Gravity Rush Message Board
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Yo! I’m excited to finally announce that our first wave of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale DLC will be available February 12th. Here’s what to expect.
Kat graces PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale with her presence, as an up-close melee fighter who utilizes her ability to manipulate gravity to turn the tide in battle. Players who enjoyed Gravity Rush on PS Vita know that Kat loves to bend gravity to allow her to dash, slide, and fly from one place to another, and her All-Stars incarnation is no exception. Those who enjoy AP burst combos and varied mobility will definitely gravitate towards Kat.
Emmett Graves from Starhawk joins the fray! He brings his signature “Build & Battle” style from Starhawk, calling down different structures to aid him in battle, including Rift Extractors for AP and Flak Turrets that fire at will. Aside from his default rifle and pistol, Emmett can also call for additional weaponry in the form of shotgun and rocket launcher loadouts, allowing him to adapt to any situation. These loadouts will also change his level 1 super, giving him a total of five supers to choose from!
Rest assured that these DLC characters will be getting the same treatment the rest of our cast was given, including updated official website pages with moves and bios, alternate costumes, Arcade Mode cutscenes, Trial Modes, and more.
Our newest level, Fearless — a mash-up between Heavenly Sword and Wipeout — will also be available to purchase in February. Please note that purchasing Fearless will allow you to select the stage offline and in non-ranked lobbies, while those who choose not to purchase it can still enjoy it in ranked games online.
Kat and Emmett will be available to download February 12th, and will be free for the first two weeks, so mark your calendar and get them as soon as possible! We’re not stopping there though. We still have some more All-Stars on the way, so keep your eyes peeled in March for more info!
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What? Me again? Wasn’t I just here to let you know thatPlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale had gone gold?
Have you ever wondered what dev teams do after a game goes gold? If all is going well, often times they get down to business with DLC. And in fact that’s exactly what we have begun. I’m here today to announce the first DLC characters that will be joining the All-Stars roster: Kat from Gravity Rush, and Starhawk‘s Emmett Graves!
In addition to the signature weapons you’ll remember from his duels with the Outcasts on Dust, Emmett’s playstyle will also utilize Starhawk’s unique “Build-in-Battle” system, calling down help from the sky.
Kat’s approach turns gravity on its head with some mind-bending new ways to move as she positions herself for her unique brand of aerial assault. Together, they make up one of the most original duos in All-Stars.
These DLC All-Stars still have a long way to go before they’re ready to be shown off, but we wanted to let you know what the team will be working on now that we’ve gone gold with the main game, and that you can look forward to playing them… for free!
Yes, you heard that right. We’re very happy to announce these first two DLC characters will be free to everyone for the first two weeks once they are available for download early next year.
That may sound a little tricky, so let me be clear: once Kat and Emmett are finished, we’ll put them up for download. They’ll be totally free for two weeks. The only limit is that you have a two-week window to claim the characters. Once you have Kat and Emmett, they are yours forever. That may sound like a lot to remember, so don’t worry, we’ll be back closer to their release to remind you of all these details.
Everyone at SuperBot, Bluepoint, and Santa Monica Studio has tried hard not only to make a great game, but also to keep the fans very firmly in mind, offering the most we can wherever we get the chance. So far we’ve offered exclusive free pre-order costumes, an amazing digital version for PS Vita at no cost when you buy the PS3 version, frame-accurate cross-play, and now Kat and Emmett coming soon for free!
We’ll have more information about these characters and more DLC news coming soon, so stay tuned here for more announcements, and thanks again to everyone that has supported us as we prepare to cross the finish line. Come join the party on November 20th as PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale launches, and I’ll see you online!
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During Tokyo Game Show we announced that PlayStation Plus would be coming to PlayStation Vita in November. We are excited to reveal that PS Plus will be available on November 19th as part of the next PS Vita System Software Update (v2.00).
I teamed up with Ray Bautista, Product Manager of Digital Platforms Strategic Planning to give you a sneak peek at the Instant Game Collection for PS Vita and all of the benefits and features that PS Plus has to offer. Today I’ll walk you through some of the other new features you can look forward to with the system software update, including an email app, the ability to transfer content wirelessly between your PS Vita and PC, and enhancements to the web browser.
With the addition of PS Plus, and such a great lineup of exclusive games launching by this holiday, now is the perfect time to purchase a PS Vita.
As Ray mentioned, PS Plus will offer exclusive discounts and bonus features for both PS Vita and PlayStation 3 members. In addition to online storage for game saves, automatic updates and Trophy synching, PS Plus members will get access to the Instant Game Collection, a constantly updated library selection of games, starting when the PlayStation Store updates on Tuesday, November 20th.
