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. The player can use an in-game camera to collect various papercraft designs, and can assist non-player characters in exchange for confetti, the game's currency.
Plot
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". 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 many of the Vita's features to guide Iota or Atoi, and must battle with scraps, small enemies that try to prevent the delivery.
Development
During the early stages of development, Tearaway was called Sandpit and was open world. As such, most of the game's code still refers to itself as Sandpit. Additionally, the male protagonist Iota was originally named Oola and looked different to the female protagonist Atoi.
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. 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". 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. 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." In Japan, Famitsu gave the game a review score of 36/40. Tearaway won Edges 2013 award for best visual design in a game. The game received eight nominations in the categories of "Best Game", "Best British Game", "Best Family Game", "Best Mobile & Handheld Game", "Best Original Music", "Artistic Achievement", "Game Design" and "Game Innovation" for the 2014 BAFTA Video Games Awards; of these nominations, Tearaway won the awards for Best Mobile & Handheld Game, Best Artistic Achievement, and best Family game.
''Tearaway Unfolded''
On 12 August 2014, a PlayStation 4 version, titled Tearaway Unfolded, was announced at Gamescom 2014. The game includes an extended storyline and enhanced gameplay using the features of the DualShock 4 controller. Tearaway Unfolded was released worldwide on 8 September 2015.
