Developer: SIE Japan Studio, Project Siren
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: PS4
Tested on: PS4
Gravity Rush 2 – Review
Some forces of nature always have piqued our interest and gravity certainly is one of them. Mankind has tried to find ways to overcome these power with the help of some tools or certain actions. What if there would be no need for something like this? That you could just use this force to your liking and switch gravity in a snap? Gravity Rush 2 takes you yet again on a trip where you need to fight your way by using such specialities.
Story
Gravity Rush 2 continues the storyline from the first installment. Kat had lost her memories and awakened in the town of Hekseville with a beautiful cat next to her called Dusty. Things didn’t seem to get any better soon but she discovered quite fast that she has special powers. It seems that she can bend gravity to her liking, giving endless possibilities. She used her new-found skills to save the police officer Syd from Nevi, giving her the title of Shifter. There was someone else in town, with the name Raven, that has the same possibilities and didn’t really like the fact that she wasn’t the only one with powers. A lot of events took place but in the end, Kat and her friends are struck by a gravity storm.
This is where the second game takes off. Kat and Syd are stranded in a town called Banga Village, a mining settlement that tries to survive by gathering Precious Gems. With Dusty gone, Kat has lost her powers as well and her new neighbours don’t really believe her stories, with the leader of the town Lisa being the most sceptic. There is no sign of Raven but the Nevi, or also called Scarabs, are present yet again. When Kat and her friend Cecie are in trouble, things are finally starting to turn around. To save you from spoilers, expect a lot of fun conversations and crazy, gravitational quests.
As this game is an action RPG, it is only natural that there is quite a lot to do. The story might seem light at times, there are quite some darker moments here and there or some twists that will leave you pondering. The conversations and side-quests will give you more information regarding certain events or characters, which is a fun element.
Graphics
Gravity Rush 2 has so much to offer in the graphics department. Next to the rather comical characters and environments, there are also two different styles as well. For instance, the cutscenes are visualized by animated comic book sequences, while the conversations have something similar but are just pinpointed on the involved parties rather than a complete setting.
Every style has quite some vibrant colors and gives everything a light feeling. Kat really stands out in comparison with the backgrounds and other characters thanks to her rather unique garb. Some items or structures return quite frequently though, but you’ll probably fly by anyway without noticing. What has to be said, Kat’s movements, during her gravity shiftings are really well done, really giving you the feeling that you’re floating yourself.
Sound
Music is also an important aspect of a game and the developers did their best to capture each moment with the perfect tunes. For instance, a bustling city with loads of people and activity gets an upbeat, happy track while a more eerie tune is hearable when venturing a dark excavation site. Sometimes these changes are quite subtle, but will change the mood completely.
There are quite some sound effects implemented and it is actually really important for certain events or quests to keep your ears open for some specific sounds. The fighting motions are perfectly emphasized by these small details and makes the game that much more dynamic. The conversations on the other hand are just gibberish, which might sound strange at times but isn’t that bothersome.
Gameplay
Gravity Rush 2 is an action RPG where you play as a ‘gravity shifter’, making it your purpose to help others while finding your lost friends and searching for a way to get home. During your journey, you have to tackle several missions, making it possible to advance in the story. If you want to side-track a bit, this isn’t a problem as there are quite some side-missions here and there, which can take a lot of your time. Of course, your effort won’t go unnoticed and you will receive your rewards like Precious Gems, Talismans or even level increases.
You gain levels when playing the game or completing side missions, which leads to health increase for example, but the Precious Gems are almost equally important. These can be excavated from mining locations or can be found by browsing your local city. Some locations are just a goldmine if you search long enough but this is fairly time-consuming. Nevertheless, these gems are pretty important as they’re used to power up your combat moves. Depending on what skill you want to develop, you’ll need to pay an amount of ores. It is a good idea to stock up on them, especially if you’re new to the game. Some extra power is always welcome.
Mining is one of the extras you can tackle, where you’re sure to run into some Nevi (or Scarabs). These black spawns can take on different forms, each with their own weaknesses and strengths. To kill them, you need to attack the red globe(s) which isn’t always an easy task. At least you have some tricks up your sleeve. Next to manipulating gravity and performing glide kicks, you can also perform normal combat moves or even take control of nearby rubble, called statis, and use them as projectiles. All of these possibilities can be mixed however you please but keep in mind that using your powers will also deplete your gravity meter. When it’s completely empty, you will fall down at the spot, so you might want to watch out. Although, falling or running around for a while will reset the meter to the brim, so you’re ready to go.
Next to all of the standard moves, you can also perform a special attack if the SP meter is full. This does massive damage and is a real table-turner. On the other hand, it is also used to perform a whirlwind throw of rubble, hitting multiple enemies at once. Depending on what you’re going for, it might be a good idea to save up or to use the statis move. Sometimes, crystals will drop that refills gravity power, life or the SP meter so it might be a good idea to keep an eye out for them.
In the first game, Kat could only use the ‘standard’ style, while the second installment has received two new ones to look out for. One of them makes Kat feel lighter, giving her the possibility to jump even higher and further than what she already could while the other one will slow Kat down. Both of them also have effect on her combat moves. Some of the downsides of these styles can be tackled by equipping talismans. Kat can wear up to three different ones, which gives you quite some possibilities to tweak your flying protagonist and surely has its benefits. These pendants or stones can be found by excavating but also by completing side-quests or opening treasure chests.
This is where the online part comes into place. You can find chests across several parts of town and when you find one, you can take a picture and send it afloat in the online world. Sometimes, you yourself will get a picture and you can start your treasure hunt. This surely is a great extra and gives you the chance to find something great. If you’ve found the treasure, you can take another picture and forward it to outer space. This photography feature is also available outside of the treasure hunting. You can take a picture at any time and at any place, even taking photos of yourself while performing some emotes. These snaps can also go online, giving you the opportunity to collect Dusty Coins. These are quite important if you want to obtain special items, so it might be a good idea to go on treasure hunting or to take some pictures.
Conclusion
Gravity Rush 2 is a game that will take you on quite an exceptional trip, with gravity as your ally. Next to the storyline, you can also embark on your own journey to hunt some treasures or to get some hard-needed Precious Gems. Fancy something more exciting? Well, there are dozens of side-quests, challenges or special missions to tackle, all in a superb graphical setting and seasoned with great music. If you like action RPGs with a twist, then be sure to get this game.
Gravity Rush 2 - Review,
No Comments