Topic: I got to review the PS:Vita. :P

[Pugnate]

http://tribune.com.pk/story/341253/geek-guide-ps-i-dont-love-you/

Please give it a read and post a comment if possible.

I just think the device is too damn expensive.

$250 for the wifi ($300 for the 3G?) + $100 for the proprietary memory card (Sony ugh!), and $50 if you want a game like Uncharted.

That's $400 to get started on a portable.

[gpw11]

Read and commented.  Seems like you have some fanboys there.

[Pugnate]

I had to return after reviewing.

It is pretty sweet though. I'd never buy it though. My PSP was fascinating for exactly one month.

[Xessive]

That's the main concern I have: the novelty wearing off and then me realizing its utter uselessness. That said, my PSP was actually quite handy for more than just games when I was on the move; music, videos, Skype, rudimentary web browsing (really, really barebones browsing), it certainly did a tad more than abolish boredom.

For the VITA to succeed I believe it needs to serve more than just gaming. It needs to fit in today's mobile user's lifestyle. It gets compared to phones "everybody has a phone that can play casual games, why would you buy a VITA?" I don't consider a tablet to be 'pocket-friendly' but they have a place in the market and to me it would seem that's where the VITA can have a valid argument: can the PSVITA be a legitimate alternative to a tablet? It would need to compete on more levels than just games to be viable. Multimedia, browsing, apps, etc. It would need Sony to really push the VITA's functionality angle to fit it into a tech-savvy world.

[Xessive]

I don't plan on buying a Vita any time soon but just to sate my curiosity I checked it out and the prices here are ridiculous.

The WiFi-only version costs ~$340-$380 and the 3G version comes in around ~$430-$470!! We usually get shafted on hardware costs here but this is ridiculously high compared to the announced $250 for WiFi and $300 for WiFi+3G. At this rate, I could order it from the US, pay for shipping, and I'll still get it for less.

Considering the price ranges of other portable options (DS, Android, iOS) the Vita is not exactly marketable in this region. I'll have to look up some stats to see how it is actually fairing.

[Pugnate]

It will take a while to settle.

[sirean_syan]

So I got a Vita for Christmas and I've been pretty impressed. The screen is fucking awesome and the whole setup just feels nice, fast, smart, and clean (especially coming off the 3DS). Also impressive is the online stuff is super smooth and somehow the PS Store doesn't move like something is broken. Thanks to PSN+ I've managed to fill up a 16gig card with some fine games on the cheap.

So far I've only had a little time to play so I've been toying with lighter stuff like the new Lumines and Wipeout. Both are excellent additions to their respective franchise which is probably to be expected. Along with the PSN fair I also got Tearaway, Muramasa, and Persona 4 but haven't dug into them.

I'm sorta seeing the system like a curiosity right now. As something with a decent back library that can extend back to the PSOne days (if you're so inclined), really nice hardware, and a decent price point (thanks to holiday sales, recent price drops, and PSN+) it might be something worth looking at. Like I said, it's impressive so far. It's a shame that the launch stumbled hard enough that the system is likely doomed in the long run. Sony might give it a little more legs as marketing it as a accessory to the PS4, but I still don't expect anything substantial to be released for it at this point. That said, I happy to have it for what it is and it likely keep me busy for a while. It reminds me a lot of how the Dreamcast looked in it's last year or so. For a single investment you can get a fairly complete system experience in a single go and get some really good times out of it.

[Xessive]

Haha thanks for reviving this thread!

It's great that the pricing changed radically here in the Middle East when they realized that no one was buying a Vita at those prices.

Sony have done a great job with the quality of the hardware and the formfactor. I still think the software is holding the Vita back though. The games are great but I don't see anyone using the Vita for anything but the exclusive titles. No one's buying a Vita for its Facebook integration or its e-mail app.

As a gamer-on-the-go, the Vita is good for games but it doesn't remove my need to have another device to access everything else. The Vita should have had Android as its OS, which is what most people were expecting considering Sony's dabbling with the Xperia Play. It sucks that the Vita, despite its exceptional hardware quality and performance, is a lacking device that you'd likely never use except for games.

These revelations are even more evident when I used the Nvidia Shield and looked back at my Vita thinking "WTF, Sony?" Even though the Vita is more portable, I'd rather take the Shield on a trip because I can do more with it.

[sirean_syan]

The games are great but I don't see anyone using the Vita for anything but the exclusive titles.

Isn't that what it's for? As someone who wants a device to play games I could give a fuck about email integration or Facebook? Given the success of the 3DS I would suspect that most people looking for a portable game device don't care either. If I want a smartphone there's plenty of those that will always do that better.

