REVIEW – I remember when in 2011 PlayStation’s new handheld game was released, the Vita. A lot of people were waiting for the brand new device, as it was tooting new features, and such games that would use the hardware to its fullest potential. Sadly I was one of those who fell flat on its face when they first got their hands on the PlayStation Vita.

The handled did not even use its opportunities to its fullest, but a lot of people did not even know what they should do with their handheld. The back touchpad provided optional features for games, and for entertaining stuff. Maybe saying that the VITA was a failure in 2015 is a bit too much.

Salvation

I would not say that before 2013 there was no worthwhile game for the VITA, but I think that year proved to be a real salvation for gamers. This was the year when Tearaway was released, from the makers of Little Big Planet. Tearaway seemed to be the game that would truly use all of the game’s feature. It was an adventure game which allowed you to roam around with your character in a paper world. Tearaway was a hit, and brought new sales for the console that was down in the dumps.
Media Molecule’s game was praised, and well received. The gameplay, the visuals, the atmosphere, and the entire game itself was able to grab the players, and suck them in to its paper world. Yet the quick success and fame had a cost, while Media Molecule wanted the game to be played by more people, Sony kept it for their Vita. That is how VITA became a „Tearaway console”.

Mixed up

Of course since then we could expect Sony to reconsider their initial decision with the advent of the new generation of consoles. A few of these exclusives were ported so that they may have a better chance on the market. This is the strategy that Tearaway became a „victim” to, and before our article was released, it was available two or three days earlier on the PS4.
At first I was afraid that we would have to lose some of the features do to the ports, and what features did not make it to the cutting floor… But as Death can be cheated, so can the porting problems… as they say ?

Horse tranquilizer in different flavors

Regardless of all these fears I started Tearaway Unfolded, and got to know its world. At this point I realized that the developers did not simply make a port, but an entire remake. The story is much more complex, and has been expanded. This would have been able to set aside my fears of the port issues. Yet the developers went beyond a simple remake of the story. The game fully uses the PS4’s controller features, which is almost the same as the Vita’s. What the VITA owners had as a back touchpad now is in front of us. So we will not miss any of the crazy stuff from the original game. Also just as a plus if we connect the camera to our console, our face will appear on the sun. So basically we get to appear in the world.

Get it while its hot.

As mentioned previously Tearaway Unfolded expands the previous game’s opportunities, and the entire world. While the expanded story is great, I do not wish to spoil it for the audience. What I can definitely comment on is how the old maps are still there, and new levels have been added that are fantastic. After all this I can say that you should get Tearaway until you only hear the good things, before the problems start to sin kin.

Passing it around

New ideas have also been implemented, one of which allows us to grab items thrown by the character against the TV, and then we can throw it back. This feature also allows us to grab items from outside of the game world with the help of the camera (can be mobile camera too).

The brave ones will live

I must confess I was afraid of this product, since I could not envision it on the newest console. I enjoyed it on the VITA, and would did not wish to hate it on the new console. Wish we were proven wrong so many times. The game’s controls are good as the previous game, plus no more issues, and the new features are phenomenal, the story is well crafted, and the expansion is just the cherry on the top. The atmosphere is still correct, and it is able to recreate that feeling we had when playing it on the VITA. A feeling that was really rare on this type of genre.

-Kese-

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe

Develpoer: Tarsier Studios, Media Molecule

Genres: Platformer

Publication: September 8th, 2015.