Gravity Rush 2

Part I: Introduction & Overview

The first Gravity Rush is a great game that (despite a cult following) has been slightly underappreciated. Although a vastly superior PS4 remaster has made it more readily accessible and improved upon many of its biggest flaws, these changes pale in comparison to the improvements made with Gravity Rush 2. After being sucked into a gravity storm in the short animated prequel, Kat, Syd, and Raven all wind up in an entirely new world far from what they know (and with Kat and Syd separated from Raven).

Part II: Gameplay, Narrative, Setting & Design

Gameplay

If you played either the Vita or Remastered versions of Gravity Rush, then you are more or less prepared for the gameplay of Gravity Rush 2. If you haven't, then you play as Kat, a young woman with the ability to "shift gravity" around her. This forms the core mechanic of the game, and the entire narrative (as well as every aspect of gameplay) revolves around your ability to fling yourself (and many other things) through the air. This opens up a large number of possibilities regarding traversal, but also regarding combat. Like in the first Gravity Rush, Kat's combat is based around various kicks and kick combos, however this time around Kat's options have been expanded in some interesting ways. Most obvious are the inclusion of two new gravity styles that are earned throughout the game. The first (Lunar) makes Kat nearly weightless (get it? like the gravity on the moon!), greatly enhancing her jump abilities, increasing the speed of her attacks, and providing her with a whole series of new abilities. The second (Jupiter) increases Kat's weight significantly, making her significantly slower, but making her much more physically powerful (both offensively and defensively). In this mode she blocks instead of dodging, and unleashes a series of body-shattering punches against foes. Once unlocked these styles can be alternated without restriction (a couple rare special cases aside), allowing players to develop their own strategies and play style.

Narrative

The story of Gravity Rush 2 picks up immediately following the events of Gravity Rush and the short animated interquel (designed to preemptively answer questions about plot gaps between the games, but ultimately far more confusing and disorienting than anything). Raven and Dusty (the source of Kat's power) are missing, and Kat and Syd have been relegated to a slave-like existence on-board a village of houseboat mining vessels called Banga. Although this makes for a lengthy tutorial section (seemingly designed more for those unfamiliar with the first Gravity Rush than returning players), it doesn't take long before the plot is kicked into a higher gear and things start falling into place for Kat once more.

To be perfectly honest the narrative is a bit of a mess. It makes many of the same moves as the original, and is thus jarring in similar ways. If you have yet to play the original, both Gravity Rush games excel in being completely unrestrained, and by typically ignoring many narrative conventions. Although pacing isn't perfect, and there is once again a lack of balance (certain details are almost entirely glossed over, or are left to

I wish the story was taken a bit more slowly. It would have been nice to make more in-story use of the mining, especially with Raven. Likewise, I wish there was a much longer, slower, buildup to climatic events. As it stands there is an over-reliance on players expanding the story with all of the extras. The fact that they're there isn't a problem in and of itself, but it's too bad there isn't some more story content. What's there is great, it just feels a bit rushed at times, and considering the size and scope of the game this is in contrast with how everything else feels. Of the chapters 0 - 27 0 is an introductory chapter, 27 is an epilogue with on-screen credits, 24-26 are the final boss, and post-game content returns you to the time just before chapter 21.

Although the narrative does feel a bit rushed, there are a huge number of side missions that put in work fleshing out the world. Not all of them are as good as the best, but they certainly make for some interesting diversions, and there were never any I thought were totally useless. My favourite side mission was almost certainly the one where you're tasked with delivering a very delicate package. Based on the reactions of the recipients, Kat immediately begins to suspect that she's running drugs, and that Raven is also hooked (the latter starts a fight that has you high-tailing it through downtown Jirga Para Lhao).

Setting & Design

- Out of the box the draw distance for collectable crystals was only 30-50 yards (nowhere near far enough), but version 1.02 fixes this completely

- for game with a number of pro-feminist themes, it's somewhat disheartening that Kat is more highly sexualised (instead of simply being given more overt sexuality). I don't think that it's quite a dealbreaker, but it's certainly upsetting that there's such dissonance between the narrative and themes of the title and some of the visuals and ludic elements.

- Jirga Para Lhao gets a bit underused, especially the downtown part of Lei Cosmola, because of how quickly the story missions progress. It's an amazing open world playground filled with conversations, treasures, side and challenge missions, and of course free play potential, but it doesn't always balance these things nicely. There is a very noticeable difference between the side and story missions, with some of them feeling like very obvious time-wasters, although I suspect that it's a matter of personal preference regarding which side missions are filler and which are essential.

The biggest stylistic problem is also tied into some of the narrative issues, and that is the switch from Jirga Para Lhao to Hekseville. The two cities are completely different, and while that might be viewed as a means to offer new gameplay, however this is not entirely the case. After the lateral and vertical excellence of Jirga Para Lhao the design of Hekseville feels like a bit of a comedown. Four districts that are lacking in interesting layering, and this time feel more restrictive. In the first Gravity Rush Hekseville felt like a very large and open area because the player was more used to tight, small spaces, and there was so much freedom of exploration involved. Furthermore,




Part III: Summary & Conclusion

A prettier version of its mediocre predecessor with few, if any substantial improvements to the core gameplay. The game's idea of utilising its greatest asset--that being the gravity shifting mechanic--to its full potential still consists of often temporarily disabling your ability to shift gravity in order to hinder progress, or forcing you to attempt to move steathily as opposed to fluidly.

Once again, mission objectives have zero depth: go there; kill these; mine these; find this person; talk to this person. It's like playing an MMO without the social interaction, incentive or dopamine hit.

2.5 stars / Mediocre