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VELOCITY 2X (VITA)
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Publisher: FuturLab.
Developer: FuturLab. Released: September 2014. Genre: Shoot 'em up. Other versions: PS4. Posted 2nd March 2015. By Tom Clare © 2015 |
Velocity 2X is a rare commodity, a title that draws effectively from sources old and new, and mixes them seamlessly together in a cauldron of gaming goodness. It’s accessible from the very first moment, yet demands all of your attention and joypad dexterity to master. It’s challenging and compulsively moreish, yet rarely frustrating. Its themes and looks are proudly rooted in the gaming of yesteryear, yet it’s aesthetically gorgeous and full of neat, new ideas.
FuturLab’s superlative shoot ‘em up sees you playing as chiselled cartoon heroine Lt. Kai Tana, as she battles through fifty sci-fi flavoured levels typically lasting between two and five minutes each, with the ultimate goal of defeating the tyrannical Vokh. What follows is a furiously-paced, marvellously enjoyable adventure with exquisite presentation, an expertly-judged learning curve and absorbing, satisfying gameplay by the bucket load.
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Now, now. It's not the crystal's fault you died
One of the finest games you’ll ever play on a Vita, V2X picks up where Velocity (and the remastered Velocity Ultra) left off, improving the up-the-screen shooter formula with crisper visuals and quicker controls. Integral to its superiority is a considerably more expansive gameplay vision, which now includes adrenalin-filled, 2D platforming sequences which are, if anything, even better than the shooting. They’re some of the finest instances of speed-platforming since Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and serve to highlight how potent some of the top indie-style titles can be when they embrace classic, addictive formulas and build them around modern frameworks, learning from both the past and the present.
Cleverly, both shooting and platforming sections offer similar (though slightly adapted) interpretations on power-ups. You can use a Quarp jump to move the ship from point-to-point, bypassing those pesky, crash-inducing walls and potentially messy, labyrinthine mazes. Kai can similarly use such a trick for leaping through walls or for giving enemy guards the run around. Whilst the ship can leave teleport beacons at the branching point of a level in order to return there later on, Kai can use beacons to much the same ends. Except in her case, their placement requires rather more precision, as she wields them in the manner of a grenade, bouncing them off walls, beyond impossible to pass obstacles.
Cleverly, both shooting and platforming sections offer similar (though slightly adapted) interpretations on power-ups. You can use a Quarp jump to move the ship from point-to-point, bypassing those pesky, crash-inducing walls and potentially messy, labyrinthine mazes. Kai can similarly use such a trick for leaping through walls or for giving enemy guards the run around. Whilst the ship can leave teleport beacons at the branching point of a level in order to return there later on, Kai can use beacons to much the same ends. Except in her case, their placement requires rather more precision, as she wields them in the manner of a grenade, bouncing them off walls, beyond impossible to pass obstacles.
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And whilst the basic gameplay and score-chasing would have fit snuggly among a time of pixels, sprites and coin-guzzling arcade machines, the incorporation of contemporary elements such as online leaderboards and multi-faceted incentives for each level greatly increases the game’s allure. The levels aren’t super-tough to finish, but unlocking all fifty requires that a good number of them must be replayed and completed to a good standard. And this means shooting all enemies, capturing all crystals, rescuing all survivors or completing the level quickly. To attain a coveted ‘perfect’ badge, you’ll need to achieve all of the above, without dying once. Challenge accepted.
Simply coasting to the end of each level isn’t going to yield much progression. V2X encourages the player to retackle previous sections in order to better their performance. This reveals the game’s true class, and is a hallmark of genuine replay value. It’s barely perceptible whilst moving through the story, but your cognitive skills develop dramatically over the course of playing Velocity 2X, and just as a juggler may ramp up their routine by taking on additional items for keeping airborne, FuturLab gradually feeds the player more abilities, in tandem with more complex scenarios. Venturing back to the early levels, you’ll find yourself suddenly rocketing through them and destroying your earlier scores, and much like the very different though equally delightful MotorStorm RC, the high-score charge and shaving small amounts off your best times becomes something of an art, and ultimately proves as compelling a venture as trying to complete the main game itself.
Simply coasting to the end of each level isn’t going to yield much progression. V2X encourages the player to retackle previous sections in order to better their performance. This reveals the game’s true class, and is a hallmark of genuine replay value. It’s barely perceptible whilst moving through the story, but your cognitive skills develop dramatically over the course of playing Velocity 2X, and just as a juggler may ramp up their routine by taking on additional items for keeping airborne, FuturLab gradually feeds the player more abilities, in tandem with more complex scenarios. Venturing back to the early levels, you’ll find yourself suddenly rocketing through them and destroying your earlier scores, and much like the very different though equally delightful MotorStorm RC, the high-score charge and shaving small amounts off your best times becomes something of an art, and ultimately proves as compelling a venture as trying to complete the main game itself.
