Sony’s cult PlayStation 4 sequel to PS Vita favourite Gravity Rush is now five years old. As remembered by Gematsu on Twitter, topsy-turvy protagonist Kat returned on 19th January, 2017 in Japan, with Gravity Rush 2’s North American and European release following just a day later. The game massively expanded upon the scope of the original, incorporating an entirely new world, as well as the original map for posterity.
The game surpassed 100,000 sales in its native Japan within a month, but failed to set cash registers alight globally. We felt, much like the central gameplay mechanic, the overly long campaign was a little up-or-down: “Kat's traversal mechanic is still among the most satisfying that the sandbox genre has to offer, and an endearing cast of characters means that you'll actively want to spend time in their world,” we wrote.
However, we caveated: “The combat and mission structure may still be this series' biggest shortcoming, but colourful scenarios mean that you'll stick around long enough to see the sizeable story and its many side-quests through.” The game went on to receive a free expansion pack, and was subject to a fan campaign to preserve its online servers when Sony announced plans to deactivate them in under a year.
Of course, developer Japan Studio is sadly no more, while series creator Keiichiro Toyama has moved on to pastures new at Bokeh Game Studio, the creators of Slitterhead. Nevertheless, this title and its vibrant world will be fondly remembered by PlayStation fans for the foreseeable future.
[source twitter.com]
Comments 44
One of my absolute favourite PS4 games, don't skip it!
I tried getting into GR2 but I couldn't and especially after GR1 which was torturous to beat. I still like the improvements they made like the Jupiter and lunar gravity styles but my God I hated the made up language, the camera, and the annoying tacked on mission designs like "stealth."
Loved this game and series. Had its fair share of flaws and issues, but I just found traversal so fun.
Another game that proves how rewarding gyro aiming can be, even if it's used for navigation rather than combat here.
Happy Birthday Kat! I still need to jump back in and platinum both games. Was quite close with the first game. So many games and so little time to play them all.
👍 For a positive article for a change, I'd click on the HFW stuff but I'm going in blind for that one!
Is it worth remembering so fondly? It's servers were shut down not long in it's life which i think was a bit crappy to do. Aren't there parts of the game that can't be completed now?
Love this game series, wish Sony cared to do more oddball stuff like it these days.
Overrated in my opinion.
I wish Japan Studios is still around to continue this series. Out of all the recent PS IP, Gravity Rush is one of my most favorite Playstation exclusive. I miss Kat's character
@Integrity they just let you download the unlockable stuff for free if I remember correctly or patched them into the game.
@LiamCroft Battlefield and Call of Duty are overrated, how can Gravity Rush be overrated if barely anyone bought the games or even played them for a single second? (the games where barely marketed)
@MightyDemon82 ahhh is that right? Well I'm more forgiving of it then. Ta 😁
Both games currently half price or better in the latest PS Store sale, for those that want to dive in. Pun intended.
Seriously ? Not a big news today then ? ...what is the game doing to "celebrate" ?
( yes I know I'm a miserable old git )
I went to go buy this game. I already own this game. I guess I should put some time into it😅
@Juanalf What? Being overrated has nothing to do with a game's marketability or how well it sold. I just don't think it's as good as people give it credit for.
It lost something without the Vita’s touchscreen for sliding but I still enjoy playing it a lot. I certainly miss Japan studios more than I do Bethesda and more than I will Activison .
Both Gravity Rush games are on PS Now. I honestly have no memory of them being added, but maybe I'll give them a try.
I started this the other day. I bought it when it was on sale about 3 years ago, but never had the urge to play it. I've enjoyed what little I played of it so far. I think I’m going to play through it once I’m done with Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
Loved this game and one of my highlights of last gen.
One of Sony's best first party series to date. Really wish they'd stuck with the Vita for the sequel, but it was still, for me, a huge PS4 release. Sony's treatment of it was frustrating, however, as was their shuttering of Japan Studio in general.
Such a fantastic series. Now you reminded me Japan studio was shut down, what a shame. Some of the best and most unique exclusives came out of there.
The 2 games are probably my favourite games on the PS4 as I didn't play on the Vita. There's not really much else like them to fill the void. I'd sell a kidney to get a PS6 on release with Gravity Rush 3 as a release game.
Still love that trailer. It's so well done. I love the series to absolute bits, even though the first game definitely shows it's age a bit.
