Tearaway - Game.

Tearaway (2013)
Developer: Media Molecule
Platform: Vita

I love my Playstation Vita, it's the best handheld I've owned and one of my favourite pieces of gaming hardware, which is what makes the admittedly lack of original games a bit of a bummer. Media Molecule more than make up for the drought with the delightful Tearaway.

Tearaway is visually incredibly. It's got one of the most original and inventive art styles I've seen. Everything in the game appears to be made out of paper. This isn't just limited to things you see in the environment, walking threw a puddle creates a little paper spray. Rain drops and snowflakes are little bits of paper that fall to the ground. It's a really delightful game to just explore, to see what things look like and to appreciate the insane amount of effort put into it.

The visuals are backed up with some very clever mechanics. Tearaway is a rare game that actually takes advantage of the PS Vitas numerous inputs. It uses the Vita to the fullest and aside from the gyro stuff it's all pulled off pretty well. From creating bridges by peeling paper, to poking your finger into the world through the rear panel, it's all pretty joyous. It does get a tad boring being told to take a picture of yourself over and over, my vanity can only stretch so far. Then again, it's cool when the images you capture are planted in the world for you to stumble across. I also realised that I have an incredibly un-scary roar.

The story in Tearaway is a little basic, but has some clever turns. You play as an envelope turned messenger called Iota who needs to deliver a message to "you", the player. The story has two narrators who lead Iota through the world of Tearaway. Theirs a few interesting moments when the story is deviated by a narrator but overall the story remains basic and pretty uneventful.

Tearaway needs to be played. It's a special game, especially on a system so lacking in killer software like the Vita. It's got gorgeous visuals and clever mechanics to back it up. Just be ready to be more enthralled with the visual design over the storytelling.