Note: this is an updated PS Vita review taking into account firmware versions at UK and US launch (v1.61). Words by Steve Boxer and Andy Robinson.
The seemingly interminable wait is over: Sony's PS Vita is at last ready to be released into the jungle of the UK's retail sector, bringing the games industry to centre stage at a time when, traditionally, it makes about as much noise as a church mouse.
There's no need for any speculation about what it's like any more - we've been living with our PS Vita's for a while now, so here's our definitive verdict on Sony's newest portable console.
That's a perfectly good argument if you're happy spending the rest of your life playing Angry Birds and FarmVille, but the whole point of the PS Vita is that it sets out to provide a fixed-console experience in a portable package - and it accomplishes that mission more successfully than any other handheld console in history.
That said, expense is undoubtedly the PS Vita's Achilles heel -- £230 is a hefty amount of money to find in famously impecunious times, and its games can set you back up to £40.
Plus there are hidden costs: if six weeks spent living with the PS Vita have taught us anything, it's that anyone who buys one will also have to invest in a (proprietary) memory card, because the 16Gb one provided as standard fills up very swiftly. Prospective PS Vita owners will have to be both keen gamers and pretty flush financially.
Specification and practicality
In a way, it's a bit of a shame that the PS Vita superficially resembles the PSP so closely, as it's vastly superior to Sony's first stab at a handheld, in every conceivable respect.
It has a specification that will make any gamer salivate: a quad-core processor and dedicated graphics processor, a gorgeous, standard-setting 5-inch AMOLED screen, a motion-sensor and gyroscope, front and rear cameras (which, perhaps, are disappointingly low-res) and most uniquely a rear touch-pad which generates all manner of opportunities to provide new forms of gameplay.
But above all, it's the first handheld console equipped with dual analogue joysticks - which, according to designer Takashi Sogabe, were the trickiest things to shoehorn into it.
Like most Sony products the PS Vita is a slick, sexy machine bound to impress entire carriages of fellow train travellers, and it'll quickly transform you into a cloth-using wreck, thanks to the mass of fingerprints you'll leave all over its super-shiny display.
With naturally-placed sticks, a shaped plastic back and surprisingly light at 279g, the Vita is as comfortable to use as it is to look at - certainly more so than the PSP. It just feels right in the hands.
Along with the two analogue sticks, the PS Vita sports the iconic Sony d-pad, face and shoulder buttons, and a PS button to accompany start and select. Volume controls, a microphone, plus inputs for proprietary memory cards and a 3G sim round off the handheld's cosmetics.
In everyday use
One of the undoubted joys of being an early adopter of the PS Vita lies in showing it off to people. It really is an impressive piece of kit, and probably its most impressive aspect is how the majority of the games almost look as though they could be running on a PS3. And thanks to those dual-analogue sticks, they play like it, too.
Games-wise, there's no doubt that the PS Vita is better served at launch than any console we have ever seen. It has no fewer than 33 games available in the UK (the Japanese got a mere 24 when it launched there in December).
It has to be said that those games vary wildly in quality, but there are enough top-class efforts to have completists planning how to approach their bank managers.
The use that those games make of the PS Vita's unique features also varies wildly. In Uncharted: Golden Abyss, for example, the touch-screen adds greatly to gameplay, with plenty of touch-based puzzles adding freshness to the franchise's blueprint, and the ability to trace paths for Nathan Drake is generally helpful, although it can become a hindrance when careful timing is required.
Comments
108 comments so far...
Joco84 on 5 Jan '12 said:
No thanks, I just cannot justify spending that much on it
MattyR95 on 5 Jan '12 said:
Sounds brilliant but i'm holding off until more games have come out for it and it's price has decreased (Although, that's probably more to do with the memory cards, than vita itself).
StonecoldMC on 5 Jan '12 said:
It does all sound rather spiffing but where is the number?!?!
Is it a 9, 10 an 8? Reading through your two pages of excellent information along with all the features and benefits the Vita provides isnt enough, I need to know what mark your going to give it out of 10
?
Joking aside actually, after reading the review Im beginning to realise that im probably not a hardcore Gamer
. I couldnt justify spending £230 on a handheld device along with the expensive memory sticks and Games.
So by all means jump in you Hardest of the Hardcore and im sure youll get hours of Fun and enjoyment out of owning one, for me, im happy with my Words With Friends and Angry Birds when it comes to handheld Gaming, told you I was a Casual
!
Cazy008 on 5 Jan '12 said:
May as well just wait for the inevitable failer and price cut before I think about buying..
Honestly though, it has less going for it than the 3ds.
1.Too big
2.Too expensive
3.No games that can't be done just as well or better on PS3
And
4.The poor battery life defeats the object of having a console like experiance on the move
Fr33Kye on 5 Jan '12 said:
No shame in being casual! Though the comments on the pricing of games isn't really correct. 20-40 is really just retail games. Pricing as a whole is pretty varied i think
WHERESMYMONKEY on 5 Jan '12 said:
As much as i love uncharted i can't justify spending £300 odd quid to play one game. Untill there's a library worth the investment i'm not very tempted at all.
