About a month ago SIE Japan Studio and Project Siren revealed that Gravity Rush 2 servers are going to be shut down. The servers were initially intended to shut down in January, but quite a big number of fans started a campaign, helped by this hashtag, and amazingly it worked, but only for a while. It was a good and valiant fight by so many loyal fans. Unfortunately, a few weeks ago, it was confirmed that regardless of the huge appeal from many, many fans, that the game’s servers will, in fact, shut down anyway. Yes, today it’s scheduled to finally happen. The fans managed to prolong the servers for six months.
As it was unveiled, a while back, so many players are upset by this, because the servers shutting down means they will lose all of their challenges, photos, rewards, and other content forever. What’s more, leaderboards are now officially history and racing against the ghosts of other players won’t be possible any more. Treasure Hunts are also a thing of the past.
You should bear in mind, if you’re keen on the game or trying it, Gravity Rush 2 is still completely playable. All the Trophies can be unlocked without diving into the multiplayer modes. On the other hand, Dusty Tokens are extremely tough to get hold of now, so yeah, specific outfits and items can no longer be acquired.
Now that the time is up and the servers are about to evaporate along with so many goodies, gamers were hoping that the developer and the publisher would offer some sort of compromising solution via a potential patch, making items available to everyone. There is still no official word on that from SIE Japan Studio.
From a certain angle it seems like a logical move, to shut down online features that were not used very often, and yet Sony’s move to kill the servers so early after launch doesn’t look too good; especially with the game’s vibrant community and during such a massive outcry from so many loyal players.
Gravity Rush 2 Info Dump
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Gravity Rush 2 - Everything You Need to Know
A January 20 release date looms large, so let's crack open the archives to get the lowdown on Gravity Rush 2.
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What is Gravity Rush 2?
It’s the PS4-only sequel to Gravity Rush, a Vita exclusive that won over the hearts and minds of the PlayStation community back in 2012. Now, almost five years later, Gravity Rush 2 is ready to take flight, and we couldn’t be more excited.
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What’s the Story?
So, you’re ready to step into a world where the laws of gravity bend and break as your will commands. But what’s the story? Allow the official PS Blog description to clue you in:
“Kat and Raven return in Gravity Rush 2 to embark on another dizzying adventure where sometimes falling can feel like flying. Experiment with Kat’s newly evolved gravity-bending powers to change the direction of gravity and alter its strength at will.
“Master the laws of physics as you explore an expansive world filled with story quests, challenges and monstrous demons. Use your powers together with the fully destructible environment to overcome your enemies in ways never imagined.”
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Welcome to Banga
Set soon after the events of the original Gravity Rush, Japan Studio's follow-up shifts much of the physics-defying action to Banga, a mining settlement plagued by those dastardly Nevi.
"Banga’s a mobile town – an odd mixture of residencies and boats that are home to miners and their families who make their living collecting gravity ore from the floating reef area below. Under the strict command of their leader Lisa, they regularly dock at other ports in order to stock up on supplies and conduct business."
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New Characters Galore
Kat and Raven may anchor Gravity Rush 2, but Japan Studio’s sequel is poised to introduce a host of new faces, including…
- Lisa: "Lisa is the strong and short-tempered leader of the Banga Settlement. Ever the realist, she inspires both fear and respect in the villagers but always prioritizes the safety of the settlement."
- Vogo: "Vogo is a merchant, and head of Sun Shipping. He regularly does business with a variety of clients, and is rumored to be involved with the illegal buying and selling of military supplies. His plans for Banga are less than noble."
- Cecie: "Cecie is a quiet and reserved girl who works as a herder within Banga. As Lisa’s adopted daughter, Cecie is usually on the receiving end of her mother’s strict teachings. When she runs away from home, Kat is asked to track her down."
- Fi: "Fi is Vogo’s bodyguard and close aide. His quiet and cold demeanor is accompanied by a proficiency in martial arts, and he regularly intimidates those who resist Vogo’s demands."
- Misai: "Misai is the top miner in Banga, and one of Kat’s biggest critics. His stubbornness leads him into dangerous mining missions in order to prove his worth."
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The Nevi and the Uncharted Rift Plane
The Nevi are back, back, back for Gravity Rush 2. Known as Scarabs by local Banga residents, these bloated, unsightly monsters will act as Kat's biggest threat, who must use her gravitational abilities to fend off any and all Nevi.
There's also mention of a new, uncharted territory known as the Rift Plane. Boasting untold riches and dangerous enemies, here's an overview of that new area in question.
"A fordbidden land with a wealth of high quality ore, Kat will encounter a number of new Nevi, (or “scarabs” as the Banga Settlers call them) as she makes her way across the Rift Plane. Giant Stone tablets will provide clues on how to proceed, and successfully satisfying their conditions will lead Kat to mysterious new rewards…"
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How Does it Play?
If you’re in any way familiar with the original Gravity Rush — known as Gravity Daze in Japan — you’ll have an understanding of Kat’s physics-defying abilities. Our heroine boasts the power to quite literally turn the world upside down, and though combat and a finicky camera were common complaints levelled at the 2012 original, Japan Studio has assured that the core gameplay has been fine-tuned in its transition to PS4. Those camera issues still persist, sadly.
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Multiple Game Modes
Upon booting up Gravity Rush 2, players will find many more options when it comes to gameplay, with Game Director Keiichiro Toyama revealing that:
“The previous title only had Normal mode, which was rather simple and linear. But many players have asked us to add something new. So we added two new modes. But the controls are roughly similar. You will be able to use the same commands, but other actions as well. You will be able to choose how to fight the way you want.”
