In the four months since it hit store shelves, Sony’s PlayStation Vita has had a tough time solidifying itself in the market. With only a handful of exclusives to call its own, many have found it difficult to take the leap and buy a system of their own. Gravity Rush however, makes taking the plunge an enticing prospect.
Gravity Rush revolves around an amnesiac named Kat. She’s a poor adolescent girl lost in the big floating city of Hekseville who has the uncanny ability to disregard the laws of gravity. Though what does this mean exactly? Simple, Kat is able to freely navigate through three-dimensional space. This allows her to stand and fight in any direction she so chooses: whether it be on the side of a building, under a bridge, on a floating blimp, anywhere.
The ability to do such a thing may sound disorienting, though it translates very well into a game environment and is quite easy to take hold of. From the get-go, Kat is a special girl with a small set of powers that expand and get stronger as her tale unfolds.
The story begins with Kat awakening in the city without an inkling of who she is. Before being given the chance to gain her bearings, an old man pleads with the young girl, urging that she save his son. It is here that both Kat and the player are first introduced to a world in turmoil and Kat’s unique ability to shift gravity at will.
Utilizing this unknown power, she clumsily navigates through rubbish being sucked into a black hole and saves the boy. Shortly after, Kat discovers that she isn’t the only Shifter around and sets to find the mysterious girl named Raven in hopes of finding some answers.
On her adventure of self discovery, Kat often finds herself lending a helping hand to the common folk. Constantly, players witness the girl throw herself into harms way to save the civilians of Hekseville from the amorphous creatures known as the Nevi.
When the city isn’t being threatened by devastating invasions, Kat is able to explore both her powers and the city at her own leisure. Utilizing them to the fullest, the player can shirk Kat’s responsibility to follow the storyline and make Hekseville her playground as she falls through the skies at tremendous speeds.
Hekseville is a beautifully robust city separated into four major districts. At the center of the town is a large tower which splits the sections apart. Initially, Kat is only able to venture as far as the eastern district limits, but more becomes available as the player progresses through the game.
Each district features a number of rumor spots and challenges. Rumor spots are locations spread across all of Hekseville where random pedestrians will want to speak with Kat. Most of them shoot the breeze by feeding her tales and tidbits of the city, major characters, or plot points that occur throughout the game.
Challenges are exactly what they sound like, optional missions. Aim for the Gold and receive a nice bundle of gems to strengthen Kat’s powers. Aim for the Bronze and you get the same prize in a smaller part. A number of DLC missions will be available in the upcoming weeks as well. When completed they unlock alternate costumes for Kat to wear as she fulfills her duty as the hero of Hekseville.
Gravity Rush is a special game. It’s the kind that people come across maybe a few times in a decade. A game that truly brings something new to the table and offers an unparalleled experience to its audience. With a big city to explore, a charming protagonist to follow, and an interesting tale to unweave, it’s certainly a game that makes saying “no†a difficult decision.
Leave a Reply