The original “Gravity Rush” released for the PlayStation Vita as something of a niche title that spawned a fairly dedicated fan base. Admittedly I missed out on playing it during its first run in 2012 since I hadn’t yet purchased a Vita, and I wasn’t able to test out the PlayStation 4 port last year. But after nothing but positive buzz surrounding the title, I was eager to sink my teeth into the tale of charismatic Kat and her awesome gravity powers. I came away with a stark appreciation for just how much “Gravity Rush 2” gets right. This is one game you’ll certainly want to check out.
GRAVITY AIN’T WEIGHING ME DOWN
Unfortunately for me as a newcomer, the story picks up where the previous game left off, so I had to do a bit of research to be able to really immerse myself and understand Kat or her friends as characters. The game assumes you have prior knowledge of the cast from the original run, so you’ll have to make sure you read up about it or complete “Gravity Rush” before tackling this one.
But if you’re going into it fresh like I did, it’s still immediately easy to see Kat as a charming and entertaining lead, with characters you can relate to and impressive gravity powers that feel wholly unlike most other games out there on the market. They provide an impressive array of abilities that you can call on for physics-defying attacks, special moves and other navigational techniques that feel totally fresh and unique.
Kat is a Gravity Queen, controlling gravity as she sees fit thanks to the aid of her feline friend Dusty. She can fly through the air and “fall” toward just about anywhere she wants to go. You have the freedom to take her wherever you need her, and it’s just as awesome watching it happen as it is performing these actions. It brings to mind echoes of Bayonetta and its velvety-smooth controls.
Utilizing her Lunar style Kat can also launch off the ground and travel wherever she needs to go without using gravity, or the Jupiter style that weighs her down a little but offers more powerful attacks with lumbering strength. These come in addition to the main style Kat uses most often, and offer a satisfying sense of variety. Combat and exploration are where the game shines the most, so having additional play styles makes sense.
EXPANDING YOUR HORIZONS
“Gravity Rush 2” is mission-based, and you’ll often receive instructions from the NPCs dotting the map in every new area. Sometimes you’ll be in wide open spaces and others you’ll explore tighter areas in addition to stealth missions. There’s a decent variety to keep you entertained, but unfortunately there are issues with the camera being finicky here and there that do begin to aggravate.
For example, smaller areas mean the camera angles will frustrate you more, and sometimes it’s even a little difficult to lock onto certain enemies while in combat. It’s also a little annoying to orient yourself in these tighter spaces, because of Kat’s unique abilities. This doesn’t completely mar the experience, but it can be tempting to put the controller down and come back to the game later when these things do happen.
It has a ton of missions, side quests and other challenges to complete in addition to the main errands you’ll be given to run, and if you want to spend a lot of time taking care of all the side missions you’ll be spending a whole lot of time in-game. Engaging conversations between characters, an intriguing story that builds upon the first in significant ways, and Kat herself make the game a pleasure to breeze through even when the camera angles do get you down.
FALLING IN LOVE
“Gravity Rush 2” is a game unlike most of what’s out there on offer right now. It might take a little getting used to, especially if you didn’t play the first game, but if you give it a chance it will absolutely grow on you. Taking on the role of Kat is rush of an experience, and there’s so much here to absorb that you’ll need a couple dozen hours to get through it all. Whether or not you played the original “Gravity Rush” or are looking for a unique game to add to your PlayStation 4 library, “Gravity Rush 2” is certainly a breath of fresh air.
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