I guess I just don't look at handhelds as something that's carried all the time. It's just another way to play a game.

[Cools!]

I agree with Sirean.

This has to be a "hardcore" gaming device. The casual gaming crowd is playing on their handhelds and tablets, that's going to be hard to change. The Vita has to appeal to and fit into the lifestyle of those that want a better mobile gaming system in addition to their Android or iOS device, in particular those that don't want to keep paying for each chapter of a game or just to keep going for another round (fuck you Candy Crush). If the games aren't there, the rest doesn't matter. Heck, the social features can end up being detrimental if they don't match the quality or functionality of other devices.

[Xessive]

Isn't that what it's for? As someone who wants a device to play games I could give a fuck about email integration or Facebook? Given the success of the 3DS I would suspect that most people looking for a portable game device don't care either. If I want a smartphone there's plenty of those that will always do that better.

I guess I just don't look at handhelds as something that's carried all the time. It's just another way to play a game.

I'm gonna go with yes and no

The priority is gaming, without question, but why cut the device short of something it's perfectly capable of doing? Again, my point of reference is the Shield. When I experienced the way its software handles it's just so clearly the right path for the Vita which Sony seems to have blatantly ignored. Having a Vita should, ideally, give me no reason to want a tablet or other entertainment touch device of a similar class.

But this is history repeating itself: Sony creates a new medium which they will make redundant later. They have simply evolved from physical media to software and OS.

My point is about the hardcore gamer: why limit the hardcore gamers? Why not give them the device they want and make it their primary device? Give them a reason to use it every day. The more you use it the more you will invest in it.

I consider myself a hardcore gamer but I don't use my Vita for anything anymore. Quite a few of the indie titles I liked are on Android and I would much rather play them on the Shield simply because I spend more time on it in general. If I spent more time with my Vita I would most certainly buy games for it and vice versa if I have more games on it I will inevitably spend more time using it.

[Pugnate]

So I was given the device again with a memory card for an updated review. Coincidentally, the same time as this thread popped back up. Anyway, this time I get to keep it as payment rather than the $100 I get paid per review. WOOH. 

I love the device. I agree with Sirean, it feels quite phenomenal. With just a few bucks a month, the PSN+ gives you a variety of great games, including Uncharted etc., but the treasure are the Indie and Free to Play gems.

The key to getting the most out of your Vita is to not buy a single disc game, and just get a huge memory card. Then, you can download the AAA games for half the price from PSN. Luckily, I got the Vita 2 months ago during the holiday sale, where I only spent $7 on the PSN membership and at this moment in time, I've put in less than $15 and have a huge library of magnificent games. I find it so hard to put the Vita down!

If you have a Vita, play Jetpack Joyride. It is absolutely free and just an amazingly fun game. I am so addicted to my Vita. Other games such as Wipeout, I never really liked on the big screen, even though I tried really hard on the PS3. But it seems that Wipeout is made for the Vita.

In other news, why are all the Angry Birds games so expensive on PSN? $40 for Star Wars Angry Birds? What are they smoking?

[Xessive]

Awesome and congrats!

Yeah, I have no idea why Angry Birds is so overpriced. Even on PC it's like $30 when you can just as easily get the Android version for free and just run an emulator.

I have also noticed by comparing regional PSN stores that prices vary from each region not only by currency but by actual value. For example, in the PSN Middle East store they use USD currency (since it's very commonly used across the region) but stuff that costs $50 is around $70 here, which is much higher, even when considering any taxes. This is also reflected on the smaller stuff: if it's 99c in the US store it's about $2.39 in the ME store.

I've run some comparison and I have found that the USD value we are being charged in the ME store is almost exactly equivalent to the Euro value that is numerically equivalent i.e. $70 USD is almost equal to 50 Euros, which would explain  why we're being charged $70 for something that's $50 in the US store. So they're translating the numerical value to Euros then re-translating the monetary value into USD.

Anyway, that pretty much sums up why I almost* never buy stuff on the PSN Store, Origin, or Ubisoft Shop. All three seem to have no concept of currency value or fair pricing policy.

*I say almost because during certain sales events even the Euro value is great e.g. $5 instead of $3 is not a big deal etc.

Anyway, the Vita is great and I really hope that with the advent of the PS4 the Vita's library will grow. I would love to see more creative titles with innovative use of the Vita's unique features.

[Pugnate]

I find the Vita to be phenomenal. I am not sure if Android would work well with Sony's ecosystem of proprietary games? Correct me if I am wrong, but had the Vita sported Android, it would have been limited to Android games?