Once you update your PS Vita to v2.00 and PS Store publishes next Tuesday, PS Plus members will be able to download the Instant Game Collection, which includes PS Vita games Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Jet Set Radio HD, WipEout 2048, Gravity Rush and Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack!, as well as (PSP) PlayStation Portable hit Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions.
Don’t forget that PS3 users with an existing PS Plus membership will be able to enjoy PS Plus features and services on both PS3 and PS Vita systems at no additional cost. You will be able to choose between the two subscription options — a three month plan for $17.99 and a one year plan for $49.99.
For more information on System Software Updates, please visit this page, which will provide additional details on v2.00 when the update goes live.
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Great news for Canadian gamers – the PlayStation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi model will be available in Canada on October 2nd. We’re putting together a great bundle to launch the 3G/Wi-Fi Vita. It includes a download voucher for two exclusive PS Vita games – Gravity Rush and Unit 13 – and will be on-sale for $299. Rogers data packages will be available on a month-to-month basis.
The addition of 3G-network access is the perfect pairing for the gamer who wants convenience, community and connection on the go. PS Vita systems with an active Rogers data package can use software functionality developed specifically for the 3G-enabled model, including turn-based, asynchronous multiplayer gameplay, instantly updated rankings and leaderboards, immediate access to the latest downloadable add-on content, and real-time community news.
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To help celebrate today’s U.S. launch of Gravity Rush for PlayStation Vita, I’m excited to share this new trailer which will give you a taste of what the game has in store for you:
Gravity Rush was based on the inspiration I received from the artwork I saw in a magazine when I was a teenager. When I joined the industry, I thought that someday I would want to create a game with a world setting as vivid as that piece of art.
It’s been awhile since Japanese videogames have carried the clout that they used to in our industry. When I began my career, I was striving to find a way to break through. I thought about making a game based on the top global marketing strategies, major genres that were popular at that time, and even based on a character that would be widely accepted in the Western market. However, none of those concepts produced the results I desired, which is when I realized I was trying to put the cart in front of the horse.
After that, my ideas began to gain more momentum. The Gravity Rush project started with the simple idea of ‘making something based on my original vision,’ a game that has a brand new and exciting mechanic, gorgeous visuals, a captivating setting, fascinating storyline, and lovable characters. The goal was to deliver a game that contained each of these aspects. If you think of it, that’s what most games are targeting, and it makes sense to go back to the basics.
During the production process, we faced a few challenges and there were times when the game was misunderstood. However, thanks to the potential of PlayStation Vita, we were able to create something completely unique to the market. The path we took was similar to the character Kat’s, where she started off unsure of herself, but slowly gained the trust of her peers and became accepted and admired.
We’ve been receiving a tremendous amount of feedback from players since the title was released in Japan. I was both surprised and overwhelmed by the amount of comments I received. Most of the feedback was positive, and one comment that really touched me was: “It’s been awhile since I enjoyed a game like this that is truly innovative, and I believe that only a Japanese developer could have created such a work of art.” I really feel that my vision fit what the players wanted to see, and that I have truly achieved what I was striving for. That comment almost brought me to tears. This assured me that our thought process wasn’t wrong. I feel a state of fulfillment, and I’m sincerely hoping that everyone who plays the game will have a similar opinion.
With Gravity Rush launching today in the U.S., I wanted to not only take this opportunity to reflect on my experience creating the game, but look to the future and share that we have a great lineup of DLC on the way. First, I’m pleased to announce that if you purchase Gravity Rush for the first week on PSN for $35.99, you’ll also receive the Military DLC Pack for free (this promotion will run from 6/12 to 6/19).
In addition, on June 26th we’ll be releasing the Spy Pack. For just $3.99 you’ll receive a Spy Costume as well as two exciting new Side Missions and two Challenge Missions to unlock.
Then, on July 10th, you’ll be able to download the Maid Pack. Priced at $3.99, the Maid Pack offers a stylish Maid Costume and two additional unlockable Side Missions and Challenge Missions.
If you miss out on the Military Pack during launch week, you will also have the opportunity to purchase it starting on July 24th for $3.99.
I hope that you enjoy experiencing Gravity Rush and these three DLC packs as much as the team and I enjoyed creating them!
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Gravity Rush is an easy game to want to love. Technologically, it's easily one of the most impressive looking titles to hit the PlayStation Vita so far. Mechanically, it invents something truly original in its gravity-shifting gameplay. It's a wonderful idea executed with only a few dampening caveats, one that makes the game's world utterly thrilling to explore. However, as we've seen time and time again over the years, technology and mechanics aren't all you need to make an engaging game. You have to find interesting, or at the very least exciting things for the player to do with those mechanics and tech. I waited very patiently for Gravity Rush to finally kick into gear and start offering me some truly unique puzzles and challenges. And I waited. And waited. And waited some more.
