Gravity Rush Remastered is a port of a game originally for the Vita, now remastered for PS4 with higher framerate and higher resolution (1080p). The game has cel-shaded graphics that manages to hold up really well, despite originating from the Vita. However, some textures when they're closer looks muddled. Apparently, Bluepoint Games managed to increase the draw distance, improve the lighting and blur effects as well as upgrading the graphics. The art style goes a long way to help mask the Vita origins but the limited draw distance hurts it the most.
The game has one of the most inventive concepts ever. Kat can control gravity and thus she can control which direction she falls, effectively allowing her to fly. Manipulating gravity is simple, just the touch of a button and she can float, another touch and she'll fall in the direction you'd want her to. The combat is simple too, Kat can kick but her key battle technique is utilizing her gravitational powers. She can use gravity to deliver a hard flying kick towards the enemy and it is satisfying. What helps is that the game helps lock onto enemies so you don't need pinpoint accuracy.
Other powers includes a gravitational force field to float objects and throw them, sliding on surfaces and various special attacks. Apart from the special attacks (which deals an absurd amount of damage compared to normal attacks), the other abilities aren't that useful for combat. You most likely won't ever use them apart from the challenges. However, you won't only be battling enemies as you'll be battling the controls as well. In intense combat, aiming still sucks despite the lock on assist. You'll have to watch out for projectiles but luckily Kat has a dedicated evade move. The developer eases you into the combat as the early enemies are stationary most of the time, their projectiles don't move too quickly and apart from the bosses, are slow and lets you hit them easily.
Later chapters have extremely frustrating enemies that move right before you hit them. Or they have an invincible charge and are only vulnerable afterwards. Or they spam homing attacks. Put them all together at once and it is a recipe of frustration and extreme annoyance, particular since it is at these times that the combat feels really horrendous and clunky. It's not suited for fast paced combat yet it is forcing you to dodge and then quickly swap the camera 180 degrees to aim.
While you are maneuvering Kat quickly across the environment and you move the camera about, it can get disorienting. Doubly so when you realize that you can't tell what is up from down. You might be desperately looking for a flat surface to stand upon so you can recharge your gravity usage meter but then realize that the surface was a wall. When standing on any flat surface, the camera automatically shifts such that Kat is standing upright, which looks pretty cool.
The enemies are called Nevi, black blobs that take on different forms. Helpfully, each has a glowing red weak point for Kat to kick and break. There are occasional boss battles, which can be really fun but some are also frustrating, including one which was annoying because it has an artificial time limit. Others would feature characters that fly around making it really difficult to lock on and aim.
The motion controls carry over from the Vita. You can aim, slide and shift the comic book panels using motion control. Another interesting thing is the game uses the controller's speakers for the sound effects from gathering the crystals as well as indicating when your gravity gauge has recharged. The game has an open world but the size isn't too big. This is not a problem as it is fun to fly around and explore without feeling like there are large stretches of utter nothingness. As you'd expect, the city is very vertical so that you can use Kat's abilities to its potential.
Scattered around the environments are purple crystals. Collecting these is a must because they become the currency you use to upgrade Kat's abilities. The story is told via comic book styled cutscenes which feels abrupt and weird at first but you soon get used to it. It carries potential but ultimately lets you down and because mediocre. The problem is that it lacks focus. Beginning with Kat waking up with no memory, she has her cat, Dusty, as a companion. She finds herself in a city floating in the sky and that she herself has the power to manipulate gravity.
Soon after, monsters called Nevi attack the city and she becomes the city's hero. It's a story filled with inter-dimensional elements but also a type of coming of age story for her. She frets about getting a place to live, finding a boyfriend and helping others in general. Unfortunately, both the story and the gameplay start to degrade as you complete the game. The scenarios get progressively worse after each chapter. On the gameplay side of things, you're pit against most and more powerful Nevi at the same time, which is a chore when your combat is really only limited to the gravity kick being the most efficient. For story, it lacks direction and becomes muddled. Plot points are dropped and teased (probably for the sequel) and the game's ending is so sudden that it feels unfinished.
The story requirements are pretty bland and mundane. You go around saving people, or defeat all the Nevis, or platform your way around. Despite that, there are a few really annoying sections which aren't that fun. The first is when your gravity powers are crippled. The second is when you're falling a long way down and it is so annoying to dodge the projectiles coming at you. In addition to the story, there are 20 challenges. These challenges are spread over races and time attacks. They are difficult if you tried to tackle them when they are first unlocked but become much easier at the end of the game where you have unlocked most of Kat's abilities.
This version comes with all three DLC packs: Maid, Spy and Special Forces. Each pack contains three missions which takes around 30 minutes to complete and two extra challenges. It's not a lot of additional content but it is nice for it to be included. Overall, Gravity Rush Remastered is a unique and fun game. There are certainly flaws, in particular the camera, aimless story and at times, repetitive missions. However, the core gameplay of manipulating gravity to fly around is just so much fun. Gravity Rush Remastered is highly recommended and is a fantastic game.
-------------------------------------------------
For other game reviews, have a look at this page.