Tearaway (video game)

Tearaway
The game includes reversible box art featuring the male character on one side (shown above) and the female character on the other.
Developer(s)	Media Molecule
Publisher(s)	Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
Designer(s)	Rex Crowle David Smith Swann Martin-Raget Christophe Villedieu John Beech Victor Agren Daniel Leaver
Composer(s)	Kenneth C. M. Young Brian D'Oliveira
Platform(s)	PlayStation Vita
Release date(s)	AU 2013112020 November 2013 EU 22 November 2013[1] NA 2013112222 November 2013 IND 22 November 2013[2] JP 201312055 December 2013
Genre(s)	Platformer
Mode(s)	Single-player
Distribution	Download, NVG Card

Tearaway is a platform video game developed by LittleBigPlanet developers Media Molecule for the PlayStation Vita.^[3] It was announced at GamesCom on 15 August 2012 and released on 20 November 2013 in Australia, on 22 November in Europe, North America and India, and 5 December 2013 in Japan.^[4] The game is inspired by papercraft and Rex Crowle's drawings and doodles left around Media Molecule's office.^[5]

Plot

Players use the rear touch panel to give the effect of pushing their fingers through the game world.

Tearaway is about a messenger on a mission to deliver a unique message to the player, referred to by characters in-game as "the You".^[3] At the beginning of the game players can choose whether to play as the male character, Iota, or the female, Atoi, and navigate through a world constructed from paper to deliver the message. The player uses of many of the Vita's features to guide Iota or Atoi, and must battle with scraps, small enemies that try to prevent the delivery.

Gameplay

Tearaway is a third-person platform game which utilises almost all of the PlayStation Vita's features in some way. In one example demonstrated in the game's announce trailer, the player encounters an elk who needs a new skin. The player is able to take a picture using the PS Vita's camera and have it applied to the papercraft animal. In a gameplay demo at Gamescom, Media Molecule demonstrated how the player is also able to use the PS Vita's rear touch panel to effectively push their fingers up through the ground to interact with enemies and the environment. The player is also capable of customizing Iota or Atoi by drawing designs on virtual paper, cutting them out, and applying them to their character. In another part of the demo, the player draws on the touchscreen with their finger to cut-out a paper crown for a character in the game.^[6] The player can also use an in-game camera to collect various papercraft designs, and can assist NPCs in exchange for confetti, the game's currency.

Reception

Tearaway was well received by critics, who praised its art style, creativity and inventive use of the PlayStation Vita's numerous inputs and sensors. The Sixth Axis said, "The PS Vita's various input devices are put to quite fantastic use throughout," and gave the game 9/10.^[17] Scoring the game 9.3/10, IGN's Daniel Krupa described Tearaway as "a simple story, told in a wonderful way", and called it "the best game I've played on the PlayStation Vita".^[15] Grant E. Gaines of Hardcore Gamer was slightly less positive, giving the game a 3.5/5 and praising it for its unique gamely mechanics and beautiful art style but criticizing its length.^[16] GameZone's Joe Donato gave it a 9.5/10, stating "The game is so intrinsically designed with the Vita platform in mind that it's such a success ... if you have a Vita you need to play it."^[18]

Tearaway won Edge magazine's 2013 award for best visual design in a game.^[19]

References

External links

• Tearaway website
• Tearaway.me (companion website)