When the PlayStation Vita launch lineup was announced there was a game that seemed to grab everyone’s attention above all others: Gravity Rush. A unique gameplay mechanic that allows the player to manipulate gravity coupled with a stunning visual design looked like a sure fire killer app. Gravity Rush is now upon us, but is it the system seller everyone thought it could be? The later is yet to be determined, but the gaming experience you’ll encounter here dazzles the senses like few other games can.

Gravity Rush‘s plot revolves around Kat, a young girl who has lost her memory and finds herself in the mysterious, floating city of Hekseville. She quickly learns that this world is under the threat of gravity storms and strange creatures called the Nevi. Very early on Kat befriends a black cat named Dusty that gives her the ability to manipulate gravity to her will. With this newfound ability, Kat takes it upon herself to save this world from all that threatens it.

While Gravity Rush certainly makes it easy to like Kat, the overall plot surrounding her adventure leaves plenty to be desired. After the credits roll, you’ll be left with quite a few questions you wish would have been answered. A number of interesting story sequences are definitely present and work well enough to move you from one mission to the next. However, it feels like Gravity Rush was designed to have the story be in service to the gameplay. This works well enough in the end, but it still would have be nice to learn more about Kat and her world.

Visually, Gravity Rush employs a unique use of cell-shading to create one of the most graphically appealing games on the Vita. There is an encompassing hue of green throughout, but plenty of the levels use varying color schemes that give El Shaddai a run for its money. Character and environmental models pop with a certain distinct flair to them that most handheld games can only hope to aspire to. The draw distance appears rather shallow, but think of it as a sketch drawing coming to life before your eyes and it’ll seem more magical

Most of the story sequences, however, take place in hand-drawn comic panels. What’s unique about these panels is that you can gain varying perspectives of the images by tilting the Vita, which provides a pseudo-3D affect. You move from one panel to the next by swiping to your finger across the screen, typically leading you back to gameplay in the final panel. This story-telling method certainly isn’t anything earth-shattering, but serves as another fun feature to help Gravity Rush stand out even more.

No worthwhile game is without a great soundtrack, and thankfully the music that accompanies Garvity Rush perfectly accentuates the mood at every turn. Gloomy story moments are accompanied by appropriately somber tunes. Battles themes hit just the right notes to help get your adrenaline flowing in tough fights. Even something as simple as walking around the various town quarters feels whimsical thanks to soothing and jazzy songs. It’s just a shame that the soundtrack isn’t available as a pre-order bonus or through a collector’s edition

she’s not flying, she’s just falling…with style.

The big draws of Gravity Rush are of course the gravity-shifting mechanics. By hitting the right shoulder button, you put Kat into a zero gravity mode that has her float in mid air. From there you aim her at a destination, hit the shoulder button again, and launch her towards it. Once she lands, this becomes her new ground. Being able to stand on any surface in the game (right-side up or upside down) will disorient you at first, but also exhilarates you a great deal. Being able to land anywhere is important in the overall scope, but the ability to fly towards anything proves to be more fun and useful overall.

Gravity Rush is very much an open world game that requires the use of all your gravity abilities to traverse it. Because the world is so big, you’ll find yourself flying around as your most common method of transportation. Not only is flying the most practical ability, but it’ll also put a big smile on your face as it proves to be the most exciting aspect of Gravity Rush. The ability to fly is often the choice for the most desired super power, so having a game built around this power makes for a really exciting experience.