Kat is a fascinating character, and her gravity-shifting ability is genuinely amazing.It never happened.
Instead, Gravity Rush pushes its gravity-shifting mechanic so far to the forefront that you have to wonder if the developers even really knew what to do with their discovery. So much of it revolves around mindless busywork and mediocre combat that you can't help but feel a pang of sadness over the wasted opportunity that is this game.
Don't get me wrong, Gravity Rush is by no means terrible, but no aspect of its game design nor story ever matches up to the genius quality of the game's gravity shifting mechanic. You play as Kat, a sort of accidental superheroine whose abilities come from her best friend, a celestially-colored cat who grants her the ability to adjust gravity in any direction imaginable. Kat doesn't so much "fly" as she does "fall," though she can fall in any direction until she runs into a platform or solid object. Once she does, she can wander around as if she were safe on the ground, even though she might be sideways or upside-down.
Yes, that can be incredibly disorienting. Your only real visual cue as to which way you might be is Kat's hair, which flops in the direction of the normal ground. However, after a few missions and fights, the disorientation mostly gives way to a thrilling sense of freedom. There is a genuine feeling that you can go basically anywhere (within the somewhat restrictive confines of this game world). You can fly up thousands of feet, dash across the roofs of huge buildings to get from one side of the city to the other, and even just float in the air aimlessly, circling around and observing the world that lies before you.
As great as all of that is, it's not much of a game to just fly around with no purpose. So to give your gravity-adjusting antics some context, Gravity Rush tosses together a goofy amnesia storyline, some half-baked combat mechanics, and enough dull errand-running and lite puzzle-solving to more or less fill 10 hours worth of game.
Early on, this stuff is fine. We learn that Kat has arrived in the highly vertical city of Hekesville with no memory of her previous life, where she is, or why this cat is hanging around her giving her insane powers. It turns out that not all is well in Hekesville, as massive gravity storms simultaneously barf out nasty black creatures called the "nevi," and threaten to suck Hekesville whole into some unknown dimension. In fact, large chunks of the city have already disappeared. Shortly after meeting a mysterious man who calls himself a "creator," Kat finds herself all too happy to help out her new place of residence by tracking down the missing parts of the city.
Unfortunately, Gravity Rush's designers weren't able to craft an exciting game around that ability.In order to do this, Kat must fight a lot of Nevi, float to a number of different checkpoints, sometimes solve minor puzzles, and then repeat the process again and again until the game gets around to its meager conclusion. In theory that would be a fine enough progression, except that the combat dominates far too much of the game for how generally unremarkable it is. On the ground, Kat has a few kicks she can play around with, while in the air, she can deliver more powerful blows by gravity shifting directly into enemies' weak points. The first few times you do it, it's actually pretty cool. Unfortunately, despite earning new abilities over time, the combat never evolves past this initial point. The only wrinkle the game throws at you is increased agility from your enemies, meaning that they're more likely to dodge out of the way of your attacks, or at least blast you mid-kick.
There is a maddening lack of precision in the airborne combat that makes this increased agility an absolute chore. You're not likely to die too often (especially given the bountiful numbers of health power-ups scattered around), but you are likely to get frustrated as you find yourself trying to line up a highly precise attack, only to have the Nevi move out of the way at the last second or get knocked out of the air by an unseen attacker. By the time Gravity Rush gets around to introducing boss fights, you'll be dreading them not because of their difficulty, but because of the game's inability to make fighting them the least bit fun. A lock-on mechanic might have made Gravity Rush's combat too easy, but it also would have eradicated the irritation associated with it.
The sections of the game where you find yourself traversing around checkpoints and solving occasional gravity-based puzzles are at least a bit better, in that they rarely confound or frustrate. But there's also not much to them. You'll bounce around the world, talking to people in obtuse chunks of dialogue, collecting gems and other random items, fixing various broken pieces of the world, and sometimes fight evil things. That's about the whole of the experience. There are optional side missions that involve races through the city, or combat challenges against waves of Nevi, but they don't take good enough advantage of the act of gravity shifting to be worth your while.
Perhaps if the story were more engaging, these issues might be more tolerable. Sadly, Gravity Rush abandons nearly every opportunity to flesh out its interesting world practically from the get-go. You'll be introduced to a number of different characters throughout the story, and it's straight-up maddening how willing the script is to just toss them aside. People who seem like they should be able to offer you simple answers instead speak in obnoxiously cryptic terms just for the sake of keeping that carrot of "what the hell is going on here?" dangling in front of you just a bit longer. And by the time it actually gets around to dropping that carrot in front of you, you're left with an abrupt conclusion that's neither satisfying nor particularly coherent.
