vita games Archives Page 4 of 9

Several Great Vita Titles Get Attractive Discounts Next Week

John-Shepard November 23, 2012 Vita 26 Comments

'Tis the season to save some significant bucks.

If you're a proud PlayStation Vita owner and you require more software, you should definitely check the PlayStation Store next week.

As revealed during the Thanksgiving PlayStation Blogcast , a whole bunch of Vita titles will soon receive attractive discounts. The deals hit on November 27, the time of the PSN's next update.

There are plenty of worthwhile games to consider. Wipeout 2048 , MLB 12: The Show , Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational , Little Deviants , Reality Fighters , and ModNation Racers will all fall to only $17.99. Resistance: Burning Skies , Unit 13 , and Smart As will be priced at $26.99, and Uncharted: Golden Abyss can be had for $35.99. Personally, I'd recommend several of those, especially Uncharted , Wipeout , and Hot Shots . The latter is just so much fun; for those craving the classic HSG experience, you get it in World Invitational .

Might as well save what you can, right?

How Would You Convince Someone To Purchase The Vita?

Ben-Dutka November 13, 2012 Vita 74 Comments

So the Vita isn't doing so hot. We're all well aware.

Some will blame the unit's relatively high price. Others will say it just doesn't have enough software. And still others will cite the explosion of mobile gaming (smartphones, tablets, etc.) as a major negative influence on Vita sales.

But we're not about to dissect why Sony's slick new portable isn't exactly flying off store shelves. They're not doing the best job convincing gamers to buy the Vita right now, so what would you say to entice a fellow gamer? What would be your argument? Bear in mind that it'll be a tough sell if the person isn't a handheld fan to begin with; as technologically capable as the Vita is, it still qualifies as a handheld device. And some people just aren't interested.

So what would your argument consist of? Would you be pointing out all the great games that really are currently available? Would you point to the most amount of software available for any PlayStation brand launch? Would you mention the sheer technical wizardry and try to explain that it looks a lot like a PS3 in your hands? Would you point toward the future and mention upcoming games that might appeal to them? Would you try to play up the Vita/PS3 connectivity? Would you mention the Cross Buy initiative, which allows people to buy some first-party PS3 games and get the Vita version for free? A chance to save money is always a bonus.

It'd be interesting to hear what some of you say. And remember, "Nah, don't buy that piece of sh**" isn't an argument for buying it. So please, let's not load up the comments with that kind of negativity. 😉

Sony: PSP Was Too Port-Heavy, Vita Needs Unique Software

Ben-Dutka September 12, 2012 Vita 17 Comments

The PlayStation Vita will always be able to use new software but this time around, Sony wants it to be new .

The manufacturer admitted to Gamasutra that they went too port-heavy with the PSP, and now it's time to focus on unique software for the new handheld. Said marketing vice president John Koller:

"The issue that happened with PSP is we got overrun with ports. It became very difficult for us to define what made PSP unique. The content development became a bit unstructured or decentralized, in that we got a lot of content that was on PlayStation 2 and got thrown over to the handheld."

He added that Sony is currently discouraging publishers from doing ports; they'd rather see brand new efforts, such as Assassin's Creed III: Liberation and Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified . This way, they get recognizable and popular franchises, but they're not watered-down ports from existing console iterations. We have to agree with this approach, although we should add that the PSP earned its identity by featuring "old" gameplay styles veteran fans enjoyed.

…so in other words, Sony, don't discourage publishers from offering new-old games for those who don't necessarily believe turn-based is "archaic."

Multiple Vita Bundles Tickle The Buying Bone This Fall

Ben-Dutka August 23, 2012 Vita 11 Comments

Everyone needs a little extra incentive when it comes to picking up new game hardware.

And oftentimes, some of the best incentive comes in the form of bundle packages. The good news is that if you don't yet own the PlayStation Vita, Sony will tempt you with multiple bundle options this fall. And after the show the handheld put on at Gamescom, you're gonna need that slick little unit.

