Velocity 2X

Velocity 2X is an unusual hybrid that alternates a vertical space shooter with a two-dimensional action platformer within a single level, and above all does both excellently. The player controls Captain Kai Tana, whose ship, the Quarp Jet, can teleport a short distance, and when needed lands so the heroine continues on foot through the narrow corridors of enemy stations. The transition between the two modes is seamless, with no loading, and the game uses it to maintain a pace that practically never drops.

The core of the gameplay is speed and precision. In the shooter sections you can speed up or slow down the screen scroll, teleport through walls and send out homing probes that let you jump back to a previously seen spot, turning every level into a small logic puzzle about the order in which to open colour-coded doors. The on-foot sections have their own version of the teleport and their own pace, but the same rule applies: the best result goes to whoever can plan the route ahead of time. The rating at the end of each mission tracks time, the number of navigation points collected, and survivors rescued, which encourages repeated attempts to improve your results and compete on the leaderboards.

On the Vita the game runs very smoothly, and its clean, brightly neon look really shines on the display. The electronic soundtrack pulses in precise rhythm and can turn even repeating a single level into an almost hypnotic experience. The title reached a wide audience partly because it was offered to PlayStation Plus subscribers at launch, and critics received it very favourably, praising above all the courage to combine two genres without either getting in the other's way. The British studio earned itself a reputation as a specialist in precise arcade action with this release. The game follows on from an earlier, purely shooter-focused title by the same team, but feels noticeably more confident and cohesive by comparison. Today, Velocity 2X is among the titles that best show what could be achieved on the Vita with a small budget and a clear vision.