Also if you have a touch screen you don't need twin sticks. Its more accurate and intuitive to control the camera with a stylus anyway.
the only reason the 3ds got the circle pad is because of vocal idiots on the internet and lazy devs that won't figure out how to make the new control inputs work in their favour.
for an example of why it really doesn't need it.see dementia and metroif prime hunters. touch screen and d pad is like a mobile keyboard and mouse. twin stick was always supposed to be a stand in untill something better came along. And now ladies and gents it has.
billysastard on 5 Jan '12 said:
maybe you should change the bit that says "large multi touch screen" to "large multi scratch screen" since that what it'll look like in no time whatsoever.
oh and the select / start buttons are far too easy to hit when using the right stick, should have stayed below the screen like on the psp
Fr33Kye on 5 Jan '12 said:
ENOUGH WITH THE LAZY DEVS BULLs**t.
The 3ds was badly designed. Developers are not lazy. There is no reason to leave out an analog. And a touch screen and d pad is no substitute for an analog. I've played many games with mouse and keyboards that would have been better with a controller. A touch screen is NOT better. It's DIFFERENT.
TheLastDodo on 5 Jan '12 said:
Disagreed EDIT: With MONKEY
Third person shooters on iPhone such as Shadowgun are awful with touchscreen controls, sticks in my opinion are still necessary at the moment. I've never used a stylus so I can't comment on that but using your finger on a tiny screen like Vita and iPhone will be a major hinderance as your finger obstructs a good chunk of the screen.
You can get away with it if it's on rails though.
bamozzy on 5 Jan '12 said:
I cannot justify that price tag either - I can't really justify a 3DS either for the little use it would have. But as a comparison for £250 I can get a PS3 with 3 top games (Uncharted 3, BF3 and Fifa 12) and a blu ray movie too. To buy a PS Vita would be £230, £20 less but then I would still need to buy games etc. I am a driver and never use public transport so the opportunity to play it is slim at best. If I am at home I would much prefer to play on my consoles (bigger screen, better graphics etc) so I can't see myself using it regularly either.
I don''t care how impressive the Tech is (and I do think it is quite impressive) I still cannot justify that price - Tablets are also dropping in price and they do as much if not more so would rather buy a tablet for that amount of money. I can also justify the cost of Apps too as they are negligible and for the little use they may get - value for money. If I had £40 to spend on a game I would rather buy for my consoles again for the better graphics, bigger screen, more play time ie I would play my consoles first and vita when the limited opportunity arose etc. But as we all know £40 can also buy more than 1 newish game for the console.
Needless to say, the only way I would get one at the moment is if I happened to win the lottery, win one or get given one but as they are all highly unlikely, I don't see myself owning one for quite a while (if at all).
ricflair on 5 Jan '12 said:
You don't need a second stick as much with the DS as it's got a second screen so your thumb/finger doesn't get in the way of the action on the top screen. There's no way you could use touch controls on a single screen in place of an analogue stick, well you could but it'd make having snazzy graphics pointless if your finger obscures half the screen.
Imaduck on 5 Jan '12 said:
Nice bit of kit, but I don't think I'd ever spend £300 on a console, I always wait a bit. My Sony confidence has been a bit shaken in recent years too. Really the review confirmed what we were all thinking: Nice kit - if you can afford it
flash501 on 5 Jan '12 said:
100% THIS!
Casual games designed specifically for iPod/iPhone games are fine but as soon as you try to use the touchscreen to control a "proper" game, you realise that it's a complete nightmare, especially on such a small screen.
Analogue sticks are a million times better.
A MILLION TIMES BETTER!!!!!!!!!
damoxuk on 5 Jan '12 said:
I'll enjoy it on Feb 22nd and to me that's all that matter's
voodoo341 on 5 Jan '12 said:
Stick up a few reviews in the forums when get it. It's a really nice piece of kit but I'd like to see it in action before thinking about buying one. I liked the 3DS but the size of the screen put me right off it.
Dewin on 5 Jan '12 said:
I'm getting this. Day one. I have enjoyed iOs gaming for nearly 2 years now. Its ok for certain games, but as soon as you get into the "console" or "hardcore" games area they are just a nightmare. Just play Modern Combat 3. It looks ok but man it plays like crap. And i'm pretty much done with all the swipe games and Angry Birds rip offs. Besides, didn't you all know? iOs games are sick. They are apparently infected with a horrible disease named "In app purchases". Every developer and its grandma is going towards this model. The days of free games are ending. Free is becoming Freemium. And if you really want to enjoy most of them, you are paying though the nose. So all this "my phone can do the same" and cheaper, it won't last. So i have the choice of a 3DS or a Vita. But mario isn't my thing, so it'll be the Vita.
T-Jani on 5 Jan '12 said:
That was a great review.......Day one for me, already showed two of my friends fifa being played on the Vita and they also want one.
slick loose on 5 Jan '12 said:
Looks like an excellent piece of kit, I would most certainly have one if I was loaded. But can I really justify spending around £250 for something my PS3 can do better? The only thing the Vita has over the PS3 is it's portability, atm I don't really go anywhere, so that's out the window.
The only other thing that might draw me in is the exclusives like Uncharted and BioShock...but even then I will just wait to see if SONY will re-release these games in some sort of collection, like they did for God of War.
If anyone wants to get me one so I can review it...I wouldn't mind
El Mag on 5 Jan '12 said:
Well if anybody wants to get me one I won't review it.
But I will make you the best cup of tea you'll ever have and do you a smashing egg, chips, mini pickled onions and buttered up bread.
deepbluerd on 5 Jan '12 said:
Am I the only one who is buying the Vita for its looks alone???
slick loose on 5 Jan '12 said:
No f**king cake!?
