Haku's Gravity Rush Review

[Hakudamashi]

Is it a system seller instant classic that the Vita needs, and if you have one it's a game essential to your library?.....Uuuuummmmmm

Let's see, it's an open-world game which runs at a smooth consistent framerate, and when acccompanied by this art style they used, the game is "pretty". But if you're into anime(like me), then this game looks orgasmic and quite possibly one of the most beautiful looking games you'll play in your life... for a handheld anyway...
Speaking of beauty, lets talk about that soundtrack, it's amazing, how amazing? Think of a dumbed down Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack in a good way. Sure there are 1 or 2 songs in there that made me cringe, but the soundtrack as a whole makes you feel like young hip aspiring superhero wishing to do good in foreign lands, y'know, cause that's what you are.

But who cares how pretty the game is if it plays like ass? So how about the game part of my videogame.

Well, moving around on the ground feels responsive and fluid, and the gravity shifting to get to places quickly is very functional once you get used to it, Kat's an all around mobile gal, and you should'nt be too fussy about getting around. But the camera just may irk you in the wrong way sometimes...

Combat is frantic fun. It feels like how a superhero's first outing should feel, it's frantic, everything is everywhere, but DAMN does it feel satisfying when you hit something. She has regular button mash attack like every action character, she has a dodgeroll, a jump, and a whole slew of gravity shifting F*CK YOU moves, which all but 1 are satisying to use, but I would like for some of them to be less situational...
The average mooks aren't any real challenge and the boss fights are a fun decent challenge, y'know, if you've gotten used to how gravity shifting works. Cause let me tell you, if you can't get used to it by the first "dungeon", then you're going to have a MISERABLE time.

The story and characters? I enjoyed them quite a bit. At their worst they're still charming, and at their best they make you wanna see more of them. Y'know, as long as you don't go into it expecting an epic. Expect a story more along the lines of a cheap anime at best.

So if you haven't caught on yet, yes I love this game, alot. I think it's an instant classic, I want to see more of this, and I hope it becomes a successful franchise and I'm awaiting a sequel.
So then why is this game hard for me to reccommend to anyone? And why can I NOT call this game a system seller?
Because of the HORRENDOUS 1st hour or so of the game.

I mean, this game leaves a HORRIBLE first impression. It was soo bad that it me pondering whether I had buyer's remorse or not it was soo bad. It's like trying to reccommend people to watch Star Driver, but first they have to get past the faggy as f*ck "Galactic Pretty Boy" bullsh*t.
The camera locks up on you and can't be used for unkown reasons, Kat feels awkward as f*ck to use, they introduce the characters as full retards, the story makes llittle to no sense using the WORST possible dialogue you can find anywhere. Fighting WILL feel combersome and frustrating as nothing works, everything's faster than you, the put the dodgeroll at the WORST possible input you can think of, gravity shifting is awful, etc. etc. If the whole game was like this, I'd say it'd be the worst game of 2013 @_@.
But, after the first hour or so, you'll have collected enough of those purple Crystal things to start upgrading all your craptastic abilities, take my advise and start upgrading the Gravity Kick FIRST, so now that you have at least ONE reliable way of fighting, you can then take time to understand all of the other seemingly horrible design choices of the game, especially the button layout, then, and only then does the game become playable, but then it's all uphill from there., story included.

So there you go, I really ended up loving this game, but the horrible horrible HORRIBLE first hour of the game makes it difficult to recommend to anyone. But love it or hate it, I know people will grow to love Kat as a character, and I'm happy to put her in my top 10 badass females in gaming list.

That's why I give this game:

8/10
4/5
A^-
Buy It.