For a long time the PlayStation minis have represented bite sized chunks of cheap fun, ideally suited to the pick and play mechanics offered by first the PSP and then the PlayStation Vita. However, though fun, many have been nothing more than attempts to replicate games often found on the iOS and Android systems. Velocity represented a departure from this and in doing so created a new standard for what can be achieved with a mini.
With Velocity Ultra, FuturLab have taken the original game and upped the
level of the presentation to try and make it a Playstation 3 game in its own
right. What they have managed to create is the greatest vertically scrolling
shooter from yesteryear that you haven’t yet played. But to merely categorise
it as a shooter is doing it a disservice. At its heart there are so many
different mechanics going on that it’s something with much more depth than
that.
Each of the fifty levels (plus Bonus stages), requires players to juggle
with a number of different objectives. First of all, players must blast enemies
and simply servive in classic shooter style. Secondly, there are pods spread
around the level containing survivors which need to be rescued and last but not
least each level is a deadly race to the finish as a clock continually counts
down. As you progress the focus changes in each stage with, for example, a
static comic book style screen popping up displaying a message to tell you if
you can take your time or need to boost through until the end.
It is within the mix of these games mechanics that things become very
interesting. Aside from the usual weapon power ups and bombs your ship can also
teleport. The levels often descend into crazy scrolling mazes with dead ends,
when this happens you need to teleport into a clear section of the level to
continue. Holding the right trigger button also speeds up your craft as it
moves up the level. This leads to many levels turning into more of a maze race
than a shooter, especially when the time limits are set incredibly tightly.
This would be hectic enough but there are even more fiendish things
afoot. At a certain point players gain the ability to drop teleport pods.
Sometimes these are infinite and sometimes highly limited in use. This allows
the player to teleport back to any one of the pods they have dropped and
continue the level from there. The reason you need this is because at higher
levels there are complex laser shield defence systems that need to be
deactivated. This generally consist of anywhere between ten and thirty colour
coded nodes that need to be destroyed in numerical order from lowest to
highest. Hit one in the wrong order and the whole grid reactivates.
The nodes are of course spread out all over the levels requiring the
playing to bounce back and forth around the map to hit them in the right order.
There can also be numerous sets of nodes, all in different colours. Couple this
with the continued threat of enemies, the time limit and the need to rescue
survivors and everything gets incredibly, addictively hectic. Oh and of course
hitting any of the laser shields results in instant destruction.
As well as this there are hidden areas spread around the levels that
unlock trophies and further bonus missions. This, along with a tough medal grading
system based on your performance means there is a staggering
about of replay value in the game. Just in case that isn’t enough for you there
is also a complete version of mine sweeper and a few takes on classic games
such as thrust hidden away in the extras section.
Velocity Ultra has made the transition from handheld to console
remarkably well. The visuals spring to life on HD displays and the music has never
sounded better. Velocity Ultra is a must have game but there isn’t anything here
that wasn’t in the Vita version, so some may well think twice before buying it
again. It’s a shame the title isn’t cross buy, but more of a shame that it doesn’t
have cross save functionality. Many Playstation network games now offer up
these functions as standard so it’s something we can’t ignore.
We’ve said before that if this had been made on the eight or sixteen bit
consoles it would be lauded as an all-time classic. This is still about as
essential as you can get and shows an imagination, design level and craft that
many of the industries big hitters could learn from. For PS3 gamers without a
Vita it’s a must buy, the rest of us might be better looking to Velocity 2X
though.
9/10
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