As noted at Trendy Gamers , several important bundles are on the way: First up is the LittleBigPlanet Vita package and the FIFA 13 bundle, both of which debut on September 25. There will also be a PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale bundle slated for November 20, and you can even pre-order a Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified package, which is priced at $249.99 and is scheduled for some time in November.

Software is essential and the games are definitely coming for the Vita. Which ones are on your priority list?

Sony On Vita: “It’s Amazing How Much More People Want”

Ben-Dutka August 16, 2012 Vita 29 Comments

The PlayStation Vita had one heck of a Gamescom, and we've already said it absolutely proved its worth .

But you can't satisfy everyone and when it comes to gamers, it's tough to even satisfy the majority. In the discussion of free-to-play, developers have started to realize that gamers actually want to pay nothing for their entertainment, and this past week, Jade Raymond made the point that these consumers demand perfection .

Sony is even surprised at the demands of the gamer crowd. After confirming to Eurogamer that the Vita will not receive a price cut this year, Sony Worldwide Studio boss Shuhei Yoshida said the goal is to make the unit more attractive at the current price point.

"People like cheap or free. Of course, cost reduction is one area our engineering team is working on. But we just launched the platform earlier this year. It takes time to do so.

At a certain point in the future we would like to address the pricing issue for some of the people who are waiting. But this year we are trying to add value by creating different types of bundles. We announced we will provide LittleBigPlanet PS Vita bundle pack. That's affordable for people who are looking for a good deal."

Then he mentioned all the feedback they had received from gamers, and how the company was a little taken aback at just how much the consumer wanted. Yoshida thought the Vita had a solid launch but clearly, that hasn't been enough for many.

"From our perspective, we were very pleased to launch with many titles. Many people said we had the strongest launch line-up for a PlayStation platform. But it's amazing how much more people want and how much content they consume."

It is true that we are a nation that loves our electronics. But given what the Vita is putting out there between now and the end of the year (and what it already has, especially in terms of hardware potential), we believe the price point is just about right. There's the other argument that gamers seem to be spoiled out of their minds these days, but that's probably not just gamers…nah, it's just about all consumers.

Should The Vita Be More Like The PSP?

Ben-Dutka August 16, 2012 Vita 29 Comments

Bear with me for a moment.

I firmly believe the PlayStation Vita proved something at Gamescom. Or rather, that Sony proved something about their intentions with the Vita, as it's clear they will be lending it plenty of support. And they'll be the first to tell you they are giving it far more support than the PSP received early in its life span, due to their almost immediate shift in focus to the PS3.

However, although I remain duly impressed, I just remembered why I played games on my PSP. I'm not big into handheld entertainment and really never have been since the days of the original GameBoy. But I played certain titles on the PSP ( Final Fantasy IV: Complete Collection , Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions , etc.) because I quite simply couldn't find them on the PS3. JRPGs and other "old-fashioned" styles of gaming were rapidly falling by the wayside but if I still wanted them, I could turn to the PSP. Old-school RPG fans know very well how valuable the PSP has been.

But with the Vita, we've got the technology to bring the heavy hitters to the portable realm, so that's what Sony is doing. Assassin's Creed , Call of Duty , Killzone , LittleBigPlanet , etc. That's great. But isn't that basically what we already have on consoles, only in on-the-go form? These aren't really different experiences, are they? I suppose they're different thanks to some nifty handheld tech, like the front and rear touchscreens, tilt functionality, and camera, but the gameplay is pretty familiar. We might never see stuff like Tactics Ogre or Persona , will we? Well, they might still exist on the PSN, which the Vita can access, of course.

I'm just wondering if it's the best idea to turn the Vita into a portable PS3, which appears to be Sony's goal. I repeat, it is impressive and I think it's a fabulous piece of hardware and I do play it. That being said, I still believe Sony should focus on bringing unique experiences to the Vita that aren't just slightly smaller versions of the big boys in the console realm. And if that includes some old-school stuff in a fresher package, why not?