Gravity Rush never really gets around to fully exploring its own mysteries and characters.It's depressing, because Kat seems like a totally interesting character you'd want to know more about. Being that she is suffering from amnesia, you'd think her big thing would be pushing to find out who she is and where she came from. And yet, she often just abandons her search in favor of the most frivolous activities. It's one thing to take a break from your identity search to rescue children being sucked into a vortex of doom, but she's not even particularly inquisitive when she's just walking around talking to people. Instead of demanding to know what's going on from this creator fellow, she's more than happy to simply go along with whatever vagaries he spouts and enter the magical dimensional vortex that exists inside his trench coat (no, that's not a euphemism) to go fight some more Nevi. And despite the fact that she has no idea who she is, can shift gravity every which way for no identifiable reason, and the whole world is falling into a dark pit of despair from which only she can apparently rescue it, she still finds time to complain about not being able to find a boyfriend in this town. What?
Hekesville is a world you'll want to explore. Its architectural design and gravity-defying placement (it sits atop a huge, narrow column of rock that can barely be called a mountain) are amazing to look at. That Kat can explore it with such freedom of movement is awesome, especially given the game's gorgeous cartoon art style and generally solid frame rate. But without more things to do and more engagement with the player, Gravity Rush can't sustain itself for the long-haul. As it stands, the gravity-shifting gameplay offered might be complete enough for game-starved Vita owners on the hunt for something to do with their device. But do manage your expectations, lest you be disappointed by how hollow Gravity Rush is underneath its breathtaking shell. This is a game that does one thing very well. If you need more than that, then Gravity Rush isn't for you.
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Good news! Each year, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (ITP) and the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) present the Into The Pixel art exhibit, a collection of videogame artwork hand-picked by experts from the traditional fine art world and the interactive entertainment industry.
This year, we’re excited to share that art from four exclusive PlayStation titles is included in this year’s list of winners – The Last of Us (PS3), Journey (PSN), Gravity Rush (PS Vita) and wipEout 2048 (PS Vita) were chosen for this year’s collection. This is a true honor for SCEA and our developers.
Browse the gallery below to see the award-winning pieces (click to see the high-resolution versions) and read a few words from their creators. Congratulations all around!
The Last of UsDeveloped by Naughty Dog, Inc.
“Broken Overpass” by Shaddy Safadi
Early in the pre-production of The Last of Us we all gravitated toward the idea of “beautiful decay” and “nature reclaiming the Earth.” We also knew that if we were going to go for survival action we had to push it a different direction. Certainly there would have to be moments of darkness and fear, but as much as possible we wanted to capture the awe and mystery that inherently comes from seeing something man-made being slowly overtaken by nature. There is an insane love of detail at Naughty Dog…not just a desire for detail but a LOVE for it. The way a rust texture creates a pattern on a disused soda machine, the way light bounces and reflects through leaves, and the story behind how these things got the way they are.
In this piece, we had started with no overpass and giraffes instead of deer! Our thought was that they escaped from the zoo, but after some iteration we realized that the idea looked silly. We ended up with deer, and the overpass was a last minute add-in to give some movement to the piece; but it ended up being the focus. We also tried three or four placements of Joel and Ellie, coming in from the foreground, coming in from the right and in the end I decided showing their small scale was the most compelling.
I love the way this game is shaping up and I’m grateful for this incredible honor from Into the Pixel. –Shaddy Safadi, artist
Developed by thatgamecompany
“The Call to Adventure” by Matt Nava
I’m glad this piece was chosen as this was taken directly from the game. This art piece is a collaboration between Art Director Matt Nava and Lead Engineer John Edwards, and one that captures the mood and essence of Journey. –Jenova Chen, Creative Director, thatgamecompany
Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Studio
“Gravity Daze” by Takeshi Oga
This is the scenery of Vendecentre, the biggest downtown area of Hekseveille in PS Vita’s upcoming open-world adventure Gravity Rush. I designed a great deal of scenery surrounding the city for this project. What I tried to achieve in this piece of art was to capture the best part of Hekseville and its surrounding atmosphere. The game itself is a series of intense action sequences; however in this image for a brief, quiet moment, our protagonist looks over her shoulder and sees the view.
When I was working on this piece, I had no idea that it would be used for the package art. I’m so pleased that our team found it to be such a defining representation of the game that they selected it for the cover.
