Tearaway Unfolded

If Tearaway were a diamond in the rough world of Vita gaming before, it's an exceedingly polished masterpiece on the PS4.

I never wanted a sequel to Tearaway, nor did I want a remaster. What we've got with Unfolded is something that's somewhere in the middle, and somehow achieves more than a typical sequel or remaster ever could. It's a fresh take on the same ideas that made Tearaway so good, and even if the different hardware means it doesn't capture that feeling of "holding a world in your hand" as well as the Vita game, Unfolded is still a must-play for anyone with a PS4, regardless of whether or not you've played the original.

For less than $40, it’s kinda a no-brainer for gamers looking for a fun and creative, family-friendly adventure.

The new production from Media Molecule is full of love, devotion and talent. The English software house took the best of the PS Vita version and created a new, fresh and extremely funny experience. Why should you pass over such a gem?

Media Molecule, more than any other dev, makes games that fit snugly into its platforms, and here it’s maximised nearly every feature PS4 has to offer. [December 2015, p66]

Bigger and more beautiful than its handheld form, with only a few concessions made along the way to make it fit. [Nov 2015, p.93]

Tearaway Unfolded is a recommendable dose of positive energy for the kids and a very relaxing escape from more bloody games for an older audience. Great, addictive platformer.

Charming, beautiful, and immense amounts of fun, Tearaway Unfolded is the perfect platformer for all ages.

Tearaway Unfolded may have the wide-eyed look of something targeted towards the kids demographic but its fantastical levels and novel mechanics – which take full advantage of the PS4 controller’s resources – give it a true all-ages appeal.

Quotation forthcoming.

The combat is shallow and gets tedious near the end of the game, the story drags in parts and could have benefited from being an hour or two shorter, but Tearaway is such a rare type that those things are easily forgiven. It joins the mediums of video game and art together, then flips them topsy turvy until you’re unsure of where one begins and the other ends.

Tearaway truly comes into its own on PlayStation 4. It's still an amazing adventure that - in this edition - uses the abilities of the Dualshock 4 in very interesting ways.

One of the Vita’s best releases come to the PlayStation 4 in Tearaway: Unfolded, a charming, endearing, and enjoyable adventure whose jump to the big screen will allow a far wider audience to appreciate a game that went criminally overlooked the first time around.

Considering what's gone into the conversion from Vita to PS4, Unfolded ranks as one of the best remasters released, exhibiting a clear sense of love of the property that simply isn't seen when many older games arrive on new systems.

The new Tearaway is even bigger, more exciting exciting and challenging than ever. Ignoring it would be a great shame, and belittling it a huge mistake.

Not just a 'director’s cut’ of the original. The new features are worth a purchase even if you played the PS Vita version.

We need more games like Tearaway. It's sole purpose is making the player smile all the way through the adventure of the messenger and the You, relying on a beautiful universe, great level design and light-hearted fun.

What could have been a simple cash-in HD port of the handheld title was instead lovingly (paper)crafted by the developers into a vastly improved, dedicated PS4 platformer.

Tearaway Unfolded is so imaginative that you'll feel yourself wanting to applaud it at points. An occasionally clunky camera and some narrative issues do threaten to screw up this paper-based platformer, but the quirky controls and sheer variety of the gameplay will keep a smile glued to your face.

Tearaway: Unfolded is full of the same enchanting charm and clever design found in the original, and the PlayStation 4 gives it a new stage to captivate both returning and new audiences alike.

Even more worthy of your attention than it was on PS Vita, so do yourself a favor and give this game the love that it deserves.

Overall, Tearaway Unfolded is unique and charming enough to recommend to gamers.

It's a piece of software art and probably filled with more love than grandma's apple pie. A must have.

We would love it if every revision of a game was like Tearaway: Unfolded. Media Molecule has made a great work in order to bring its best version yet to Playstation 4. Even if the best option is to try it on PS Vita, those who can't will be able to jump into the magic with this game.

Tearaway Unfolded is not just a port of the Vita game on PS4, is a completely re-imagined experience for the home console and the capabilities of its controller. It looks pretty good on PS4 with slight problems in its camera. The Media Molecule’s game deserves be played by all PlayStation Fans.

