I love
Tearaway for making the player an active participant in the game. You’re not just guiding Iota around the screen with the analog stick and a few button presses. The game makes use of all of the Vita’s functions to constantly find some new way to involve you in the action.
The most common method involves the front and back touch screens. The front screen is used to manipulate areas of the level, either by peeling or pulling on tabs. It is really cool to see the number of ways the mechanic is used throughout the game. Sometimes it is as basic as opening a door, though other times you’ll need to quickly pull up tabs to create paths for a rolling Iota or move/ shift platforms in multiple ways.
The rear touch screen’s uses aren’t as plentiful, but still vital. You’ll primarily use the rear screen to "rip" into parts of the game world, either to push objects or quickly clear away large groups of enemies. Tapping on specific parts of the rear screen also activates flexible drumheads, allowing you to bounce Iota or other objects in the air.
As cool as the touch features are, it requires some creative ways to hold the system. In general, Tearaway is good about when you need to pull your thumbs off either the analog stick or buttons. At the same time, a few late game sections require you to balance the system on your fingertips while also guiding Iota, which can be a pain. This is especially problematic during a late game chase sequence, which has you constantly shifting which hand is on the controls and which is on the rear touch pad.
When cutting and crafting, you’ll quickly realize your finger isn’t a precision tool, though it is serviceable and allows you to create a couple of crude objects, like hearts and stars. It is a neat feature, though I found myself wishing for some sort of transparency option when stacking paper. You’re never required to create objects with more than one sheet of paper, but for players who want to make things with multiple pieces of paper, the ability to see layers would be welcome.
In addition to always showing your face on screen, Tearaway will prompt you to use both cameras to take pictures. One task involves making faces, which are then complied into a humorous flip-book. In another, an elk asks you to give him a new coat, turing a picture into an in-game texture.
Without question, Tearaway is a must-own title. It’s a lot of fun, incredibly inventive and offers a great reason to own a Vita.
Note: Download version reviewed. A physical, retail version is also available.