PSVita Launch Titles: After the dust has settled

The weekend is drawing to a close and the launch buzz for the PSVita is slowly winding down as the eager buyers have nabbed it as fast as possible while other interested parties have seen the price, winced and started considering the 3DS instead.

Probably the most curvaceous model
I'll be getting my hands on this year.

However, those with fat wallets and appreciation for modern technology will undoubtedly see more appeal in the PSVita from the outset. The latest handheld console boasts a 5" LED touch-screen, combined with a touch panel on its back, twin analogue stick controls as standard, sixaxis tilt control, graphics reminiscent of  the Playstation 3, two cameras and optional 3G support. Basically, with the exception of 3D, the PSVita has just about every feature you've ever seen on a portable electronic gadget.

So how is it? Well, being that I don't have the pleasure of taking one home with me, I can only really comment on the game line-up and to be fair, if I was overly enthusiastic about commenting on anything else, I suppose I'd consider that to be a slight dent to my gaming roots.

For overall scores of each launch title, take a quick gander at the PSVita section on metacritic. The line-up was an interesting one, and also big, holding a lot more titles and variety than most consoles did on release. You had some gimmicky games in titles like Little Deviants and Reality Fighters mixed in with the more serious efforts, like Uncharted: Golden Abyss and WipEout 2048. So all things considered, Sony definitely deserve credit for efforts in getting the catalogue off to a well-rounded start with a lot to choose from.

I can't lie, Little Deviants did impress me with its innovation. For example, one mini-game involves using the back touch panel to alter the landscape so that you can roll a little balled up creature around, and it's a pretty unique game concept, evoking a certain whimsical feeling of nostalgia for anyone who was lucky enough to play Marble Madness as a kid. The only problem with this is that it gets old  a little too quickly. It's interesting and somewhat fun, but like the other game modes and levels, it really isn't very gripping at all. It isn't a way I would choose to play games, just a way that is now possible to.

And this character also has 'rejected mascot'
written all over it.

Reality Fighters is much the same, in that it impresses you its fancy tricks, but as soon as you get over the (admittedly hilarious) fun of dressing up a character with your face and voice, you're simply playing an average fighting game in a genre already filled with excellent competition. Still, points should be earned for effort, augmented reality is a popular gimmick at the moment and this is a great example of how amusing it can be, even if the joke is shallow.

But the title that really grabbed everyone's attention was the new Uncharted. The idea of having one of the greatest gaming series of the past decade on a portable console, without sacrificing anything in terms of graphics or accessibility was a huge draw. And Golden Abyss is a good game, much as it should be, but there are problems with the concept as a whole.

The benefits are typical, the great hybrid gameplay of platforming, shooting and fighting, the controls are smooth and it looks great throughout. But the problems are initially a little less obvious. My biggest personal gripe is that Drake's adventures are too grand to be captured by such a small device. Part of the appeal of Uncharted is sitting comfortably and watching the epic story unfold and being captivated by the exceptional cinematic set-pieces and beautifully rendered environments. This feeling simply cannot be captured on a handheld device unless you have a peaceful environment and enough time to get engrossed. And if you do, you're probably at home, sitting next to your Playstation 3 and presumably at least one title in the Uncharted trilogy.

Adventurous, charismatic, honourable... And probably extremely smelly
after wearing the SAME CLOTHES for FOUR games.

Golden Abyss also insists on trying to use every Vita feature possible, from touch-screen brawling, to tilting the whole machine while walking tightropes. These features are gimmicky and quickly become more of a nuisance than a novelty. When all's said and done, Uncharted: Golden Abyss is a good game, but it simply doesn't rival its big-screen older brothers. The benefit of it being portable is minimal too, for reasons previously mentioned.

Interestingly enough, the games that have impressed me most are the 'ports'. Titles such as Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom, Blazblue: Continuum Shift Extend and Rayman Origins all feature in much the same form on Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, but they all have the instant gratification that is well-suited to a portable console. These are games you can play for ten minutes or so and then put down straight away. They also look incredible on the LED screen and it's a pleasure to see a portable equivalent to home console games that fully retains all the features. They also don't use any of the gimmicks that the Vita offers, being ports and they're all the better for it. The term 'tacked on' has become overused since Nintendo got their hands on the casual market, but that's another argument for another day.

Words cannot express how fantastic Blazblue: Continuum Shift Extend
looks in motion, it's nothing short of glorious.

As I have briefly mentioned throughout this post, the biggest concern with handheld consoles is 'when?' though. When are you going to play it? Whilst at home, sitting next to your far superior Playstation 3 or Xbox 360? Or whilst on your commute to work which, for most people, consists of pushing, shoving and fighting for a seat? Naturally it will work out for some people, I used to have a two-hour journey to and from my store on a relatively quiet tube, and had the Vita come out when I still had to bear that, I'd almost certainly pick one up. But for many, it's an over-priced luxury that takes itself a bit too seriously. The appeal is still there, but for now, I can resist it quite comfortably.