Heaters like this are essential for surviving winters in Mid-Wales
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I-Kai-Ruga
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The new bits really do add another dimension to the experience. At its best, the platforming is a joyous experience. Demanding keen reflexes, timing and no little guts, Velocity 2X latterly introduces all manner of curveballs into the mix, including fiendish bosses and even a twin ship, which makes inverse movements based on your primary vessel. Elsewhere, the art-stills are sumptuous and in-game everything looks incredibly dynamic, nailing the essence of each environment perfectly, whilst the platforming bits are also incredibly easy on the eye. Particular credit must go to the art-design, with bright-yet-soft hues lending V2X a real, distinctive elegance. Stunningly sharp and attractive, it absolutely exudes style, and runs smoother than a Rolls Royce.
Every facet of the experience is pure quality. In marked contrast to the familiar, heavy-rock OSTs that populate shoot ‘em ups seemingly as a means of stoking gamer aggression, V2X offers a refreshingly different take with its BGM. It’s appropriate and consistent; there’s a light, almost dreamy quality to the soundtrack that really resonates, whilst the sound effects get the job done unobtrusively.
Fifty levels represents a lot of mileage, and with 25 bonus levels, endless records to tackle and with friends, world leaderboards and even those who’ve registered scores on the Vita’s “Near” function to compete against, there’s enough to make Velocity 2X a permanent portable fixture. For shoot ‘em up fans, it’s hard to wish for a game that better fuses new ideas with fundamental gaming sensibilities than this, and best of all, it's a fraction of the price you’d expect to pay for a retail release.
Every facet of the experience is pure quality. In marked contrast to the familiar, heavy-rock OSTs that populate shoot ‘em ups seemingly as a means of stoking gamer aggression, V2X offers a refreshingly different take with its BGM. It’s appropriate and consistent; there’s a light, almost dreamy quality to the soundtrack that really resonates, whilst the sound effects get the job done unobtrusively.
Fifty levels represents a lot of mileage, and with 25 bonus levels, endless records to tackle and with friends, world leaderboards and even those who’ve registered scores on the Vita’s “Near” function to compete against, there’s enough to make Velocity 2X a permanent portable fixture. For shoot ‘em up fans, it’s hard to wish for a game that better fuses new ideas with fundamental gaming sensibilities than this, and best of all, it's a fraction of the price you’d expect to pay for a retail release.
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VERDICT
Visual: 9/10
Audio: 8/10 Gameplay: 9/10 Longevity: 9/10 OVERALL: 9/10 |
PIXEL SECONDS: VELOCITY 2X (PS4)
While it’s easy to gripe about triple-A gaming due to increasingly mercenary practices and rushed development times, the independent gaming landscape has grown into something very significant. Velocity 2X is one of the finest games to come from this surge. Told through visually striking and concisely written cut-scenes, Kai Tana awakens after being captured by a villainous alien force known as the Vokh, but teams with a pacifist alien race to overthrow this regime. It’s hard to pin down what genre Velocity 2X falls into, as it embraces so many elements from classic gaming. Levels start off focusing on shmup-style action, but eventually Kai is able to enter segments which incorporate elements of run ‘n’ guns and puzzlers, along with aspects such as phasing through objects, portal teleportation and bomb throwing. It not only empowers you as you play, but builds in challenge and complexity. V2X proves easy to learn, but hard to master, as Perfect accolades require maxed-out scores, speedy times and no deaths, whilst fast runs are like poetry in motion and add immense value. Handsome 2D backgrounds gel with striking 3D, stylish use of lens flare and beautifully drawn scenes. Kudos to the composer who perfectly mixes electronic music to fit every emotion. Velocity 2X is a worthy addition to any PS4 owner’s library, mixing decidedly disparate pieces into a cohesive whole. [9] - Shane Battams © 2021
While it’s easy to gripe about triple-A gaming due to increasingly mercenary practices and rushed development times, the independent gaming landscape has grown into something very significant. Velocity 2X is one of the finest games to come from this surge. Told through visually striking and concisely written cut-scenes, Kai Tana awakens after being captured by a villainous alien force known as the Vokh, but teams with a pacifist alien race to overthrow this regime. It’s hard to pin down what genre Velocity 2X falls into, as it embraces so many elements from classic gaming. Levels start off focusing on shmup-style action, but eventually Kai is able to enter segments which incorporate elements of run ‘n’ guns and puzzlers, along with aspects such as phasing through objects, portal teleportation and bomb throwing. It not only empowers you as you play, but builds in challenge and complexity. V2X proves easy to learn, but hard to master, as Perfect accolades require maxed-out scores, speedy times and no deaths, whilst fast runs are like poetry in motion and add immense value. Handsome 2D backgrounds gel with striking 3D, stylish use of lens flare and beautifully drawn scenes. Kudos to the composer who perfectly mixes electronic music to fit every emotion. Velocity 2X is a worthy addition to any PS4 owner’s library, mixing decidedly disparate pieces into a cohesive whole. [9] - Shane Battams © 2021