Last week we revealed that 70 percent of PlayStation 3 owners are yet to buy a PlayStation Vita. A chunk of those people said that if the price was lower and there were more games available they’d be more likely to purchase one, but we still believe there’s more than enough reason to buy PS Vita right now.
We’ve owned Sony’s new handheld since day one and don’t have too many bad things to say about it, that’s aside from the poor battery life, inability of the Remote Play feature to run the games that we want to see on the small screen, and the lack of video out, which means we can’t produce any nice gameplay footage for you all to enjoy. Overall though, our experience has been very positive and there’s hardly a day goes by when we don’t pick up our PS Vita.
Here are five reasons why we think PS Vita is worth buying right now…
1. Great range of games
There are some great games on the way, including Resistance: Burning Skies, Mortal Kombat and Gravity Rush, but PS Vita does already have a very strong line-up with more than enough to keep you entertained until more games arrive.
Uncharted: Golden Abyss is, of course, the flagship game and as close to a console title as we’ve experienced on handheld, thanks to the high production values, great storytelling and smooth gameplay mechanics. We’re also still loving Unit 13 (and still trying to beat it), but there’s lots of fun to be had out of the numerous pick-up-and-play titles too, such as MotorStorm RC, Super Stardust Delta, Modnation Racers and WipEout 2048. Like platformers or puzzle games? Then Rayman Origins or Escape Plan should be right up your street, while FIFA or Virtua Tennis 4 should keep sports fans entertained.
Looking for something a bit more hardcore? Then get your mitts on Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention, which is an absorbing experience if you’re into turned-based RPGs. In fact, PS Vita actually has something for everyone no matter what genre you’re into. The argument that there’s a lack of games is flawed, we feel.
2. Great controls and smooth interface
The inclusion of two analog sticks for PS Vita was a very wise move. Compared to the PSP, it makes those core gaming experiences, particularly shooters and action adventures, feel much more intuitive and more like playing on a gamepad. The touchscreen interface also feels instantly familiar if you’ve ever used a smartphone or tablet with an interface that is easy to navigate.
We’ve been impressed too with the range of control methods. Though implementation of the rear touchscreen controls in a few games hasn’t convinced us yet that it adds anything to the experience, titles such as Little Deviants, which showcases the whole range of PS Vita’s new control methods and features, including the multi-touch screen, augmented reality and tilt functionality, are good fun and offer a different kind of experience away from traditional controls and the usual type of games.
3. Digital downloads and the PlayStation Store
Being able to browse the PlayStation Store via touchscreen is much more enjoyable and works so much better than it does on PS3. One of the beauties of PS Vita is that you can also download games via Wi-Fi immediately, so no longer have to buy physical copies of titles. While staying away from home we’ve conveniently downloaded games via hotel Wi-Fi.
The fact that a lot of the games also have downloadable demos too means you get to try before you buy, while the NEAR feature means you can pick up free levels of games, rewards and further demos from other PS Vita owners in your vicinity.
4. The apps
When PS Vita launched there were no apps, but finally they’ve arrived with Skype, LiveTweet, Flickr, Facebook and Foursquare catering for all your social networking needs. Due to power of the handheld’s processor, you can also multi-task quickly and switch between apps and games in an instance.
5. Listening to music, watching films
Via USB you can transfer music across to PS Vita and listen to your music on the move, but what’s most impressive on the 5 inch screen are the movies. Via the PlayStation Store you can buy and download a good range of films and and with a resolution of 960×544 movies look crystal sharp.
For more information on PS Vita, check out our comprehensive review.