Sleepaphobic on 5 Jan '12 said:
No matter how awesome this turned out to be I was always going to wait for the revised model for the better battery and weight. The fact that I just spent £4K on s**t also doesn't help. Damn I'm probably going to have to live on just oatmeal for a few months.
rbt2 on 5 Jan '12 said:
Sony obviously missed the 3DS launch debacle then!
In general, people won't pay this kinda money for portable gaming. If ever there was a reason NOT to be an early adopter then this pricing policy is it!
I may get one in 3 months or so when they've realised their greedy stoooopidity.
El Mag on 5 Jan '12 said:
I only want to say thanks to them, adding a bit of cake to that offer might tip it over to "let's brokeback" territory!
allygray69 on 5 Jan '12 said:
^^This I 100% agree with
I do like the looks of it, but unless it comes down to £150 mark im keeping my money.
kirankara on 5 Jan '12 said:
awesome piece of kit, not without it's faults either though, but show me a perfect piece of hardware, and I'll find you various faults with it too.
Personally, i dont mobile game enough to justify the cost of it all, and plumped for a 3ds for my now unavoidable bus journey(usually drive) to work, and it fills void nicely. Im not that worried about orgasmatronic graphics on the go, and the price of games seems bit much for me, and I can only just about justify to myself price of 3ds games. 3ds fills space nicely, and I am bit gutted they didnt release revised version with two sticks yet, but im not that fussed about the attachment thing everyone hates so much, so might get that in meantime.
people complaining about battery times etc are just morons imo, its pumping out serious power, what were you expecting??????? as for the screen, its no worse than iphone etc from what i can see, those screens still scratch easily, even though supposedly toughened. anyone buying anything without a cover, well they deserve to get things scratched.
imo, best kit out there for portable gaming, i just dont have much need for mobile gaming, and my 3ds fills hole, whilst my galaxy s2 remains gameless, as mobile phone games are pants imo
only_777 on 5 Jan '12 said:
Disposable income FTW!
Pre-ordered and waiting. Many may has guessed that already!
rbt2 on 5 Jan '12 said:
*edited...........cos I can*
theatticusera on 5 Jan '12 said:
Im getting it. And I can't wait!
dicky1993 on 5 Jan '12 said:
i'll wait about 5/6 months hen a sexier, more improved version will be out!
djreplay on 5 Jan '12 said:
Those pictures of the Vita made me touch myself, inapropriately.
Squall5005 on 5 Jan '12 said:
It certainly beats the 3SD battery life. And have you ever tried to play a game on the iphone. GTA 3 drains it flat in no time.
ted1138 on 5 Jan '12 said:
I'm getting a free one, so can't wait...
El Mag on 5 Jan '12 said:
That's always the best way. Well, unless you can manage to get the best looking woman on a packed train to toss you off by repeatedly 'accidentally' rubbing against her.
slick loose on 5 Jan '12 said:
I've seen that film too! Me and you need a movie night... Broke back Mountain or Hairspray?
stato257 on 5 Jan '12 said:
I, like many will pick this up due to impulse on day 1. I'll end up playing it for a bit until the novelty wears off and it'll be stuck in a drawer to be admired and unused (similar story with my DS and recently traded in 3DS). I've no doubt this'll sell well as it will be newest shiniest toy to bring to work and show off to your mates. Despite this, i know i'll pick one up as I always do.
markyR on 5 Jan '12 said:
My God CVG
although short, your review is one of the best I've read, but it also just concludes the same as the others. But still glad to see you liked it.
The review was more positive then 30% of the comments, if you don't consider yourself a 'hardcore' gamer, then what the f**k are you doing on a dedicated games website commenting???
Anyway most know my views of the nay sayers on here. Thankfully they are but a small portion of the public and I see no reason for the VITA to do very well over it's life. I am still counting down the day's
El Mag on 5 Jan '12 said:
Best off with Hairspray Slick, the other halves won't like what happens if Brokeback goes on. Actually they might, depends how p**sed we get em.
markyR on 5 Jan '12 said:
AT LAST!!! Someone else who gets EXACTLY what I've been saying about iOS games for ages! Well done sir for hitting the nail on the head! Especially about the pricing models they are ALL now following or seem to be heading to... I call it a blind rip off model myself.
notaMONGBRAIN on 5 Jan '12 said:
A WHAT HANDHELD A WOT!!!!!!!!
IT LACKS DUALSCREEN =OBSOLETE
IT LACKS 3D =OBSOLETE
second COUGH STICK can never ever compeat or compare to a 1mm PRECISION MOUSE LIKE LAGGGG FREE TACTILE SCREEN/PAD
mouse = core/3D = core/tactile lag free stylus screen= core
second stick = obsolete
AND MULTI-TOUCH LAGFEST SCREEN = PHONE NOT CORE
AND THAT TICKLE PAD ON ITS UNDERBELLY IS A CHEAP USLESS GIMMICK
MOUSE=CORE END OF ARGUMENT
flash501 on 5 Jan '12 said:
Shiiiiiiit, I thought you were dead. Or locked away somewhere!
Squall5005 on 5 Jan '12 said:
Did you even understand a word of that, Flash?
jaycee900 on 5 Jan '12 said:
Apart from speaking like a 12 year old on speed, I'll answer you...
WTF are you on for starters!? Secondly who needs dualscreen?! Its a gimmick most of the time, only a handful of titles make proper use of it to any real use, single screen users only have to press a button to bring up a map!