Concept artists from overseas have always influenced me and that’s how I started working in this industry. I was not sure if my concept art would be accepted and valued overseas; so I am extremely happy and honored that my artwork was chosen for the Into the Pixel collection. I feel fortunate to be able to work on such a great title as Gravity Rush that inspires your imagination endlessly. –Takeshi Oga, Artist
Developed by SCE Studio Liverpool
“The 2048 Grid” by Darren Douglas // Art Directors Lee Carus and Marcus Tanner
The team has created a bunch of start-grids over the years in various Wipeout titles, and while it’s not something we usually get to explore in game too much, we all get excited and brainstorm ideas for just how those little pilots get into the ships and just how exciting it would be to be in that arena as the ships are being prepped for the race – the sounds, the smells, the anticipation. We always get carried away. This time, the race takes place on real city streets so we decided to have the ships and the pilots brought into the arena with much more fanfare in larger drop-ships and deposited on the race grid while the crowd looks on.
This image came as a bit of a surprise to me, it started off as a simple study of the unfolding gantry that holds the ship in check while doubling as the gangway for the pilot to get from the drop-ship to his or her racer….it ballooned into something a bit more intense, and once again, I got carried away. I added a city backdrop I’d created for an earlier image just to give it a little context. Now that I’d done the job of showing off the mechanism I realized I could put that version to one side and make another image which sacrificed the clarity of the mechanism for some real ground level intensity, something akin to the prepping of fighter jets on an aircraft carrier or the classic sci-fi launch sequences we all loved as kids. So I duped the ship fore and aft and was able to get some depth and chaos into the image.
In a previous concept I’d added large strips of intense red lighting on the ground that would change to amber, then to green as the race kicks off. This justified the intensity of the red under-glow that adds a little energy to the scene. So pretty quickly I’d wound up with a pic that seemed to sell a little of the drama of the race grid world. This is why I love the versatility of working on a computer, although I still can’t seem to drop that pencil for the initial stages. I’m pleased that this image has been accepted by ITP. It’s a good feeling when an image seems to work out – it more than makes up for all the ones that don’t! – Darren Douglas, artist // Art Directors Lee Carus and Marcus Tanner
For more information on Into the Pixel, please be sure to visit their official website.
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Hi everyone! Gravity Rush launches exclusively on PS Vita on June 12 — not long from now! Today, we’ll be giving you a sneak peek at what’s to come with a new demo which will be available later today on PlayStation Store.
The Gravity Rush demo introduces you to our protagonist, Kat, as she awakens with no memory in the mysterious city of Hekseville. You’ll get a chance to help Kat discover new powers while testing out the game’s unique gravity mechanics which utilize PS Vita’s motion sensors. Then you can explore a bit of the Gravity Rush’s vibrant open world environment and try your hand at defending Kat and the city of Hekseville from an array of attacking Nevi enemies.
Be sure to check out the Gravity Rush demo on PSN later today! Also, don’t forget that the full game will be available in stores and on PSN for just $39.99 on June 12.
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Hi everyone! Gaming is the bread and butter of PS Vita, with titles such as Resistance: Burning Skies, Sound Shapes and Gravity Rush launching soon.
Starting today, you’ll have even more reason to never stop playing. We’re very excited to announce the following PSP titles and minis will be available on the PS Vita Store, with many more coming soon. These aren’t just the same games you might have played at one time in the past! We’ve not only improved graphics for some of these titles, but in some cases, we’ve also improved playability on Vita. Check out the full list below, and we’ll keep you posted as further titles are brought to PS Store.
Available TodayPSP Titles:
Cho Aniki Zero (Aksys Games Localization, Inc.)
Strikers 1945 Plus (PM Studios, Inc.)
Tom Clancy’S Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 (UbiSoft, Inc.)
Tom Clancy’S Rainbow Six: Vegas (UbiSoft, Inc.)
Valhalla Knights 2: Battle Stance (XSEED JKS, Inc.)
Ys: I & II Chronicles Digital (XSEED JKS, Inc.)
PSP minis:
Aero Racer (Halfbrick Studios)
Age Of Zombies (Halfbrick Studios)
Blast Off (Halfbrick Studios)
Dynogems (StormBasic)
Echoes (Halfbrick Studios)
Me Monstar: Hear Me Roar (Cohort Studios)
Vempire (Impressionware Srl)
PSP Titles:
3D Twist & Match (Sanuk Games)
Aedis Eclipse: Generation Of Chaos Legacy (NIS America, Inc.)
