I have read many an article mentioning no love for PSVita from Sony, then from developers... but the truth is, the only that do NOT love PSVita are gamers!
PSVita is a beautiful piece of hardware: slick, powerful and with a long list of games that range from hard-core to casual and that easily make its purchase worth. It's also a cool cross-gaming tool for PS3 (and in the near future) PS4 players. At the E3 Sony conference the spotlight was, mostly, on PS4 and related policies. This was also because it's was people wanted to see and know. But on the E3 showfloor there was also much love for the PSVita.
The Sony area (which was wonderfully laid-out and setup, by the way) had six rows for PSVita worth of games: wonderful games.
This is a list of the portable games that were playable on the E3 showfloor:
-- Killzone: Mercenary
- (Guerrilla Cambridge - exclusive) --- rls Sept 2013
If you like Killzone, this handheld version is for you. The scenery, mood and everything screams Killzone and it's incredibly detailed and sharp to look at. I tried an online match, not unlike kill-confirmed and it plays very smoothly, the controls work very well (better than I expected for a game of this kind). I'm still unsure how many people will play an FPS online on an handheld, but if you like the genre it's worth it!
-- Tearaway
- (Media Molecule - exclusive) --- rls. 2013
Extremely beautiful and artful, it's a 3D platform with good controls and that also makes use of the rear touch screen in a friendly, good way (you use it to activate jumping platforms bu don't need to have your finger right behind the very item you want to activate). The setting is rich and unique and as an child-story adventurous feel!
-- Batman Arkham Origins Blackgate
- (PSVita & N3DS) --- rls 25th Oct 2013
-- the Walking Dead
- (Telltale Games - special PSVita edition) --- rls Aug 2013
-- Dragon's Crown
- (Vanillaware - PS3, PSVita) --- rls Jul-Aug 2013
-- Destiny of Spirits
- (Japan Studio - exclusive) --- rls 2013
-- Toro's friends
-- Valhalla Knights
- (K2 LLC - exlusive) --- rls Q3/Q4 2013
-- Muramasa Rebirth
- (Vanillaware - PSVita, Wii)
-- Ragnarok Odyssey
- (Game Arts - PS3, PSVita)
-- Ys: Memories of Celceta
- (Nihon Falcom Corporation - exclusive) --- rls Sep 2013 (NA)
-- Rayman Legands
- (Ubisoft Montpellier / Michel Ancel - multiplat) --- rls 3rd Sep 2013
Stating that it's Raymen should be enough. It's beautiful, sharp and with the usual great controls. I tried a "musical" level and was really engaging. Excellent fast-paced action and the wacky, beautiful mood that is Rayman!
-- Epic Mickey: the power of 2
- (Junction Point Studios / Warren Spector) --- rls 18th Jun 2013
-- Jak & Daxter collection
- (Naughty Dog - remastered collection)
-- Olli Olli
- (Roll 7 - exclusive)
-- 1001 Spikes
- (Nicalis) --- rls 2013
-- Floating Cloud God Saves the Pilgrims
- (dakko dakko)
I tried this because the graphic looked extremely nice and it really is: stylized and colorful. Your objective is to save as many pilgrims as you can shooting at the waves of enemies that threat their lived. The gameplay isn't particularly complex but it's smooth and engaging. It's nice how the pilgrims release love (aka hearts) that you can feast upon and become stronger at defending them: a nice touch!
-- Pinball Heroes
-- Stick it to the man
- (Zoink! - PSVita, PS3) --- rls 2013
-- Men's Room Mayhem
-- Deathmatch Village
- (Bloober Team JSC - PSVita, PS3) --- rls 2013
-- Fieldrunners 2
- (Subatomic Studios) --- rls 2013
-- Velocity 2
- (Futurlab)
-- Spelunky
- (Derek Yu)
-- Limbo
- (PLaydead) --- rls Jun 2013
-- Luftkrausers
- (Vlambeer)
-- Hotline Miami
- (Dennaton Games)
-- Lone Survivor
- (Superflat Games)
A real retro style for this interesting survival game. The mood is indeed scary, that's helped by the limited dark palette!
-- Stealth Inc.
- Curve Digital
-- Hohokumu
- (Honeyslug - Ps3, PS4, PSVita) --- rls 2014
-- Runner 2
- (Gaijin Games) --- rls 2013
-- Kick beat
- (Zen Studios) --- rls 2013
-- Dragon Fantasy Book 2
- (Rippon - PS3, PSVita)
So, honestly, there IS LOVE for PSVita from Sony, there IS LOVE for PSVita from the developers and there is a wide range of games (FPS, adventure, platform, time-wasters) and prices to satisfy any gamers.
There's nothing wrong with the system, maybe gamers are just not too interested? I don't know as I bought a PSVita a few months back, I'm playing a lot of nice games (bought or free from PLUS) and I'm really loving it!
Game On!
Ivy
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I can't TOTALLY wait for Tearway. It's simple stunning.
Yes, KZ Mercenary is awesome too.
The problem with your list of software is hardly any of it is exclusive to the Vita. Batman? It's on 3DS. The Walking Dead? It's also on PS3.
Vita HAS games; good ones at that. But like the Wii U it needs strong titles that are unique to the system. It can't coincide with the PS3/PS4 if its entire library is practically the same as the its home console brethren.
Cross-platform is a great thing, but if it's the Vita's main feature in front of hardly any exclusive titles, then the Vita will have shaped into little more than a $300 PS4 controller.
Asking developers to force all ps4 games on the vita sounds like a gimmick. They need exclusive must have titles. I am debating on whether to trade it in if it is going to become a downloadable system. As the memory cards are expensive. I bought the system for excellent retail powered games not downloadable games. I will make a better decision after Gamescon and TGS
I think the real problem with the vita is that sony has practically done NO MARKETING whatsoever for it. I have a vita and it's an amazing piece of hardware. Amazing games available for it and quite an extensive library thanks to it's amazing exclusive games like gravity rush, uncharted, little big planet as well as psone and psmobile games.
Most people when they see me playing the vita get stunned right away when they see the games but they honestly didn't even know what the vita was. "Is that the new psp? What is it called?"
As far as winning over gamers the vita has won over only real gamers which are few. I'm talking about gaming fanatics who actually have a broad taste of gaming genres.
Those who love gaming in general as opposed to 1 genre only playing simpletons who's words "vita has no games" resonate with those who can't fork over the money for one and thus agree so they can ease their minds about not having one.
The vita will be just fine, sony will eventually start moving units and are actually doing great with software sales. Jack T even announced that the average PS VITA owner has about 10 Games.
I just find it amusing to see that almost all gamers were crying about portable's not having 2 analog sticks and not being powerful enough and yet when the most powerful and gorgeous system with amazing games comes out most don't put their money where their keystrokes where at.
don't forget
1:: final fantasy X Hd and x-2
2:Warrios liar