And?! 3D is a fad thats been around twice in the last 60 years and died umm twice before!
Yeah its funny when all the 3DS fanboys almost cried when the 2nd circle pad appeared for the 3DS with users crying they wanted a new model!
Have you tested both screens side by side? I dont think you have, i highly doubt theres any real lag on either screen.
The 3DS one will be, not being standard!
Again you need to learn English!
Um like the 3D on the 3DS which 75% of 3DS users turn off...
Good now grow up and find some proper arguments!
razors edge on 5 Jan '12 said:
I'll buy it on day one, with Uncharted and Wipeout.
Then when they lower the price I will look forward to my ten free downloadable Playstation titles and my ten free Playstation 2 titles as a reward for having more money than f**king sense.
This is not a dig btw. I'm going to do it.
flash501 on 5 Jan '12 said:
Not particularly, but I hadn't seen a post from him in months. He's been around for years in various different guises spouting the same.......logic?
gmcb007 on 5 Jan '12 said:
If GTA or something similar makes it's way onto the console then I might just buy one next winter. I want a game that last more than a week.
SpandexArmstrong on 5 Jan '12 said:
I'm very tempted to get a Vita, in fact I probably will at launch. I work as a carer & my client sleeps alot, giving me plenty of free time to have a game. (i finished Oot3D at work lol) So the Vita would get a fair bit of use.
Plus GAME has a pre-order deal where you get Ridge Racer free when you pre-order a Vita.....very tempting!
One small thing, am I the only one who thinks that Select buttons are unnessessary? I dont think Ive pushed Select in a game since the SNES! Lol
rbt2 on 5 Jan '12 said:
You're a carer?
So shouldn't you be caring instead of playing silly f**king games?
Thank f**k for our welfare state and social services, eh Spandex?
Otherwise, where else the f**k would the likes of you get a job.
Eh?
Reegeee on 5 Jan '12 said:
You're only p**sed off cos he's your carer.
El Mag on 5 Jan '12 said:
Beat me to it Reeg, damn it!
rbt2 on 5 Jan '12 said:
No mate. I'm not.
During me mum's last week of her life, I came to understand what f**king so called carers were all about.
She had carers in then and if it weren't for the fact that me big sis lives 3 doors away from her and that I'm me own boss so I could visit daily, then her so called carers would've seen her die on the floor.
Truly, they only wanna fill in their paperwork.
Or play videogames.
Either ways....carers ain't wurfawank!
SpandexArmstrong on 5 Jan '12 said:
@rbt
Listen buddy, if you had any idea of the kind of mental stress I go through in my job you would understand. I've been doing this for 7 years now, & have done alot for many disadvantaged people in that time. You may have had a bad experience with a carer or two, but we arent all like that.
rbt2 on 5 Jan '12 said:
You're right.
I shouldn't brand you all with the same........er, brand?
Apologies, mate.
No doubt it's a tough, thankless job.
alan666 on 5 Jan '12 said:
the Nintendo 3DS is apparently doing well now, but not many people seem to have them & the people that do moan about how expensive the games are for it as do people who don't but are thinking of getting one, & that is also the Vita's problem the games are TO expensive, yes it has a new Uncharted game but how long are you going to be using it on the the train for example especially in a cramped carriage, or on the bus where no doubt some scumbag will try & rob it.
i have a 3DS so i don't have the time to use a Vita as well, the 3DS may not be as powerful but i think the 3D ability gives it a slight edge.
Taus on 5 Jan '12 said:
Read the review, read the comments, thought about and f**k that gang-star, where do I sign up
Still stoked, still counting down the days, still want a Vita
Got a 3DS at launch, despite not really being into Nintendo, got my fingers burnt but the Vita is worth a finger burn, I'm in
In all honestly, what excites me are the possibilities for a core game
I've got an XBox & PS3 but, in truth, I play most my games on PS3; like the console, like the controller, like the exclusives, like the trophies
But, like all people eventually, you get on in your life, time seems to evaporate between work, girlfriends, going out etc. The days of 8 hour sessions on a game are all but over but I still love gaming.
Like the review says, if I could plays FIFA12 on PS3 then carry on my profile on the move, playing exactly the same game - love it, I am in, sold, add another unit onto the sales figures
bamozzy on 5 Jan '12 said:
I was a carer too and I know exactly what it is like. I used to have to do wake-in nights too and at times there is nothing else to do but play a game on a hand held but that doesn't mean that that happens every night or that you don't put the hand held down immediately at even the slightest noise to go and check if the patient/client is ok. Its not like you can do the vacuuming in case you wake the client so you have to try and keep awake and quiet too.
But that is only on a good night Some nights can be incredibly stressful - but you have to take the rough with the smooth. Many nights I had a hand held or book but never had the opportunity to look at either or even on some occasions - eat.... Not good for a 10+ hr shift!
Caring is a very stressful and undervalued job - and as such the best carers do tend to burn out and unfortunately the poor ones seem to stay. Also due to the low pay, considering you are responsible for peoples lives etc (you can earn more stacking shelves) it doesn't help attract the best calibre of person. therefore employers have to take someone willing to do it but not necessarily the best person. Bureaucracy and red tape also plays a major part in preventing carers from actually caring (paperwork etc is deemed more important than actually providing care by managers etc.)