Bejeweled 2 (Sony Online Entertainment LLC)
Beta Bloc (D3 Publisher of America)
Brain Challenge (Gameloft)
Dead Head Fred (D3 Publisher of America)
Field Commander (Sony Online Entertainment LLC)
Gods Eater Burst (D3 Publisher of America)
Groovin’ Blocks (Sony Online Entertainment LLC)
King Of Pool (Nordcurrent UAB)
Luxor: Pharaoh’S Challenge Umd Legacy (Mumbo Jumbo)
Major League Baseball 2K10 (2KGames)
Mercury Meltdown (Ignition Entertainment)
Mx Vs Atv Untamed (THQ, Inc.)
Peggle (Sony Online Entertainment LLC)
Prehistoric Isle (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Puzzle Quest: Challenge Of The Warlords (D3 Publisher of America)
Reel Fishing: The Great Outdoors Legacy (Natsume, Inc.)
Split Second (Disney Interactive Studios)
Super Pocket Tennis (D3 Publisher of America)
The Red Star (XS Games, LLC)
Unbound Saga (Vogster Entertainment, LLC)
Undead Knights Digital (Tecmo Koei America Corporation)
Uno (Gameloft)
Untold Legends: Brotherhood Of The Blade (Sony Online Entertainment LLC)
Untold Legends: The Warrior’S Code French (Sony Online Entertainment LLC)
Work Time Fun (D3 Publisher of America)
WWE All Stars (THQ, Inc.)
WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2010 (THQ, Inc.)
PSP minis:
5 In 1 Solitaire (Digital Leisure)
Alien Zombie Death (PomPom Games)
Arcade Air Hockey & Bowling (Icon Games)
Babel: The King Of The Blocks (StormBasic)
Bashi Blocks (Icon Games)
Bermuda Triangle (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Breakquest (Beatshapers)
Bubble Trubble (Creat Studios)
Card Shark (Laughing Jackal Ltd)
Carnivores: Ice Age (Beatshapers)
Cohort Chess (Cohort Studios)
Doodle Fit (Gamelion)
Doodle Pool (Big Head Games)
Duael Invaders (Laughing Jackal Ltd)
Enigmo (Beatshapers)
Family Games (Icon Games)
Farm Frenzy (Alawar Entertainment, Inc.)
Fighting Fantasy: The Warlock Of Firetop Mountain (Laughing Jackal Ltd)
Fly Fu (Invictus Games LTD.)
Galcon Labs (Beatshapers)
Gamocracy One : Legend Of Robot (AYEWARE / Bearded Ladies Consulting)
Gold Medalist (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Guerrilla War (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Hal 21 (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Hero Of Sparta (Gameloft)
Hysteria Project 2 (Sanuk Games)
Ikari Warriors (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Ikari Warriors Ii: Victory Road (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Jelly Pops (PomPom Games)
Karimogi (StormBasic)
Labyrinth (Bigben Interactive, S.A.)
Let’S Golf (Gameloft)
Marvin’S Maze (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Mecho Wars (Creat Studios)
Omg-Z! (Laughing Jackal Ltd)
One Epic Game (Grip Digital)
Ozma Wars (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
P.O.W. – Prisoners Of War (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Pipe Madness (AYEWARE / Bearded Ladies Consulting)
Pix N Love Rush (Sanuk Games)
Psycho Soldier (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Red Bull X-Fighters (Xendex)
Rumble Trucks (Playerthree Ltd)
Street Smart (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
The 2D Adventures Of Rotating Octopus Character (Dakko Dakko Ltd.)
The Impossible Game (Grip Digital)
The Marbians (Nordisk Film Distribution A/S)
Twin Blades (Sanuk Games)
Vanguard Ii (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Wackylands Boss (Creat Studios)
Yetisports (Xendex)
Zombie Racers (Big Head Games)
It’s been almost three months since we launched PS Vita here in the U.S. and we’re continuing to find ways to add to your portable entertainment experience. With the recent launch of non-gaming apps such as Paint Park, Treasure Park and Wake Up Club, the PS Vita is an ever-evolving platform that keeps you connected to the content and experiences that are most important to all of you gamers.
What PSP games are you most excited to play on PS Vita?
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With Gravity Rush releasing on June 12th, I wanted to share how the artwork of this game came together as well as how the style of “Bande Dessinee” influenced the title’s art direction.
Gravity Rush incorporates the theme of Bande Dessinee (BD), a popular Franco-Belgian comic book art style. There are various types of BD style and they can be perceived in many ways. We first approached an element of BD we thought would fit well into the pre-existing game art. One of the differences between realistic expression and schematic expression represented by BD is that BD exaggerates the information that author wants to convey to the audience. By doing so, it conveys more of the accurate information that the author wants to be recognized.
