It’s time to strap in and take off into the reaches of space once again. Velocity 2X, the highly anticipated seuqel to Velocity Ultra, is coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita on September 2nd, 2014. The people at Futurlab studios in the UK couldn’t be more excited to deliver such great news to all! Velocity Ultra has been a stellar cult hit and the sequel seeks to bring so much more. It all began with its predecessor.

     Velocity Ultra is a fast-paced space shoot-’em-up, or smhup, for the PS Vita. In it, you are Lt. Kai Tana, flying the experimental ship, the quarpjet. A massive space station studying cosmic phenomena is in grave danger of imploding as a dead star collapses, leaving behind a black hole. As the station tears itself apart, the crew evacuates. Though, many are left behind in the ensuing chaos of evacuation. That’s where you come in.

The game was lauded for many feats, including  a stellar, cosmic art style and fast-paced gameplay. But the real triumph was the introduction of a simple yet highly effective gameplay tool: teleporting. In an instant, players could teleport from one section of a level to the next. This was necessary as you needed to solve force shield puzzles to proceed and rescue crew. To make matters worse, an invasive alien species, the Zetachron, attack you in large waves. Through dozens of levels, you battle it out to complete your mission. The ship has a health bar and is sort of indestructible, meaning you won’t die when you crash into a wall.

At the end of the game, you are betrayed. As Kai drifts into the black hole, she drifts into the very edge of human knowledge and understanding. She travels through the violent gravitational forces of the black hole. The ship ruptures and Kai is mortally wounded by debris. She awakens to discover that in the process, a part of the ship cut into her. To save her, an unknown force made her into a cyborg, fusing her body with a part of the quarpjet. She has gained combat capabilities, teleportation skills, and is bonded with the ship. She awakens inside a strange part of the universe, inhabited by a strange, vicious alien race. It is up to her to defeat these aliens, survive, and make it back home.

As shown in the trailer above, the game is staying true to the elements that made it a back hit in the beginning. Incredible fast past gameplay, smooth controls, infinite bombs, and the teleportation mechanic returns. But what really sets is apart is that it is all refined, ramped up, and cranked up! Even more impressive are the new levels of gameplay. Kai can leave her ship now and go on action levels of her own. She can run, jump, teleport, and shoot in full 360 degrees, facing enemies and challenges. Boss fights are introduced, and some have her going inside a boss to tear vital areas apart. This all makes for a very innovative experience.

Velocity 2X is set to be a surefire Game of the year winner. Check them out on Facebook, twitter, and their main page at http://www.futurlab.co.uk/ As you await September 2nd, check out a sampling of the incredible soundtrack below from composer Joris De Mann. His works on Killzone have send resounding waves in the music community. Here, he trades in rousing orchestra for retro beats and chords set to usher in the vastness of space.

See you on the flipside!

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