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Gravity Crash Portable Review for PlayStation Portable (PSP)

Gravity Crash Portable Review for PlayStation Portable (PSP)

Fun with Gravity!

When you think of dual-stick shoot-em-up games, you probably don’t think of the PSP. Namely, because the PSP only has a single analog stick, the dual-stick shoot-em-up format is completely incompatible with the console. Naturally, when I heard that Gravity Crash (a successful shoot-em-up for the PlayStation 3) was coming to the PSP, I was skeptical. The design of the PSP hardware would make this title nearly unplayable, and I was fully prepared to rip into it with plenty of enthusiasm. However, my plan hit a bit of a snag about five minutes in. The problem was that the game was playable. In fact, I would go as far as to say it was good!

Gravity Crash Portable screenshot

The game has a simple premise. Fly around in a neon-colored spaceship and destroy objects around you. The game has a cute little story about a lazy space janitor who hasn’t been pulling his weight lately. The punishment for this laziness is having to clean up a bunch of junk across the universe. Of course, just shooting things would make life a bit too easy. Our faithful janitor also has to pick up stray spacemen who have been stranded!

One of the things that makes Gravity Crash unique is the way it approaches the game’s physics. When you first start playing, you are given three choices for control: classic, dual, and anti-gravity. The classic controls are the hardest to master and involve weighing your spacecraft’s thrust against the gravitational pull of orbital bodies in the game’s universe. Of course, the larger the body, the more pull it will have so you’ll have to fly smart in order to succeed with the classical setup. You’ll also have only one button to fire your weapon with, which means you’ll have to be precise with your aim. The dual setup still retains the gravitational elements of the game, but makes flying a bit smoother. The dual setup also uses the PSP’s face buttons as a faux secondary analog stick. If, for instance, you want to shoot something directly under you, you can use the X button to fire your weapon southward no matter which direction you are facing. The third control scheme is anti-gravity, and it represents the easiest of the three control schemes. This mode keeps the smooth sailing and directional firing of the dual control method, but makes the game easier by getting rid of all the planetary gravitational fields. Although it may be easy to think this mode gets rid of all the challenge, it feels more like training wheels. You’ll still have to pedal yourself.

The main challenge in Gravity Crash Portable comes not from the pull of gravity or the enemies that populate each level, but from the environment. The game’s levels are designed like long, maze-like caverns and can be quite difficult to navigate. Unless you use the auto-shield function (which is a must if you haven’t played a shoot-em-up in awhile), any contact with planetary terrain instantly turns your ship into space dust.

Gravity Crash Portable screenshot

Of course, the one exception to this rule is when you have to make an emergency landing to pick up astronaut survivors. This is the trickiest part of the game, as you will have to manage the fine art of floating above deathly terrain and touching down with extreme care. If you have the gravity function on, this is especially difficult, as one wrong thrust will send not only your ship, but also the hapless astronauts below into a fiery oblivion. Mastering this feature definitely takes some time, but that only adds to the charm of this title.

Due to its high-level of difficulty, Gravity Crash Portable won’t be for everyone. Though it doesn’t reach the insane levels of complexity like the legendary shoot-em-up title Ikaruga, the hardest control scheme definitely provides a challenge for even the most seasoned shoot-em-up fan. However, the great thing about Gravity Crash is the easier control configuration makes most levels at least passable (getting high scores is still a challenge) and enjoyable to gamers who aren’t necessarily shoot-em-up enthusiasts.

Gravity Crash Portable screenshot

Another boon for Gravity Crash Portable is its plethora of modes. The career mode is, of course, the main mode, but it is over quickly. However, in addition to this mode, there is a Planet mode that allows players to play through additional levels at their own pace.

Gravity Crash Portable screenshot

There is also a survival mode, which challenges players to make it through as many planets as possible without blowing up, and a mini-game mode that allows you to play through a old-school style game called Gold Grabber where you will have to shoot at space slugs and steal their money (no, really)! If you are still craving more Gravity Crash Portable, there is a level editor mode that lets you create your own Gravity Crash levels.

The Gravity Crash editor is intuitive, and making a simple level with both large and small obstacles, a few bonuses, and bad guys only took me five minutes. Of course, you can make your level as complex as you want, and if you are trying to create your own universe with variable gravity levels and puzzle elements (like switches), the power is in your hands. The editor’s simplicity gives the user quite a bit of freedom with the level creator, which is great for those with creative inclinations. Once you are finished with your level, you can save it in a user-created directory so you can share it with friends.

Technically, Gravity Crash is nice to look at. The overall visual scheme is simplistic and looks almost like Asteroids, if it had a lot of neon lighting. Though the game’s look is far from complex, it does have a certain charm, and the basic visual style allows for quite a bit of action to take place on screen. Similarly, the audio in the game is quite simple, but it feels right and is pleasant.

Gravity Crash Portable is an interesting game. Though a game genre that generally thrives off the dual-stick control format should not work on the PSP, Gravity Crash Portable proves that such a game can not only exist on this hardware, but also thrive. With fun gameplay mechanics, plenty of modes, and a cute visual style, Gravity Crash Portable is a steal for $10. Shoot-em-up fans will definitely enjoy this title, and those who may have wanted to try a shoot-em-up title, but found the format a bit intimidating will also have some fun with the easier modes. But no matter which category you fall into, Gravity Crash Portable will put a smile on your face, and calluses on your thumbs (as any good shoot-em-up should)!

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 3.8 Graphics
The visuals are simplistic but stylish. The level design is impressive. 3.8 Control
Although each of the game’s three control schemes work well, using the buttons as a second analog does take some getting used to. 3.5 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The background music is generic, but pleasant overall. 4.1 Play Value
While the campaign mode isn’t all that lengthy, playing through the bonus mini-game, conquering survivor mode, and creating your own levels all extend the gameplay. 3.8 Overall Rating – Good
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

  • In Gravity Crash, developed by Just Add Water, the player pilots a small craft while mastering the flight mechanics to combat the perpetual gravitational pull, which is the key to success.
  • Armed with an arsenal of main and special weapons, a rechargeable shield, and a carefully watched fuel gauge, players battle gravity and inertia through thirty-five challenging levels that each feature environmental dangers, enemies, and other obstacles.
  • Along the way, players will encounter volcanic eruptions, winding caverns, and bodies of water in their pursuit to complete their mission. Available only on the PSP version of Gravity Crash, a new Survivor Mode will be featured with extra levels.

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