PlayStation Vita is an impressive piece of kit, but ask anyone who has one, and they’ll probably concede the fact it could use a few more games under its belt. Since launching in December 2011 (and in Europe and the U.S. in February 2012), Sony’s next-generation handheld struggled to set tills alight following the launch honeymoon period, with weekly sales in Japan this past week reaching an all-time low. With E3 just around the corner, all eyes are on Sony to lift the veil off the next batch of software that’ll carry PS Vita for the rest of the year and beyond.
Everyone’s got their own ideas as to what games PS Vita games need to appear at E3, and with a host of games yet to be announced and some that have been MIA for a while now, this is the perfect time for Sony to deliver a knockout blow to the 3DS. Here’s our list of games we need to see at E3, comprised of already-confirmed games and some wishful thinking on our part.
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MONSTER HUNTER
It’s inevitable. Monster Hunter was one of the PlayStation Portable’s biggest franchises, selling millions of copies in its native Japan and keeping sales of Sony’s aging pocket brick afloat well over a year after the west had all but given up on it. Sure, Capcom’s monstrous franchise didn’t fare quite as well in the U.S. and Europe as it did on its home turf, but to deny PS Vita of this commercial juggernaut would be a firm nail in the coffin. Aside from its obvious history with Sony platforms, Monster Hunter’s gameplay would translate seamlessly over to PS Vita thanks to its use of dual analog sticks; a welcome break from the fiddly controls of its PSP predecessors. Plus, PS Vita’s social gaming functions would surely be a must-have feature, allowing gamers to compete in aggressive, action-packed multiplayer sessions via Wi-Fi/3G. If there’s one game that can turn around PS Vita’s fortunes – at least in Japan – it’s Monster Hunter.
RESIDENT EVIL
Remember E3 2009? No? Well, just to refresh your memory, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) boss Jack Tretton confirmed during the company’s E3 presser that an all-new Resident Evil title was in the works for PSP, under the slightly unimaginative title of Resident Evil Portable. Nearly three years later, and we’re still waiting. Obviously, Capcom had other plans and probably turned it into 3DS title Revelations, or scrapped it altogether. However, with PSP never receiving its own unique Resi game, surely we can expect something for PS Vita? Revelations was a sumptuous-looking title, and with PS Vita boasting some mighty fine graphical capabilities of its own, it’d surely look the business. Not only that, but we reckon Capcom could make some decent use of out the handheld’s unique features; how about using the touchscreen to solve intricate puzzles or shoving a zombie off your character, for example? Furthermore, PS Vita’s online features could surely accommodate a robust multiplayer offering. Team-based zombie hunting anyone? We can already smell the decomposing corpses from here.
LITTLEBIGPLANET KARTING
SackBoy’s racing debut has already been rumored to appear on PS Vita, and what better time to lift the lid on the portable version than at E3? LittleBigPlanet is already in the works for Sony’s new handheld, and having this spin-off title would surely sweeten the deal. Until Gran Turismo shows up, this is sure to get PS Vita owners getting hours upon hours of online racing time under their belt, and LBP Karting’s social-heavy shenanigans are only going to elongate the game’s replay value. Perhaps they’ll even be some cross-platform antics going on? Say, you’ve just unlocked a sweet new motor on your PS3 and have to head out; you could customize it on the go with your PS Vita, then take it on the track when you get back home. Or you could simply take it for a test drive while you’re out and about. After the disappointing lack of multiplayer in ModNation Racers on PS Vita, this is just the ticket Sony handheld owners are looking for. Make it happen.
PLAYSTATION ALL-STARS BATTLE ROYALE
Originally announced for PS3, Sony’s answer to Super Smash Bros. has already been rumored for a PS Vita release, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed. Mortal Kombat is undoubtedly the PS Vita’s finest brawler, but how sweet would it be to have your favourite Sony character duking it out in the palm of your hand? Beat-‘em-ups are inherently tailored for quick session gaming, and as such this would suite the PS Vita’s bite-sized gaming sessions to the T. Plus, we can also expect to see full support for four players as with its console counterpart, which should prove for some of the most frantic, compelling brawls to be had straight out of the palm of your hand. Maybe to sweeten the deal Sony could throw in a couple of extra characters as free, day-one DLC? As with the above game, it would be a no-brainer to include some sort of connectivity between both the PS3 and PS Vita version of the game, such as unlocking fresh characters or costumes on the go and then returning home to take the action online and strut our stuff.
SILENT HILL: BOOK OF MEMORIES
Silent Hill’s PS Vita debut has been in the works for a while now, but we still don’t really know all that much about it. What’s worse, the game has been the subject of numerous delays, the latest of which has put it back to October 2012. Unlike the console entries, Book of Memories is a largely multiplayer take on the illustrious psychological horror franchise, requiring players to team up in order to overcome the horrors of the eponymous town and solve puzzles together. With much of the game being kept in the dark, it’s about time Konami and Sony shined the flashlight on this title, and E3 presents the ideal opportunity to do so. We’d like to see how the game actually players, plus how it makes use of PS Vita’s unique features, such as the touchscreen. We imagine the developers could implement some neat riddles that take full advantage of the various control methods afforded by Sony’s new handheld, and we’re eager to see how these pan out. More importantly though, we want to know how the multiplayer works, and if it can still capture that quintessential Silent Hill vibe or not.
ASSASSIN’S CREED
Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed franchise has become ubiquitous in recent years, with sequels being pumped out on an annual basis with little more than incremental updates to the formula. However, ACIII is looking to be shot in the arm the series needs, and Ubisoft’s confirmed that a brand new title is already being lined up for PS Vita. Nothing has been revealed on the game as of yet, making E3 the perfect playground for some free-running, stab-happy action. The game is said to be a spin-off, so there’s plenty of lore to dip into in that respect; however, we doubt Ubisoft will be revising Ezio or Altair again, having already been there, done that so to speak. Perhaps this game will act as a companion title to Connor’s exploits in ACIII? Or maybe it will expand on the story set down by Italian Stallion Ezio, where he conversed with a Chinese female assassin during the short film Assassin’s Creed: Embers. More intriguingly however, we’re eager to see how Ubisoft plans on taking advantage of PS Vita’s unique functions, as we imagine this would work well with the AC formula. Remember how players made Nathan Drake climb up vines using the touchpad in Uncharted: Golden Abyss? Well, just think about how well Assassin’s Creed’s superb scaling would map to PS Vita’s control devices. Providing its implemented well, this could be a real showpiece title for PS Vita in terms of visuals and controls alike.
KILLZONE
We’ve been patiently waiting for news on the Killzone game for PS Vita since the handheld’s announcement back in 2011, so it’s about time we saw something – and what better time to lift the cloth on the shooter than E3? Killzone is one of Sony’s tent pole franchises; the brand sells like hotcakes, and a formal reveal at the Los Angeles-based shindig would surely stimulate more interest in PS Vita. We don’t just want a brief teaser trailer, either. We want the full works: story, gameplay footage, multiplayer action and above all, whether or not SCE Studio Cambridge is looking to inject some fresh ideas into the series’ aging paradigm, which is rapidly becoming a bit too formulaic for our tastes. PS Vita would surely offer plenty of opportunity to do just that (touchscreen melee kills anyone?) plus connecting with other gamers via multiplayer should be a walk in the park. More importantly, the game will take advantage of PS Vita’s dual analog sticks, allowing us to take a full-fledged console-esque Killzone experience on the go – that alone is a massive step forward for the franchise. Plus, you just now it’s going to be one of the most scrumptious-looking handheld games out there. We can’t wait.