#Givethisgameachance

[dreadwhoop]

Gravity Rush - Released in 2012 for the PSVita and late 2015/early 2016 for the PS4. Published by Sony Computer Entertainment but developed by SCE Japan Studio's Project Siren, this is their 4th project after the Siren trilogy. Gravity Rush managed to get a sequel in 2017 and, much like my last review on NieR, I find Gravity Rush to be in a similar situation as it deserves better too.

I refer to this as an "anti-platformer" because you're so encouraged to jump to your doom it would be unplayable otherwise. It's not as mind-melting as a certain Escher painting can be - structures are definitively set - yet to navigate up walls and ceilings with this boundless flight has not captured the experience of dominating the landscape since swinging around in PS2's Spider-Man 2.

Kohei Tanaka's composition of the soundtrack, especially 'Resistance and Extermination', and parts of Hekseville such as the 'Pleasure Quarter' of Pleajeune, are outstanding renditions ranging in all directions from the jazzy feel of Skullgirls or the triumphant eclecticism of classic RPG battles with a finer tune to grand orchestral performances. Yoshiaki Yamaguchi's art blends elements of Studio Ghibli, cel-shade, and Eurocentric painterly fashion into a beautiful and fully realised city. Places feel alive, perhaps a tad too so because you're constantly lifting people up with your powers and thrusting them into space (which to be fair is funny when there's no repercussions for doing so other than hearing civilians squeal). Kat herself is instantly recognisable and to see the process of her conception from 5 attempts to nail her design shows they cared deeply about this fact. It's a highly encouraged design choice - something Keiichiro Toyama can be proud of as said designer for the game.

There's very little to critique given it has also a polished story by Naoko Sato and Keiichiro Toyama. I've heard a certain journalist call it "nonsensical" at the 2nd half and frankly is wrong - tonal shifts does not betwixt quality. I never felt dulled or dragged by the exploration or stressed to see how determined the game wanted me to be in uncovering more of the content - side-missions and hidden locations always rewarded me with greater depth to the world and things I could not do earlier were managed by progressing far enough to enhance my abilities. If anything should be marked as a flaw it's the realisation Kat's 'giving the benefit of the doubt' attitude leans sometimes a little on the 'dense' side. It's very stereotypical 'superhero logic' at times - do the right thing and help others even if the reader can clearly tell it's a ploy though this same attitude allows her to be the superhero we can't because it allows her to traverse so many stylish pocket worlds. One even got me reminded of Kula World and this is never a bad thing.

What a weird time to be writing this post.

I could never of imagined 4 years ago just how much the gaming industry was going to change - the flat-footing of Gamergate, the rise of Undertale, and successful VR leading to more immersion (can you imagine if Gravity Rush put VR functions in? BLREUGH!). Oh and NieR got a sequel. NieR. Remakes of FFVII, Shenmue 3, honestly if 2015 announced Half-Life 3 and Beyond Good & Evil 2 one might as well assume anything was possible. In 2017 alone, these past few months, we've seen plenty of games worthy of making a shortlist for GotY contenders and we've not even reached the international release of Persona 5. Sometimes there just isn't enough gaps between time to say when penning this would be right yet it must be done now.

Thing is one of the hardest parts of making games now is consumers taking a risk on new IPs when so much quality is established. Gravity Rush is one example of accomplishing an original goal whilst never alienating gamers fondly attached to the conventions of what makes a great game. Metrics are never precise though Famitsu's 38/40 would be fair. I put this 11th in 2012 in my Top 20 and honestly it’s more to do with the PSVita’s tragic lifecycle than any true detriment to the game’s overall presentation. If you passed on this game because you couldn’t play it before and now you can you should.

I’d give this game a fair chance. Thanks for reading!