That doesn't mean that all carers are bad - in my experience (over 10years worth) most were in it for the right reasons and most were excellent at their job. But as I said due to the low pay, extreme demands, mental and physical stress, feeling undervalued, bureaucracy and red tape etc it does make it very difficult for real carers not to burn out.
I am sorry to hear that rbt2 had a bad experience with a carer but I can assure you they are the minority. But like in every walk of life, vocation etc there are always a few bad apples....
SpandexArmstrong on 6 Jan '12 said:
Thanks for understanding guys:)
BLARRG on 6 Jan '12 said:
wiiboy is that you??
clayf1ghter on 6 Jan '12 said:
Day one with Wipeout and one of the horrendously overpriced memory cards. Been fighting the urge to get a 3ds for ages but the Vita is what I really want so holding out till Feb 22nd not a day later.
Dewin on 6 Jan '12 said:
@markyR
You're welcome. Its great to find a like-minded person who is not blinded by the "glory" of the iOS Appstore. People don't realise that its in far bigger trouble. Everyone still thinks its this 0,79 cents or free games walhalla. And its not, not anymore. Developers don't want to sell their games for 0,79, they had to because everyone else did it. But that is changing. Prices are already going up. And they have to. The majority of developers can't live on 0,79 cents in a very cluttered market. And boy is that market cluttered. And it is getting more and more saturated by clones as original games are getting scarse. Anything with an ounce of quality is already charging double or tripple that. Or worse, they adopt the freemium model. Now in a half a year or so, we will probably see the iPad 3. And it will probably be on par or be better in terms of performance than the Vita. And that is where the Appstore will get in worse trouble. 95% of all iOS developers cannot create games that take advantage of the iPad 3 hardware. They already can't do it with iPad 2's. Bedroom coders and small dev. teams just cannot produce the quality (and not for a 0,79 pricepoint). So the Appstore WILL stagnate.And the 5% that can? Well, those are the big boys. EA, Activision, Gameloft. They as a whole don't do 0,79 prices. And if they do they slap an even more aggressive iAP model to games. The best looking iOS game, Infinity Blade 2, already costs 4.99. iPad 3 games that take real advantage of the hardware will see an even bigger rise in price. And that is where you'll get into Vita territory. The big boys will like a iPad3 with the same horsepower as the Vita. The more platforms they can release the same game on the better. And Vita games will probably be more expensive that its iPad 3 counterpart. But the difference will be A LOT smaller. And i for one would rather pay a bit extra to get a game with actual controls than an cheaper iPad 3 counterpart with build in lag to compensate for FAR inferior controls that can't deliver precision.
AJDarkstar on 6 Jan '12 said:
TBH, I can see many Vita "exclusives" ending up on the PS3 store due to poor sales, just as many PSP "exclusives" came to PS2.
only_777 on 6 Jan '12 said:
Yes! Wiigodbiy101 is here! Quick, say something else - I'm starting to look mad around here!
dubplate240 on 6 Jan '12 said:
Sony obviously missed the 3DS launch debacle then!
In general, people won't pay this kinda money for portable gaming. If ever there was a reason NOT to be an early adopter then this pricing policy is it!
I agree it's a pretty steep price for a handheld rbt but being an early adopter of the PS3 worked out pretty well (lets not mention the PSP Go ay? ha), backwards compatibility anyone? I'm not saying that this'll happen again but if Sony start removing features to cut the Vitas cost then being an early adopter could have it's advantages.
p.s - I did get a 3DS on day 1 ...gaddam!
On another topic ... does anyone know if the Vita trophies will link with your current PS3 trophy list and vice versa. Good article by the way CVG.
RandyChimp on 6 Jan '12 said:
I can't justify the pricetag just yet, but it doesn't make this any less tempting. I mean, I saw the fifa gameplay, it looks f**king amazing, and I rarely play fifa. I know that there are some good titles on the way for this console (Looking at you, Abes Oddysee HD
), so if I do get it on launch, I doubt it'll be very long before I have a decent library of games to play on it.
Crossing my fingers for GTA and an Elder Scrolls chapter on it, although it's unlikely either will happen.
slick loose on 6 Jan '12 said:
I reckon GTA will end up on it, it did on the PSP. And wasn't there a Elder Scrolls game in the works for the PSP until the project got canned? Maybe the new hardware can tempt them back...
only_777 on 6 Jan '12 said:
I can help there. When using your Vita to look at your PSN trophy list, your PS3 trophies do show up in that list.
http://attackofthefanboy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Vita-Trophies-List.jpg
As for the other way round. PS3 shows only PS3 trophies but does count the Vita trophies in your gamers score. Maybe that'll be changed come release time.
toaboa on 7 Jan '12 said:
When a version is out, which supports HDMI-out and tethering to DS3, and it has gotten around to having a decent backlog of RPGs then I'll bite. Until then, the PSP will do nicely.
slick loose on 7 Jan '12 said:
That's already out...it's called a PS3
procion on 7 Jan '12 said:
The Vita is one sexy piece of tech but what gets up my nose along with the fact that I had to dig to find out at it lack thereof with purchase, is the fact that we get NO memory card with our purchase of a unit not even a miserly 4gb card, and that we have to pay oh-so-much for the cards as well, much more than other cards of similar size. Sony knows we HAVE to have to use these cards in order to download their games, but why not just add a 4gb card with purchase, esp. after spending hundreds of $,£,EU on the thing.
