely night.
Article By: John
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