Gravity Rush 2 (PS4) Review

Turn your world upside-down again.

 Gravity Rush 2 is the long-awaited sequel to the 2012 PS Vita hit, Gravity Rush. In for a new adventure and joined by new and old friends, Kat is back for another gravity-defying adventure, this time on the more-powerful PlayStation 4. As a fan of the original Gravity Rush, I've been anxiously waiting for the release of Gravity Rush 2, and after playing the brief demo released last year, I was pretty impressed with the overall improvements and expansions the sequel brings. After finishing the long and thrilling journey, it's time share my overall thoughts on Gravity Rush 2.

STORY- Taking place after the events of Gravity Rush, heroine Kat is separated from her friends and home by a gravity storm. She is then transported to another world and resides in the village of Banga as she aims to reunite with her home once again. During her journey Kat will befriend new faces and reunite with old ones. That's not to forget she'll be fighting lots of Nevi this as the threat she's facing is bigger than before. Raven, an old adversary from the previous game returns as an ally and will help Kat out on her journey. The narrative is presented in a comic-book-styled cut-scenes, like the ones of the first game, and are neatly done and give the game much more charm as well. I found the story to be overall memorable experience with likable characters, both old and new. It starts out strong with many developed characters to meet but loses some steam towards its second act which doesn't get much depth. Thankfully, the third act and epilogue are both satisfying and makes me excited for what's in store for the series next.

The adventure is on a bigger scale this time around.

GAMEPLAY- Gravity Rush 2 plays identically to its predecessor. You control Kat from the third-person as she manipulates gravity to defeat enemies. Not only that, but she can use her gravity powers as means of traversal and it will come handy since the game world is 2.5x larger than before. Kat retains some of her standard power up such as her signature gravity kicks, physical attacks, and stasis fields that can carry objects and people. When she collects enough power orbs, she can access her special attacks which deal extra damage and can destroy enemies far more quickly. New powers include Lunar and Jupiter attacks. Lunar style has more buoyancy and feels looser. Kat can jump to higher levels and her attacks can easily lock-on to enemies. Jupiter is the opposite. Kat is slower, more heavier and as a result her attacks deal more damage. She can lock-on to enemies and dash onto them, resulting in a huge impact that'll instantly destroy them. This time around, Kat is armed with a camera that she can use to take photos of the towns she visits as well as its inhabitants. There are many options here such as different filters, changing costumes, and self-portraits. It's a neat feature but nothing ground-breaking.

Kat and Raven will be shifting gravity while battling

a wide-variety of enemies.

 As mentioned above, Gravity Rush 2 is larger than its predecessor in terms of scale. As a result, there are more environments, some of them destructible, and more inhabitants that you can chat with, giving the game a livelier feeling. Scattered across the game world are purple gems that serve as the game's currency to upgrade many of Kat's abilities. They're not as easy to get a s the original Gravity Rush, so you should take some time to fully explore your surroundings. Additionally, there are side-missions and challenges you can take on as well when exploring. Some of the side-missions include newspaper delivery, starring in an action movie, and racing against a bird to list a few. If you've played the original Gravity Rush 2, you'll be surprised to know that there are double the amount of side-missions than before. The challenges are my least favorite of the side-activities. They include the generic "Beat a specific number of enemies in a given time" which were all right at first but got repetitive quickly.

Kat's new styles are fun and change

up the flow of the gameplay.

 While the basic gameplay and premise is a lot of fun, there naturally some annoyances I've encountered. At times when fighting enemies, you'll be fighting the game's camera as well since some fights take place in enclosed spaces. Even in open areas, you'll be open to attacks when you're trying to fix the camera despite it being adjustable. Also, you control the camera by titling the controller, which sadly can't be turned off. Another thing, but could be me, is that some missions, both story and side, tend to drag out more than they need to. I wouldn't have a problem if they're at least interesting, but running around asking random NPCs for directions countless times just make me lose interest. Lastly, there are some stealth-based missions that has you evading enemies and reaching the objective. It sounds good on paper, but in execution, it's pretty lackluster due to the clunky nature of the stealth mechanics or lack thereof.

PRESENTATION- Gravity Rush 2 boasts a more impressive presentation than before. The visuals are colorful and vibrant, with some areas looking outright stunning. The game benefits from the hardware boost since the physics are well-built and are highly detailed too. Also, the game runs at a 30 FPS on both PS4 and PS4 Pro. While wished it was higher, the frame rate is surprisingly stable and smooth, especially in large-scale battles. The voice acting is all right, assuming you can understand the made-up gibberish dialogue. By far my favorite aspect of the presentation is the game's soundtrack. Composer Kohei Tanaka returns for Gravity Rush 2 and composes the game's tracks. What I love about the soundtrack is that it builds upon the original in terms of suspense, excitement, and tension.

Gravity Rush 2 holds some of the best production

values on the PS4.

OVERALL- Gravity Rush 2 is an improvement over its predecessor in every way. Kat's second outing is more fun and engaging than before, the gameplay refinements and additions are welcomed despite some shortcomings, and the production values are top-quality as to be expected from a SIE Japan Studio and Project Siren title. I've loved the characters and it's by far one of my favorite titles of the year. It's definitely not for everyone, though those looking for something new and exciting should give Gravity Rush 2 a try.