While considering the gravity mechanic in the game, we brainstormed with these elements in mind. If a player can move around freely, the level should not only be big horizontally, but also vertically. Therefore, we designed the city with multiple levels of layers and structures.
Additionally, the line drawing method was used to exaggerate buildings and allow them to be more easily recognized. We also enhanced the color of the sky in order to give additional sensory information to the players.
The direction we chose to use for the game’s graphics conveys the necessary information with exaggeration that matches the player’s sensation. Taking that into consideration, we also wanted to use line drawings, the characteristic of BD and the simulation of beautiful air effects. I think the broader the game art expression becomes, the more interactive a game becomes.
Another important factor is the concept of a “living background.” This is the idea of bringing the game world itself to life so that users can actually ‘feel’ it. Basically, players can interact with certain objects in the game and they can actually get into the scenery within the remote background. Environmental background is not a piece of a picture, but it actually exists within the game, and we can use that background with our gameplay. That was our ultimate goal. By combining the unique art style of BD and the idea of living background, we created a sensation that could only be brought to life with a video game.
As a special treat, I am happy to share this concept movie that we created during the early stages of Gravity Rush’s development. Click on the video below for a sneak peek at the game’s unique art style in motion before it launches in North America on June 12th.
What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
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PS Vita’s gravity-bending adventure, Gravity Rush, hits stores on June 12. And today I’m pleased to announce that we’ll be offering exclusive access to an array of downloadable content when you pre-order the title. Pre-order Gravity Rush at any of our participating retailers and you’ll receive the Military DLC Pack featuring two extra side missions, two new challenge missions and a military-themed costume for Kat. Read on for a full description of what the Military DLC Pack has to offer.
Extra Missions:
Once you complete Episode 17 of the main story, you’ll unlock the new “Game Rules” side mission. In this mission, Kat has been asked by Commander Yuri to train as a military officer. As she trains with her rival, Seawasp, a message comes in saying that the Nevi have appeared and it is up to you to defeat them. After you clear this mission, you’ll receive Kat’s unique military costume!
Complete the “Game Rules” side mission and you’ll be able to access a second side mission: “Visionary courage.” In this mission, D’nerica has ordered for the capture of a massive amount of Nevies. En route, a disaster strikes and Hekseville is swarmed. Amidst the chaos that ensues, Kat must decide which is more important – her mission, or her friends.
Challenge Missions:
Once you’ve completed Episode 8 and Episode 11 of the main game, you’ll also be able to access the “Factory Energy Gate Race 2” and “Slide Race in Another Dimension” challenge missions respectively.
Gravity Rush’s launch is right around the corner, so be sure to take advantage of the exclusive Military DLC Pack by pre-ordering at any of our participating retailers.
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Based on the sheer number of questions we get about Gravity Rush, it’s clearly one of the most-anticipated PS Vita games coming along in the next few months. Featuring stunning, cel-shaded visuals, Vita-tailored controls, and gravity-based gameplay, it’s no wonder that reviewers across the Pacific have awarded the game (known as “Gravity Daze” in Japan) high marks.
So when the game’s creators dropped into San Francisco last week for Game Developers Conference, I jumped at the chance to speak with them.
In this conversation (shared with IGN’s Ryan Clements – look for his story soon at Vita.IGN.com), Game Director Keiichiro Toyama and Art Director Yoshiaki Yamaguchi talk about the game’s original platform (not PS Vita!), why they avoided an overly Japanese aesthetic, and the surprising inspiration for its unique gravity-based gameplay.
Ryan Clements, IGN: How did you get started on the project? What are your roots in the industry?
Keiichiro Toyama, Japan Studio: I was studying art as a student. I joined Konami as a graphic artist and become director on Silent Hill, and then joined Sony and worked on Siren: Blood Curse.
Jeff Rubenstein, PS Blog: The tonality between Silent Hill and Siren is so different than Gravity Rush. Did you get sick of scaring people? Or were there different emotions that you wanted to explore besides fear?
JS: Originally, the reason I was working on horror games was not by choice. The company asked me to make horror games because they were popular. I enjoyed it to some extent. But with advanced technologies, HD and the like, making horror games with a limited audience isn’t really cost efficient. You need more money to make big games like that, and so it was becoming challenging.
So I thought, I just wanna make something that I wanted to make when I was a student studying art. So that’s how I changed direction.
IGN: So is this a game you thought about a long time ago, and you’re finally getting a chance to make it, or is it something that you came up with after you left Konami?