The answer is greed methinks.
ted1138 on 8 Jan '12 said:
How does that work with games bought on cards? Do you need another card for game saves?
hollywood111 on 10 Jan '12 said:
Nope, not interested in the slightest, I've got a PSP sitting on the side collecting dust,
And this would end up sitting next to it in a few months.
Barry316 on 10 Jan '12 said:
You should clean up more often then you scruff.
KK-Headcharge78 on 16 Jan '12 said:
I just don't get this hardware. I mean where the hell is the demographic big enough to justify a handheld that's more expensive than all the consoles, games that will likely be the same or more expensive than consoles (£45 rrp I think which won't get discounted like consoles do due to smaller market) extra 3G deals (that are s**te generally in large parts of the UK) does games great but bugger all else and sits in the potential shadow of the PS4. It just seems they looked at the FAILED PSP and thought I know let's make it more expensive thus more restricted and launch in the ever growing climate of casual phone gaming (which ain't real gaming IMO but I have plenty on the iphone should I wish to fill some time out and about) it makes no sense to me.
I thought about it for 5 shiny minutes then reality got hold and decided get a 2nd hand PS3 and a DS instead with a ton of games.
Not knocking those that go for it but if it ain't dead in 18 months I'll eat a whole bag of fishermans friends
deepbluerd on 19 Jan '12 said:
Fair enough knock the Vita but Fishermans firends are f**king sweet!
Jaystorm1 on 20 Jan '12 said:
Everybody is whinning about the price & memory cards if they put memory in it it would be alot more exspensive DAUH! Pass it on to all those that whine! Ipads & android tablets are outragously exspensive!
yuggenst on 25 Jan '12 said:
tired of people saying - "1) Not buying, too expensive 2) DS rules 3) PS fail 4) it's too big.
"Expensive" - course it is. Apple's products are even more expensive. ipad - min, £400 and they keep dishing them out every year. the initial price is always set for early adopters who will splash their cash irrespective of their financial situation. If you can't afford it - wait.
"DS rules" - exactly what does it "rules"? It's a completely different type of system. Despite being open-minded I just can't bring myself to buying one. If you like it - good for you. Obsessed with Zelda and Mario - excellent. Can you play Bioshock, COD, Uncharted, etc? No. Will you ever? who knows.
"PS Fail" - Why so much hate? Is it because you have nothing better to do than moan? Jealousy? I don't hate DS owners. Whatever works for you. But as a gamer I want a proper game on the handheld. Not a £0.69 title. Which are good for what they are. But I have an iPhone for that.
"It's too big" - difference of opinion. As a gamer I'd rather there is no internet browsing, Facebook and other stuff they put in to attract masses. Since PSP I wanted Sony to produce a powerful system, with 2 analog sticks, big display. Will Vita meet my expectations. Who knows? Will I get it on the first day? Yes. Even if I had to starve for months. Luckily I do not. )))
P.S. Since I brought the word "starve" into the comment let's take a moment and think of those who don't really care what's better DS or PSP, but who care if they or their children have anything to eat tomorrow.
A message of peace from me to all of you.
slick loose on 25 Jan '12 said:
I completely agree, Nintendo fanboys are supposed to have the best reputation out of the lot of them. Yet another handheld is released onto the market, which just means more variety for gamers, and the Nintendo fanboys get all angry for no reason. There is 3 consoles and the PC, why can't we have more than one dedicated handheld?
The Nintendo handhelds ALWAYS do well, so I can't see why anyone who owns one should feel threatened. The games are also better designed for portable gaming. Some people just want a handheld that can do more than 2-d or 3-d cartoony graphics.
TheLastDodo on 25 Jan '12 said:
Yes because the iPhone can't provide "proper" games
.
You were doing well upto that point.
yuggenst on 25 Jan '12 said:
I think you misunderstood me. I was making a point that PS Vita is for proper games. £0.69 titles are for iPhone. In no way iPhone is considered by me as an equal to PS Vita or 3DS or a handheld, although one can argue since one holds it in a hand it is a handheld.
. But it is good for what it is. Currently enjoying "Roads of Rome".
Also, played Plants vs Zombies on iPhone first, and only got it for PS3 because it was for free for Playstation Plus members.
I will probably never play it, since I beat it on iPhone and since there is a whole bunch of proper games I don't have time foe.
So I think I did pretty well before and past that point.
A message of peace, as always.
TheLastDodo on 25 Jan '12 said:
Well it's a shame you can't find any "proper" games for iPhone, personally I've played loads, many of which were ported to PSN/XBLA, I guess they're not "proper" games on PSN/XBLA either?
If you don't class Tetris, Final Fantasy, Sonic The Hedgehog, Bejeweled, Worms, Minecraft, Grand Theft Auto III as "proper" games then what are? I'll guess you're talking about games where you run round as a bald space marine, swearing and killing anything that moves.
Personally I prefer the original and/or innovative titles on the App Store such as Infinity Blade, Superbrothers Swords & Sworcery EP, Game Dev Story, Epoch, Cut The Rope to name a few.
I do hope you get what you're looking for out of the Vita though, I think I'll stick with my PS3, personally I'd rather play Uncharted 3 and LBP2 than pay 200-300 quid for inferior versions of what I already own.
yuggenst on 25 Jan '12 said:
I think we are having trouble with the word "proper". the games you mentioned are great and addictive and "proper", otherwise they would probably be called "underdeveloped". I played some of them, but the point I'm making is that the experience PS Vita offers is portable PS3.