The sequel is easily one of my favorite PS4 games.
Loved it. The Gravity Rush series is one the underrated Sony first party IPs they got.
Loved these games. Would be nice to get a third entry, but I can dream.
I'd love to get an anime, but preferably in Japanese and other existing languages. The made up language in the second game doesn't sound natively spoken to me and a bit awkward.
But awesome games.
I love everything about these games. Kat's the greatest socialist super hero of our times! Gravity Inversion = Class Inversion!
These games are probably 2 of my top 15 games of the past decade of gaming. It oozes charm, is just fun to play, the characters, world, and story are a joy, condenses an open world from being too much bloat, and had the soul of a French film. Mechanically, thematically, or narratively they may not be as exceptional as some big blockbusters out there, but when I look back at the past 10 years of games, these two always pop into my head with a big smile at the top. And so many supposedly great blockbusters don't really register in my memory at all.
And to boot, they hold up, and it's not just rose colored nostalgia. They were among the first things I re-played on my PS5, and I was just as delighted by them again as the first time.
There are no words to describe how saddening it is that we won't see more of this world. This was PS at its finest. Not it's most commercially successful, but its finest as creators. Screw Aloy. We need more Kat.
It's depressing how badly Sony treated and marketed this. And even more saddening watching the E3 year they presented Days Gone TWICE forever and ever, and sandwitched GR2 as barely a mention at all. And ironically Days Gone didn't even perform that much better than it all told and adjusted for budget.
@LiamCroft Go back to Xbox, troll
And Sony will never touch the series again.
I'm currently halfway though the first one and have physical copies of both. The first one isn't cheap for some reason. It's alright, I like that is has it's own thing and it's fun to play once you get used to the controls.
@LiamCroft Atleast it was better then some MGS game that was really overrated 8/10. 🤪
https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps4/metal_gear_survive
Both were excellent with the 1st being my personal favorite Vita game. The second one was a bit bloated but not too much and just as fun as the original although I felt it played best on Vita. The soundtrack for both games is top notch though I still listen to them on the regular.
It's too bad we will never see a 3rd but at least GR2 wrapped up most of the story nicely. Happy birthday Kat!
@Flaming_Kaiser Great game. I assume you've played it since you reckon it's overrated?
Love the game... one of the fell PS4 games I have installed on my PS5. Like just flying around the world
@LiamCroft Well Survive is a pretty crap tier game, especially for a Metal Gear Solid title. Lol
Gravity Rush 1 and 2 are two of my all-time favourite games. There's just so much imagination, charm and fun in there, and a real touch of magic - and the soundtracks are simply superb. Kat and Dusty are great, endearing characters - one of my favourite ever videogame duos. I always felt the gameplay was a little misunderstood by reviewers - I feel it's exactly as chaotic and 'imprecise' as the developers were aiming for, but once you get the hang of Kat's powers, it's brilliant, thrilling fun. A Gravity Rush 3 would be as a big a wish for a threequel as Half-Life 3, for me personally.
Makes me sad that Sony axed Japan studios. Didn't Shawn Layden say something about diversity being a good thing? Someone said that to me before.
Also, just remembered that the Ico and Shadow of the Colossus developers, Team Ico, were part of Japan studios. I think the director started his own studio and is making another game though.
Alright games. 7/10s. Novel idea, but there was little variety in gameplay. Especially when the second one rolled around it was just more of the same.
@LiamCroft I've never tried them out. Something about them in trailers never clicked with me. I was happy for the people who liked them, but there was just something there or not there that made me not care as much.
One of my favorite games on ps4, the gameplay is okay but I love the world, characters, and story of the game. I wish sony remember this game and put a 60 fps patch for it 😕
This game should get a PS5 and a PC port.
Great series, one of the highlights of the PS4. Saddening to hear that the studio that developed it got shut down, the PS5 really needs a game like Gravity Rush 3.
@Royalblues That would be awesome too. With the same composer, that score is to die for.
It's funny, playing Spider-man, I kept thinking that it was so similar to Gravity Rush. They even had a dream like area in both games.
One of my first and one of my favorite ps4 games. Some serious frustrations here and there, but it's uniqueness outweighs them. A lock on function would have fixed combat.
One of my all-time favorite games <3 Unfortunately the lack of marketing ruined its chances of being something big so I doubt there'll be a third one...
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