Some have condemned it for a weak launch,
others have thrown it aside for not having enough compelling content, but I
believe that the Playstation Vita offers some of
the most unique & addictive experiences in recent years.
Most of the games are bite-sized while some
are monstrous & spewing with content. Whether you’re into addictive bites
of gaming or crave the depth of a hardcore Japanese Role-Playing Game, there’s
something for everyone. These titles may not be Vita exclusive, but their control
schemes & gameplay belong on Sony’s handheld device.
So, without further ado, here’s a look at
my top 10 Playstation Vita essentials.
10. Gravity Rush
After falling from the sky with no memory,
Kat discovers that she can alter the gravity around her with the help of her
galactic feline, Dusty. As her new home becomes invaded with black goop, she
must learn to master her newfound powers and save the town before it’s too
late.
Players shift the gravity of the world to maneuver
around enemies and pinpoint their weak spots. Although this type of combat becomes
clunky with bigger & quicker rivals, it’s one of the most unique touch
experiences you’ll find on the Vita.
9. Super Stardust Delta
From the creators of ‘Dead Nation’ and the Playstation 4 hit ‘Resogun’, Housemarque refurbished this 2007 hit for the launch of
the Vita in 2012.
‘Super
Stardust Delta’ is a game that begs you to chase high scores.
It’s technically about killing thousands of
enemies, but most of the time you’ll be chasing scores. This twin-stick shooter
demands your skill and patience then beats you over the head if you’re not up
to the challenge. Having one of the most addictive forms of gameplay for any of
the titles on this list, ‘Super Stardust
Delta’ is definitely worth your time & frustration.
8. Uncharted: Golden Abyss
For those looking for a truly cinematic
console experience on the go, then look no further than ‘Uncharted: Golden Abyss’. Once again playing as Nathan Drake,
players are thrown into a treasure hunt in Central America.
Developed specifically for the Vita by the
team over at Sony Bend, this game casts off the shekels of ‘mobile experience’
& gives players a control set tailored for a handheld device. The game
follows the standard third-person control set but offers an almost completely
touch-focused one as well. The beauty of that is either set can be used
separately or both at the same time.
7. Luftrausers
Much like the pick up & play style of ‘Super Stardust Delta’, ‘Luftrausers’ is the first indie-feeling
game on the list. Set in World War 1, players assume the role of a fighter
pilot who’s life expectancy is anywhere between 30 – 60 seconds. If you can
master the art of flying & harness your inner flyer, you can conquer the
skies.
With over 125 weapon, body & propulsion
system combinations, players will take to the skies in an attempt to last long
enough to take down the Nazi air division. All of this is presented in a sepia
pixel art style.
6. Little Big Planet Vita
Speaking of games that feel like they
belong on the Vita, ‘Little Big Planet’
is a perfect fit when it comes to level editing & touch controls. It’s a
pure joy being able to abandon buttons & slide, tap or place objects
throughout a level with a gesture. Possibly not the best entry in the series, ‘Little Big Planet Vita’ still has all of
the charm & fun of its console counterparts, and all of the costumes &
levels are accessible too.
5. Freedom Wars
What if the world’s population was crammed
into multiple mega-cities around the globe, with each city competing against
one another for the worlds resources? Those who are deemed ‘sinners’ are
slapped with a 1 million year prison sentence & sent to work that time off
by completing various tasks for the government. This is ‘Freedom Wars’.
Players use grapples called ‘thorns’ to
bring down giant enemies called ‘abductors’.
From there, they are to retrieve trapped citizens & return them to
base. Following standard third-person shooter mechanics, players will shoot
& sprint their way through levels that grow in difficulty.
4. Rogue Legacy
Hampering back to the time of ‘Castlevania’ & ‘Super Metroid’, ‘Rogue Legacy’
sees players assuming the role of the ancestors of their previous character
every time they die. The fun of this gameplay comes in its procedurally
generated levels & character trait randomisation. For instance, one of the
playable characters may have dwarfism and therefore be able to run through an
area that was otherwise inaccessible to a larger character. This & much
more lies in the depths of ‘Rogue Legacy’.
3. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
‘The
Binding of Isaac’ had a rather popular launch on PC. From the mind of
Edmund McMillan, ‘The Binding of Isaac:
Rebirth’ combines all of the previously available content & packs it
into one game.
Inspired by the biblical story of the same
name, players assume the role of a child called Isaac. Isaac’s mother hears a
voice from above and in an attempt to save Isaac from sin, the voice asks her
to sacrifice Isaac & prove her devotion. It is from there that you enter
top-down, procedurally generated dungeons in the hope of stopping Isaac’s mother
from killing him.
2. Hotline Miami
Receiving abnormally large amounts of
praise from its PC release in 2012, ‘Hotline
Miami’ has been released on just about every gaming system under the sun -
and for good reason. Levels see players systematically and mercilessly killing
off enemies in hopes of not getting brutally murdered. After receiving a phone
message at the beginning of every mission, players must choose from various
‘masks’, with each mask having a different effect on gameplay. Then your
objective is simple - kill everyone!
This top-down-level style of game is
definitely worth it for that same frustration fueled motivation offered by ‘Super Stardust Delta’.
1. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 Golden
Here we are at number one.
A remake of the classic 2008 Japanese
Role-Playing game, ‘Shin Megami Tensei:
Persona 4 Golden’ puts players in the shoes of the new kid in town. Moving
to the country from the big city, you meet new friends & slowly form
powerful bonds with them. When a woman is found murdered, it’s up to you &
your new friends to unravel the mystery.
The twist is that the murderer is killing
their victims by throwing them into another world through television screens.
From there, the player & their new friends must travel to this TV world
& fight through to the victims.
Gameplay is turn-based, a little like ‘Pokemon’, due to the fact that each
character battles with their persona. Acting as avatars for the player &
friends, personas are swappable, which means that the process of collecting
them is an OCD sufferers dream… or nightmare!
So there it is, my top 10 Playstation Vita
Essentials list.
If you like what you’ve just read & you
want to see more, why not whack a comment below. Follow me on twitter,
@DylanPerrett.
