Tearaway Unfolded app brings the Vita experience to PlayStation 4

By Gabe Gurwin August 1, 2015

Tearaway Unfolded - Companion App Trailer | PS4

When Tearaway Unfolded was announced for the PlayStation 4, it raised some questions. How could a game built specifically for the PlayStation Vita — with extensive touchscreen and rear touchpad support — make its way to a more traditional console? How could the creative papercraft tools exist without a moveable camera? It appears that Sony and Media Molecule considered these questions, as well, as a Tearaway Unfolded companion app is releasing along with the game to help fill in the gaps.

Using the existing PlayStation app on your phone or tablet, or PS4 link on your Vita, the Tearaway Unfolded companion app allows you or a second player to use the “cutting mat” feature from the original Vita game to make construction paper creations and customize your character. These can be sent into the game without being forced to pause — as you can see in the above trailer, the game world can change on the fly as the second player alters textures and sends new shapes shooting across the screen … or just takes a bunch of selfies to scare you.

Instead of being forced to use the PlayStation Camera, you can also use your mobile device’s camera to take real-world pictures to place in the game as either decorations or surface textures. These can then be uploaded to the official Tearaway website to share with the world. This site is arguably the best part of the original Vita game, as completing challenges allows you to unlock real-life papercraft designs on the website. Who needs paper airplanes when a paper squirrel is just a few cuts and folds away?

Tearaway Unfolded arrives to the PlayStation 4 on September 8, just a week after Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Expect to see plenty of cardboard boxes and poorly designed Raiden costumes.

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Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…

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