And if you stick to PS3 and lose out on playing Uncharted: Golden Abyss or forthcoming Bioshock, to name a few, than it's your choice. Maybe it will be "properly" released on iPhone in 10 years time.
A message of peace as always.
slick loose on 25 Jan '12 said:
Yep, proper games are more technically advanced and cost a lot more to make!
I wasn't being sarcastic...Dodo seems angry and I just want to poke him with a stick.
gmcb007 on 25 Jan '12 said:
A proper game is a game that creates enjoyment, pleasure and excitement. It is not judged by it's contents. Seriously 'proper' is a terrible choice of words to prove your point.
TheLastDodo on 25 Jan '12 said:
@yuggenst:
Fair enough, your original comment just sounded to me like that of someone being deliberately ignorant and oblivious to the fantastic games ("proper" or not
) available on iPhone, there's a lot of snobbery on this site y'see and, not saying you do, but some people need a bit of educating.
We get people on here that say for ex. Portal 2 doesn't even deserve a nomination for GOTY, not because they don't enjoy it but because it's a "puzzler".
@slick loose: I'm not angry at all, no need to poke me, you can insert that stick back into where you found it
yuggenst on 25 Jan '12 said:
Ok, I see, glad we sorted this out. And agree with people being ignorant. I'm a PS fan, therefore my loyalty lies there, but that does not stop me from appreciating other consoles for what they are or owning them. Therefore, hardcore Sony fans who bitch about other gaming devices p**s me off as much, if not more than other fans. Every system has good and bad points. However, with Sony I can't really think of one.
And thanks for having this discussion with me, cut my working day easily by an hour.
A message of peace, as always.
P.S. CVG rules, stupid IGN does not allow to have a discussion like this. Just one reply per comment. Where is truth in that?
yuggenst on 25 Jan '12 said:
Anyone can criticise. However, if there is a better word, please provide it. I'm open to suggestions.
A message of peace, as always.
Fried Lemons on 31 Jan '12 said:
Will Uncharted: Golden Abyss have multiplayer and/or online? And will you be able to just use the PS Vita as a remote for like when you go to a friend's house and want to play split screen for games like Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception or MW3? Answers will be greatly appreciated. And does anyone else see a PS VIta Call of Duty in the making... Lol I'm going to be the only kid on the block owning both a 3DS and a PS Vita
Chris_Shanahan87 on 21 Feb '12 said:
absolutely nothing about this thing attracts me. Then again, I've always been a Nintendo fan boy. 3DS FTW
Chris_Shanahan87 on 21 Feb '12 said:
proper games have to be more technical? Nintendo gives you a facepalm
dicky1993 on 21 Feb '12 said:
buy it if you want it stop arguing you bumders
porkchopz on 21 Feb '12 said:
I'm in agreement with dicky on this one.
However, I'm not sure the DS is really all that comparable, especially when we consider my phone is more powerful than a DS whilst the Vita is potentially more powerful than an Xbox 360.
I'm not going to go as far as ol Jack and call the DS a "babysitting tool" but for me it occupies a particular space which is not in line with the majority of the gaming I participate in. I am more than a little excited tho about being able to play a proper online fps in bed. In fact, my only concern with the Vita at the moment is the hasty need to retrain my gf who has developed an annoying habit of falling asleep whilst clutching onto my arm. Not good for bedtime fps-ing.
Mmmmgrolsch on 21 Feb '12 said:
Since when?
Fr33Kye on 21 Feb '12 said:
It doesn't. Their's did.
Balladeer on 21 Feb '12 said:
You know what? I can agree with CVG here. Now that I've got your attention...
This is a site meant to review all consoles impartially, and they say it's the best handheld ever. As a Nintendo fanboy and proud owner of a 3DS, I might naturally be inclined to disagree with them, but they argue a very convincing case.
I couldn't give a toss about whether the damn thing looks cool, and if you could then I have little to no respect for you. It's a games machine, not a fashion accessory. No, it's the features that largely swing me, of which the two analogue sticks is the biggest. As someone who frequently goes without them on the Wii, I love having dual control. It's the best method of controlling movement and camera simultaneously bar none. (The Wiimote and nunchuk is better for shooting. Yes it is, don't sneer.)
I was sceptical about the rear touch screen, but if CVG say it works then I'm willing to believe them. I continue to be sceptical about a stylus-less touch screen and the resulting greasy thumbprints. As for the screen being sharper, I can understand how that would be better than 3D which is not allowed to impact on gameplay, even though I think I'd probably prefer the 3D; but then I'm more easily wowed by fancy effects than fancy graphics. I like the 3DS' second screen, but not enough for me to laud it to any great length over the Vita. And of course the latter has the superior battery life of the two, despite having more grunt.
The firmware update frequency sounds ridiculous, but whatever.
They've clearly learnt from Nintendo in at least one aspect of the launch: the titles. An Uncharted, a Wipeout, a Katamari - no one can argue that Sony have been slack in rolling out some major franchises. (I have no respect for FIFA.) There still seems to be an AAA-flavoured hole that none of the games can quite fill (no score over 9, I notice - yes this is just one viewpoint, but it's quite telling), but it's far above Nintendo's launch effort.
So from what I've read, I'm willing to believe that the Vita is the best console out there, above my beloved 3DS. Of course a console is nothing without its software, and there's little in that launch line-up to tempt one raised on Miyamoto's offerings; and I wouldn't say for a second that the Vita is the best handheld out there in value-for-money terms. But looking at things as objectively as I can, I can say that the Vita deserves to do well - so long as all its major releases come with a free memory card.