Tearaway Unfolded is something for the whole family to enjoy. It's a child-friendly action-adventure with fantastic visuals. The game tries to take advantage on DualShock 4's special functions, but as a result, the controls can feel quite clunky at times. [Oct 2015]

While the controls can be a little awkward at times, Tearaway Unfolded is a delightful package overall. Its distinctive look is matched by equally creative gameplay that has you interacting with the world and leaving your mark in ways quite unlike anything else. If you missed it the first time, don’t let it slip by again.

Tearaway was a big surprise hit for me on the Vita and this remake is bigger, has more content, and more unique ways to progress versus its handheld sibling.

If you missed the release of Tearaway on PS Vita, you must definitely taste this magical platformer, full of fresh ideas, on PS4. It's the most endearing and the most original game this fall, by far.

A great platformer in its own right, Tearaway Unfolded doesn’t quite capture the revelatory magic of its Vita predecessor, partly because the gameplay and scope remain limited next to sophisticated, inventive controls.

Tearaway Unfolded may not surpass its predecessor when it comes to quality, but it definitely does when it comes to contents and the way it taps into the qualities of the platform to achieve a level of interaction with the player that is rarely seen.

New features and an intense use of the DualShock 4 makes Tearaway Unfolded a great platform game for PS4.

The mechanics function very well now that the game is on PS4.

Not only a good port, but a great exclusive game that stands out for its staging and colorful original visuals.

One of the best games on PS Vita transformed into a game that takes a great profit from Dual Shock 4 and adds some new areas and features. Iota has no rival as a postman.

Tearaway Unfolded, like its mobile forebear, is an enchanting adventure. A bedrock of strong platforming mechanics supports a world that recalls The Wizard of Oz’s wide-eyed whimsy. Children will absolutely adore it, but even grown-up gamers with a taste for handcrafted, homespun style should follow the fold.

Media Molecule took an already good game and made it even better on PS4, fully using the new Dual Shock features and the added power of Sony's home console. It's a beautiful and inspired remake, more than a remaster, and one that will be appreciated by any kind of gamer, adult or child.

Overcomes its issues thanks to its glorious visual design, it’s upbeat attitude and the fact that, while feeling a little more forced this time around, it remains a highly entertaining and endlessly charming adventure that ultimately delivers an experience that is more than the sum of its individual parts.

It's delightful to look at, fun to explore, and it does a great job of utilizing various PlayStation features.

Tearaway is something like seeing Where the Wild Things Are, hobbled together with Elmer's glue, cut along dotted lines with terrible little grade school scissors, and creased with papercraft folds. It's an adventure that's big on controls, a bit weak in dialogue, and best enjoyed in smaller, bite-sized sessions. Tearaway is unusual, in every sense of the word.

Tearaway Unfolded has found a new home on the PS4 and contains plenty of new ways to use the DualShock 4 for unique in-game interactions. It's still worth owning if you've played the Vita version too. Difficulty is nicely balanced for players of all abilities and there are lots of collectibles for completionists to find.

The connection between game and player is not as deep as on Vita. But the “big” Tearaway is a beautiful detour into a paper world full of creative design ideas.

Tearaway Unfolded is a brilliant remake of the critically acclaimed Vita game. The mechanics are re-maped to work with the Dualshock 4 controller and works very well. Using all of the features of the controller you get full control over the world, and gets to help Atoi or Iota with their very important mission. Some of the tasks are pretty repetitive, but does not ruin the total experience.

I’m glad to see the adventure on the big screen, but the console experience feels less personal, and the journey loses a little bit in the transition. That said, Tearaway Unfolded is still a great game for families or anyone else who’s looking for an uplifting change of pace.

Tearaway was one of the most charming games in 2013, and thanks to this remake it may well also be so this year. With its flaws and all, it's still a little gem, and for those who missed it then it's definitely time now.

Tearaway Unfolded still holds all the magic of the original, and if you missed it on Vita, this is really a good chance to enjoy it.

