Velocity 2X

Velocity 2X is the third game in the futuristic Velocity series. Players control Lt. Kai Tana, a PowerLev test pilot who works for the military wing of Earth’s defence and deep space research divisions. By entering a black hole she is suddenly miles from home and locked up in a facility where she is studied by aliens called Vokh. The black hole has also altered her characteristics, introducing many bio-mechanical changes. With the help of a character called Hjun Ralan III who works at the space station where is interrogated, she manages to escape. She needs to find a way back and Ralan hopes she will also free his people from the Vokh oppression.

The game combines two very different types of gameplay. The first type of level is a top-down shooter with puzzle elements controlling her Quarp Jet. These sections are similar to the gameplay of the previous games. Rather than a pure shoot’em up it focuses on the ship’s movement, combined with rescuing survivors, shooting enemies and obstacles using a pulse cannon, dropping strategic bombs, solving small puzzles for instance based on switches, and using the series’ trademark teleportation technique to quickly hop between fenced off areas. There is also a powerful boost function to move quickly as getting a very fast time is rewarded.

On the other hand there are 2D side-scrolling platforming sections that are an entirely new element for the series. They are accessed by docking during the top-down flying sections, briefly solving a puzzle to remove a barrier for instance, but they can also form entire levels. Just like the flying sections these levels focus on quick movement and also incorporate teleportation through the ability to launch telepods and a very quick teledash. In the side-scrolling levels Kai Tana can run, jump, glide, collect rekenium shards and needs to avoid dangerous surfaces. While running she can shoot in any direction. Both types of levels have multiple checkpoints. To fully complete a level and earn the maximum amount of experience, multiple objectives need to be completed, such as a fast completion time, scoring a high amount of points, and rescuing all survivors (flying) or gathering all crystals (running).