TL;DR version: "Nintendo fanboy praises Sony console. Details at 11."
Fr33Kye on 21 Feb '12 said:
OHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
Cannot wait for details at 11.
only_777 on 21 Feb '12 said:
I'm still not on board with people slagging of the memory card prices.
The Vita uses it's own stick for a clear reason, speed. You all know Memory sticks run at different speeds right? Right?
Maybe not, ok so let's bring some of you up to speed. Here is a quick play.com shopping result for High Speed Sony Memory sticks:
http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/2167158/Sony-High-Speed-Memory-Stick-Pro-Duo-2GB/Product.html?_%24ja=tsid:11518%7Ccat:2167158%7Cprd:2167158
As an example play.com sell 2gig for about £20. You also need to be careful when buying sticks, as there are many fakes out there, if it's very cheap, chances are it's fake and not high speed. Only buy from proper outlets.
Anyway, by changing the stick the Vita uses, Sony are making sure you ONLY use high speed sticks on the Vita. They don't want you walking away and saying 'Damn that machine is slow to load games', when the truth is that you stuck in a cheap Scan Disk stick in and expected it to be as good.
Ok, Sony are not offering you the choice - but most people don't even know that there are different speed sticks and would put a cheap one in and get poor results and it looks bad on the Vita.
But the truth is that these high speed Vita sticks are damn cheap when compared to other high speed sticks. Sony is NOT making money from these sticks, in fact chances are they are selling them at a loss.
Most people complaining about the Memory Stick prices don't even know what speed they run at.
alan666 on 21 Feb '12 said:
did CVG get a free Vita to review, if so now you have finished with it, can i have it please
vitorfernandes83 on 21 Feb '12 said:
I will try one tomorrow morning, it's strange that I don't need a PSV but kinda want it. I would probably just use it in bed before sleep. I could get one for 175pounds with free 8g card, I think that's cheap, maybe I'll wait for the games to drop in price and see, probably wont buy it.
dicky1993 on 21 Feb '12 said:
+1 with balla
meehan86 on 22 Feb '12 said:
Having to buy PS Vita memory cards is a serious turn off!! As is the price! Will see how it performs but no doubt it will struggle for sales. Gonna wait till Christmas to even consider getting one as by then there will be plenty of games and the price will have dropped!
Barca Azul on 22 Feb '12 said:
Im in the US and ill try and pick one up tomorrow, if there are any left.
I dont get the fuss on the memory cards. They were not cheap in the beginning on the PSP either. 3rd party will bring out a card sooner than later.
slick loose on 22 Feb '12 said:
Nor were they cheap for the PS2, me and my little brother didn't get one until a month after we had a PS2! If I remember rightly they were £27.99...for 8mb!!!
Agent75 on 22 Feb '12 said:
After having a good look at one yesterday, I was surprised how light they are, but more so how poor the build was. The casing is made from a cheap plastic which can scratch easy. Sony's build quality has dipped over the years, maybe since the launch of the slim PS2. But I've just seen photos of a Vita which looks like it has silver parts around the button/direction pad, so I'm not sure if that's the final design.
Balladeer on 22 Feb '12 said:
The details at eleven are in the rest of my post.
Think of the summary as being written at 12.
flash501 on 22 Feb '12 said:
You MUST be working for Sony!!!
illage2 on 22 Feb '12 said:
At £230 + Memory Cards + £40 each for games ... no thanks.
Why spend £230 when we spend much less on the PS3 and Xbox 360?
I understand why it's so expensive, with the technology and time that has gone into it, but I do not see this as being a replacement for a game console, it's more of an addition.
If they drop the price to between £60 - £150 then I may consider getting one, but before that there has to be much better games as at the moment the so called "impressive" launch titles are a f**king joke, granted better than the 3DS launch titles but still a clusterf**k none the less. I hate uncharted, and I don't like racing or any fighting game that isn't Mortal Kombat.
OH AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, STOP CALLING THE BACK TOUCH PAD A "SCREEN" IT IS A TRACK PAD THAT HAS BEEN MODIFIED FOR THE PS VITA! There is no screen in the back. FFS.
While I am on the subject of the back touch pad, it's design seems to me an awkward grip, as I may accidentally hit the touch pad when gaming.
My advice, wait for the "silm" version and the inevitable price cut, and better games before getting a vita. As at the moment it's not worth it, unless you like those launch titles.
Sony have done well with the PS Vita though, instead of trying out a new gimmick no one wanted (COUGH 3DS COUGH) they opted to listen to the gamers and give what the gamers want, no stupid gimmicks just potentialy great games, and great technology.
Games I want for the Vita
- MGS HD collection (Confirmed to be in the works)
- Battlefield
- Command & Conquer (Not a port of the s**tty iOS game)
- The Last of Us
- Resistance
- More shooters (Does not include Call of Duty)
- Fallout
Fr33Kye on 23 Feb '12 said:
I was kind of hoping you would burn mario and sacrifice your 3ds to kaz hirai......but a good post nonetheless!
Balladeer on 23 Feb '12 said:
No flippin' chance!
Check what I said about the software - Vita may be the superior console, and its launch line-up is objectively better, but subjectively I couldn't give a monkey.
Oh, all right. You can have one:
http://travelmalaysiaguide.com/images/Proboscis-Monkey-Adult.jpg