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A Slew of Online Features
Gravity Rush 2 is primarily a single-player experience, but there are a handful of online features to peruse.
Those features, and much more, are outlined below.
- Online events can activate in the middle of gameplay. You can confirm its location on the map.
- “Photo Review” is a feature that allows you to check out photos from other players, it’s demonstrated as the first thing in the above video. You can also share your own photos and get “likes” from other players for points called “Dusty Tokens. (There are other ways to acquire the tokens). You’ll unlock rewards whenever you reach a certain amount of Dusty Tokens.
- In “Treasure hunting,” you’ll find a vast number of treasures on the map. Players who find the treasures can leave hunts for other players using photos. The players that receive the hints can then enjoy some treasure hunting with the clue.
- “Challenge Mission” is where you can compete with players (ghosts) from around the world. You’ll also get to sent written challenges for this as well.
- The number of enemies and mineral quantities are determined by the number of participating players at the “Mine.” By destroying minerals it’ll increase their value rises, and enemies appear accordingly. These powerful enemies drop “Talismans” that Kat can equip. Basically, Talismans are accessories that affect Kat’s stats, similar to Bloodborne’s Blood Gems.
- In addition to gems, the Mine has “Gemstones” that can be found. When you take one of these home, you can break them down for Talismans. Think of it as a gacha-like system.
- Mines also have “Lost Articles” that can be found. These are left behind by players that get KO’d while in a Mine. Dying in a Mine area will make you drop half your Gemstones and other items. Players who discover Lost Articles can then pick them up and keep it for themselves.
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4K on PS4 Pro, But No 60fps
Gravity Rush 2 will come packing PS4 Pro support, enabling Japan Studio’s sequel to run in 4K. However, according to the studio’s Yasuhiro Kitao, “it won’t support 60fps.”
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A Smooth Experience on Both PS4 and Pro
Digital Foundry has put Gravity Rush 2 under the microscope to discover a relatively smooth, stable experience across both PS4 and PS4 Pro.
"Closed pixel counts suggest a full 2160p here, but when looking at the scene as a whole, it doesn’t look as clean as a native 4K image would actually suggest. Essentially, it looks more as if the geometry pass is handled entirely at a native 4K, while all shading and other rendering passes are rendered at a lower resolution. This leads to noticeable pixelation and blur within surfaces, but sharp, clean edges around them."
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The Animated Series
Curious to learn what Kat and Dusty got up to in between Gravity Rush 1 and its imminent sequel? Gravity Rush: The Animation — Overture is a two-part anime designed to bridge that narrative gap. It runs for around 20 minutes in total, and is produced by Studio Khara.
Here’s the official logline: “Gravity Rush: The Animation – Overture, bridges the gap between the original Gravity Rush and the sequel Gravity Rush 2. This anime has been produced by Studio Khara, best known for their work on Rebuild of Evangelion.”
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Free DLC Inbound
As we learned at PSX 2016, Sony and Japan Studio plan to release free DLC for Gravity Rush 2 this March and, at the request of fans, it’ll allow you to play as Raven.
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Phantasy Star Online 2 Tie-In Content
SIE also revealed the following Phantasy Star Online 2 content for Gravity Rush 2. There’s currently no mention of a western release date for the add-on.
- “Crazy Kitten” Costume
- “Rappy” Photo Item
- “Phantasy Star Online 2 Container” Photo Item
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Extended Gameplay Demo
Now that the review embargo has officially been lifted, you’ll be able to find a metric ton of gameplay demos online. PSLS published a 13 minute clip, while you’ll find plenty more videos through this link.
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Rated T for Teen
It’s official: Gravity Rush 2 has been rated T for Teen for its use of blood, fantasy violence, mild suggestive themes, partial nudity, and use of alcohol.
You can find the full description below:
“This is a role-playing game in which players assume the role of a woman (Kat) searching for the origins to her gravity powers. From a third-person perspective, players explore environments, perform missions, and battle enemies using melee attacks and perspective shifts. Players mostly punch and kick enemies while flying through the air; some enemies use machine guns or knives to attack civilians or other warriors. One cutscene depicts a man stabbing another in the back; a credit sequence shows images of a man impaled on a spike with blood on his clothes and mouth. In a handful of scenes, a fantastical character is depicted partially nude (no nipples or genitalia) atop buildings. One side mission requires players to take pictures of beautiful women for an older man (e.g., 'If you find a real looker, get her to strike a pose before taking the picture'; 'She's smoking hot, isn't she?'). Another side mission involves a boy asking for the player's help with curbing his father's drinking (e.g., 'Pop's mind is scattered lately, probably from all the drink'in''; '[Y]ou smell like booze nowadays'); characters are sometimes depicted holding bottles, drinking alcohol and swaying/staggering around.”
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Gravity Rush Remastered
Acting as a neat primer for the imminent sequel, last year Japan Studio brought over Gravity Rush Remastered to PS4. Our review found the studio's console port to be a memorable adventure worth playing — warts and all.
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Hands-On Impressions
Early on in development, PSLS went hands-on with an early build of Gravity Rush 2, with our preview revealing:
“While the new gravity styles might be the big story, though, Gravity Rush 2 just feels a lot more polished and refined than the previous entry.”
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Our Final Verdict
Our own Keri Honea handled the Gravity Rush 2 review for PSLS, and it seems the PS4 lineup is off to a strong start in 2017.
“Gravity Rush 2 lacks quite a bit in the story department, even with the side missions, but the improved combat and series-unique exploration make it difficult to put the game down.”