JS: Before I joined Konami, I already had this idea, but it wasn’t too specific. I didn’t have any idea about manipulating gravity back then. But I had an idea of a girl floating in the air…
PSB: In my 30 years of gaming, Gravity Daze is the only game I’ve ever imported from Japan – [Personal note: Gravity Daze is all in Japanese, and I’d recommend waiting for the English version here]. The friend that sent over the game included an art book that contained a lot of different variations on the main character, Kat. How did you settle on her final appearance?
JS: The main character was the most difficult thing to lock down, so we thought a lot about it. If we made something completely Japanese, then it would be only acceptable to Japanese users, and we’ll lose audience in other territories. So we avoided that. We also wanted to make a female protagonist, but we thought that in other territories there are not so many female lead characters. But Lara Croft is pretty well accepted, and we thought that the reason she was is probably because she is exotic and serious. So we wanted Kat to have that exotic feel, and even though she’s tiny, we wanted to make her powerful and strong. Like a ninja: small, but agile. By adding that, we finally fixed the character design.
PSB: I played a few hours of Gravity Daze – until my inability to read Japanese hindered me a bit. I felt that when you hovered in the air, and then picked a direction and shot off, it reminded me of Descent, where you’re in space and you can go in any direction. Then there are parts where you can levitate items and hurl them, not unlike Cole in the inFAMOUS games. What were your gameplay influences?
JS: The game I was most influenced by was Crackdown. I really liked the aspect of unlocking skills and becoming more powerful, and achieving a higher level of freedom as you become more powerful. Plus the open-world setting. I enjoyed moving in that game.
IGN: Was that open world setting decided right from the start, before the art came into place, or did that come later?
JS: It wasn’t decided at the beginning. We took a lot of different approaches. I requested not just falling vertically, but also horizontally. And we thought that an open world works better with that. This world is based in gravity, so it matches that the level becomes big not just vertically, but horizontally as well, so you can fall and travel in any direction.
PSB: How did you decide which of PS Vita’s new inputs (touch screen, six axis gyroscopes) to use with Gravity Rush?
JS: Originally, we were making the game for PS3. We came across PS Vita along the way. We played around with it, and thought it was perfect for the game, and so we switched to PS Vita.
PSB: How have you and the team reacted to the really good critical reception (38/40 in Famitsu) in Japan?
JS: We had mixed feelings, actually. We achieved something that’s unique and brand new, and we feel that should get good reviews. But at the same time, this game a little niche… so we thought it was interesting that we got such high scores.
We’ve still got a couple more months until gamers here in North America will get to explore Kat’s world. Gravity Rush floats over to this contintent on June 12 of this year.
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This week we welcome esteemed fighting game guru Seth Killian to the show. Capcom's Special Combat Advisor digs deep into Street Fighter x Tekken, including exclusive characters for PS3 and PS Vita, how characters are picked for the game, the very origins of Street Fighter, and how he made the transition from Illini Philosophy professor to International Street Fighter Ambassador. That actually happened.
We also share first impressions of Journey and Mass Effect 3, as well as the most-Platinum'd games in the history of PSN. And of course, we exclusively reveal what's coming to the PlayStation Store next week. Prepare your auditory canal - it's all on this week's PlayStation Blogcast!
[Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]
Thanks to Cory Schmitz for our beautiful logo and Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music. Special thanks to Astro Gaming headsets for providing audio gear.↕
A lot of you have been wondering about a North American release date for Gravity Rush on PS Vita, which released to great response in Japan on February 9th under the name “Gravity Daze.” Today, we’re pleased to confirm that Gravity Rush will come to PS Vita in North America on June 12th, as both a digital release on PlayStation Store and a game card at retailers nationwide.
If you’re not yet familiar with this epic action-adventure game, read on for a quick overview. In the world of Gravity Rush, a futuristic world is under attack from unknown forces: So-called “gravity storms” have begun appearing in the sky, wreaking havoc while strange creatures terrorize the population. Amidst the mayhem, a young girl named Kat wakes up with a phenomenal new ability to control gravity.
Playing as Kat, you set out to stop the world from disintegrating around you, to piece together your lost memories, and to uncover the truth behind it all. There is a huge open world to explore and this is only amplified by Kat’s ability to control the forces of gravity. Before you know it, you’ll be walking on any surface imaginable, flinging yourself miles into the sky, and initiating special attacks in a gravity-free state to plunge down on your enemies. Just be careful who you’re standing next to, lest unsuspecting civilians be caught up in your gravity power!
Brought to life by beautiful cel-shaded graphics and engrossing art direction, the PS Vita functionalities of twin sticks, motion sensor and front touchscreen let you navigate the rich narrative of Gravity Rush. If you’re wondering what Gravity Rush looks like in action, watch the new trailer above as well as some new screenshots for you to enjoy.
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