Game Review--Velocity 2X Critical Mass Edition (PS Vita)

"I should be horrified by what has happened to me but I'm strangely calm, and I have hope to cling to.  Perhaps I'll even have a chance at vengeance.  As I lie beneath the sterile lights I look up at the ceiling and clench my fist."
--Lieutenant Kai Tana, Velocity 2X


Velocity 2X shares a lot of DNA with Metroid: both feature a blonde human woman who fights against an oppressive alien species (seriously, the Vokh of Velocity 2X even look like Space Pirates), solves environmental puzzles, and obtains weapon upgrades as she progresses.  This works to the former's advantage, since it allows players something that might strike them as an inventive combination of the familiar and the unique.  Kai Tana makes for a fitting protagonist, and comparisons to Samus Aran are almost unavoidable for experienced gamers.  The Critical Mass Edition features additional content that takes the form of three expansions and a documentary about the game's creation.  It is the ideal way to enjoy the title on the Vita, as it is a complete offering.

Production Values

The graphics are a great fit for the arcade atmosphere of Velocity 2X, from the colorful environments and objects to the character design of Kai.  Despite being simple, the art style is handled consistently throughout the entirety of the game, benefiting from the vibrancy of the colors.  Never once did any slowdown occur.  The audio complements the visuals very well, with the soundtrack and weapon noises highlighting the game's arcade-like elements.  There is no dialogue; however, the sound that is present accentuates the gameplay and aesthetics.

Gameplay

The gameplay consists of two formats.  In the first, players control Kai's ship, shooting switches that deactivate shields that block new areas, fighting off enemies, and freeing prisoners of the Vokh, an aggressive species that celebrate brutality and militarism.  In the second, players control Kai directly, and the game goes from a space shooter that looks directly down on her ship to a side-scrolling platformer-shooter hybrid (reinforcing the Metroid comparisons, Kai even looks like Samus does in her Zero Suit!).  Regardless of the format, teleportation and destroying generators in a specific sequence are standard activities.

Though every level is not necessarily more complicated than each one that precedes it, the general complexity increases steadily as one accesses new levels.  The manner in which levels are unlocked is somewhat abnormal.  Instead of accessing a level by the mere completion of the one before it, one must accumulate a certain amount of XP to proceed.  The factors that allow a player to obtain XP after a level are completion speed, collection rate (there are two main kinds of collectibles), and point quantity.  It is possible to finish a level without acquiring a high number of experience points, so unlocking the later parts of the story could be a tough endeavor for some.

As the level design becomes more complex, the challenge increases exponentially.  Dying might be a frequent occurrence near the end of the story, but dying does not penalize players very much.  Kai and her ship quickly respawn, so the consequences of death have more to do with slowing players down, making their completion time higher, than with forcing them to restart a level.  Even at its most difficult, however, the game provides at least enough hints for observant players to navigate their way through serpentine locations.

Story

The narrative follows a human pilot, Lieutenant Kai Tana, as she fights against a cruel species: the Vokh, known for their tendency to brutalize or enslave other races.  Kai befriends Hijun Ralan III, a member of an oppressed species called the Jitinda that, unfortunately, has a genetic modification that renders them pacifists.  She encounters and bests Vokh General Glaive on multiple occasions, but her opponents retaliate when they destroy the Jitinda homeworld.  Ultimately, Kai confronts the Vokh Empress.

Intellectual Content

As players get further into the game, Velocity 2X can become quite challenging.  Pickups that unlock bonus levels are scattered throughout some of the main levels--and obtaining them is not always an easy matter.  Later on, the collection process involves precise uses of Kai's teleportation ability, both on foot and in her ship.  Even making progress through the core game can involve quite a bit of forethought.  In particular, the use of teleportation pods while flying Kai's ship around a network of open spaces gets rather elaborate.


Conclusion

Considering that so many aspects of the game are executed well, Velocity 2X is a great recommendation for people looking for a Metroid-type experience on a Sony platform.  The art style, level design, and varying 1-10 minute level completion times feel right at home on the Vita.  This is a great title for a portable system in particular, though it is available on other systems.  Any Vita users who seek a game that challenges their reflexes and swiftness should certainly try Velocity 2X.


Content:
1. Violence:  Kai can use an arm cannon, a rifle, and her ship's weaponry to destroy enemies, all of which are either spacecrafts, turrets, or alien beings.