Even if it takes a camera or a mobile device to fully come together, Tearaway Unfolded is a smart, slick reimagining of Media Molecule’s underappreciated gem. The innovative methods by which you can twist, turn, and bend the colorful paper world provide interesting new challenges to wrap your head around, and the already beautiful world has an even bigger allure on the PlayStation 4. It’s just plain fun.

It reimagines many of the ways you interact with the game’s papercraft world and it expands and builds upon some of the ideas in the handheld version, yet never strays too far from what was already a wonderful experience.

Tearaway Unfolded takes the enjoyable platformer from the PS Vita and makes it even better on the PS4. It might lose a little bit of its luster in the transition, mostly due to the two year timespan in between, but fans of Media Molecule's gaming style will find a lot to love here.

Surrounded by a weapons-grade aura of jubilation, Tearaway Unfolded rejects traditional applications of skepticism. Criticism just evaporates under tidal waves of color and personality, positive themes and excessive joy, and the heart-melting sentiment of its ending.

Tearaway Unfolded improves upon the original by adding innovative controls, a handy companion app, augmented reality features via the PS Camera, and a plethora of new content including expended environments with new quests. With this much whimsical content, it's going to be hard to tear away from my TV.

Tearaway Unfolded takes all the good things from the PS Vita Version to make them bigger and better on PS4. Your Dual Shock controller will be your first ally in this superb and refreshing adventure.

Tearaway Unfolded is a big and bold adaptation, but lacks some of the original's intimate charm.

Sony made a great decision in bringing this charming IP to PS4. Just like the Vita version, Unfolded has the same great feel of utilizing the hardware in an interesting and fun way.

It has an unrestrainedly upbeat vibe that just makes you feel happy all over, and it’s still bursting with imagination. There are few other games on PS4 – or, indeed, any console – to which it can properly be compared.

It’s a semi-remake that fails to match all the charm of the original.

As it stands, it’s a damn lovely game that nonetheless doesn’t need to be clamored for...Likable, yet not as lovable as it deserves to be...Now rest in peace, PlayStation Vita.

Charming stuff once again from Media Molecule, but the PS4 version can't rekindle its handheld magic. [Nov 2015, p.70]

Serious gamers after a good mixture of challenge, story and mechanics may be left wanting. [Issue#167, p.79]

While numerous changes and enhancements have been made to Tearaway Unfolded, it never flows quite as well as the Vita original. It's still fun, mind. [Issue#262, p.68]

It’s a well-made port to PS4 that “translates” almost flawlessly to the gamepad all the intricacies of Sony’s handheld device. Tearaway remains an enjoyable experience despite the fact that some shortcomings are still there, such as the problematic camera.

For all of its little stumbles on the journey from Vita to PS4, and its odd mix of new ideas and an old world, Unfolded retains one of its progenitor's most vital ingredients: buckets and buckets of charm. [Nov 2015, p.116]

Tearaway Unfolded is a perfect handheld-to-console conversion. Only slight repetitiveness spoils the game, but it will be noticed only by players, who have searched the Vita version through and through.

Tearaway Unfolded is not just a simple port. The creative vision of the original are still there and the change of controls and subtle changes to levels make Unfolded a new, interesting and solid experience. However, Tearaway is by far not the biggest, best platformer out there; in fact, it is a bit weak on the platform side. Especially the camera does not really help in many instances.

A noble effort to recreate one of the PS Vita’s best games on a home console, but the end result never feels quite as elegant or organic as the original.

Tearaway Unfolded doesn't benefit from an everything but the kitchen sink approach to development, but it stands as one of the most unique video games out there and has some truly great moments.

A lovely game with a delightful story, this platform puzzler has very high audio-visual appeal. It's also really fun to play - although it does have areas where poor camera choices and slightly awkward controls can make the proceedings frustrating.

When Tearaway Unfolded is good, it is stupendous. With an excellent aesthetic and tons to offer. However, the slow points and repetitive aspects rob it of some of its charm, especially when they drag on for far too long. While an excellent kid's title, be warned that some sections might just make them cry in frustration instead of delight.