Review: Tearaway

A scene from the exceptional Playstation Vita game Tearaway.

There are video games that look great, and then there's art.

Tearaway, a platform game that's been perfected for Playstation's handheld Vita console, is definitely the latter.

Players take on one of two characters - Lota or Atoi - in a world that looks and feels like a classic cubism painting come to life.

Gameplay is like wandering around inside the mind of an artist as they works on their masterpiece. Bridges unfurl as you walk up to them, curtains part with the swipe of a finger, boxes open up using the Vita's touchscreen, and apple trees grow up in front of you.

But Tearway doesn't just look great - it's a lot of fun to play. It's from Media Molocule, the makers of LittleBigPlanet, so the main character is a similar creation to Sackboy - he or she can be customised to your heart's content.

And it's fully interactive, meaning you'll need to use the Vita's back touch panel to bounce characters around on trampolines, take selfies using its camera, and you'll see your own face floating around on screen from time to time.

But the real joy is watching Tearaway's world unfold around you. You'll probably buy it for your kids this Christmas (it even comes with a mode for "little fingers"), but don't be surprised if you end up playing it more than they do.

What: Tearaway
Platform: Playstation Vita
Rating: PG

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