That being said, I wish it had more functionality, especially since implementing software like Facebook, Twitter, Gmail etc couldn't have been difficult.

X, you have the Nvidia Shield? How is it? Are you limited to Android games?

[Xessive]

Well, Sony have already demonstrated with the Xperia Play that even with Android as the OS it was not limited to Android-only games. It had a PSN access for specific Xperia Play content and games. I would have gambled that was the direction Sony was heading.

The Shield is awesome but noticeably bulkier than the Vita. It's limited to Android titles only but there are some games (and versions of games) that are made specifically for the Tegra chipset, usually with the suffix "THD" such as Soul Craft THD.

The irony is the Shield is aimed at the more niche gamers yet it sports a lot more due to Android.

[Pugnate]

So here is a list of upcoming games in case people think the device is going to be abandoned:

http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/PS+Vita/PlayStation+Vita/feature.asp?c=56210

http://www.ign.com/games/upcoming/vita

[gpw11]

I'm so tempted to buy a Vita

[idolminds]

I heard a rumor that they will announce a price drop at E3.

[Quemaqua]

It's probably the only system I'd actually want right now if I had money. Mostly because they still don't have region locking on it. Yay imports!

[gpw11]

I was going to buy the new Slim Borderlands 2 bundle and then sell the BL2 voucher for $35.  The only thing stopping me is I don't know when I'd possibly play it.  I have a bunch if games already though through both Cross Play and PS Plus

[sirean_syan]

So the slims are actually a thing in stores now? Not having seen one in person, I still feel glad I got the older model with the OLED screen. I feel like the screen is easily one of the best features on the system and whatever battery and size hit I take for it are probably worth it (battery life hasn't really been a problem, especially when put next to something like the 3DS. That is a shit battery setup).

Anyway, the Vita has been good to me the past months. It's mostly played smaller games, but having Spelunky on it is really awesome.

[gpw11]

Bought it.  Slim and BL2 bundle.  I found a card I had for $100 from a store I wouldn't have used for a while anyways, and then paid the rest.  Will try to sell Borderlands 2 code (anyone interested?) or just play it (cross save with the PS3 version which is free on PS+).

Too many games through PS Plus to turn down really.

[Pugnate]

hahaha I love Spelunky. I was really happy when I finished it. I still play the daily challenges.

[Quemaqua]

But no model has a UMD drive, yes?

[sirean_syan]

No. If you want a PSP game you'll have to rebuy it and get a digital copy. Sony has been pretty good about getting most of the games that mattered onto their store. The Patapons, LocoRocos, and most of the Final Fantasy stuff is there which covers about 90% of the good stuff. Some of it is reasonably priced as well (I think I paid $4 for Patapon). Still sucks that you have to buy them. I wish they ended up implementing some system where you could register your games or prove that you owned them in order to get a reduced price for the digital version.

[Quemaqua]

Yeah, that would have been nice. I still just really hate digital shit, especially on a handheld. I want my hard copy. We'll see whether or not I ever outgrow the PSP. At this point, I have tons of stuff for it that I've never really played, and tons more cool import stuff I want to play.

[gpw11]

If you want physical media, stay the hell away from the Vita.  I've been playing with it a bit and am pretty impressed - not neccesarily because of the Vita exclusive software, but because it's a great machine to own for older games and indie titles it seems.  I haven't bought anything since buying, but had a bit of a librabry due to the PS3 integration, cross buy, and PS+.

I find I enjoy playing games like Thomas was Alone (have on PC, PS3, and Vita...only really played past the first two levels on Vita) and Stealth Inc (Stealth Bastard) on the Vita. The screen + headphones works well and they really go together with playing in short bursts. Plus (and I could be wrong on this) I believe they're cross save compatible, so you can pick up on one machine and then move to the other later (If you have Plus).

PSOne games work very well and I'm sure I'll play any that I pick up for cheap on Vita instead of the PS3.  Conversely, the streaming support is cool (remote play).  I've been away from my house (on wifi) and connected with my media server to watch something.  I've also connected to play Shadow of the Colossus and Vagrant Story.  Bad ass. Remote Play doesn't work flawlessly (or even that great - the vast majority of games don't support it) on the PS3, but PS4 support is universal, so that's something to think about.

All in all, considering I sold my copy of BL2 for $35 and got a 8gb memory card in the bundle, I'm pretty happy with it.

[gpw11]

So, more time with it and another update (sorry).  Pretty blown away by this thing.  I've tried some of the free "AAA" games available to me:

-Gravity Rush:  I want to like this game, but the combat is just terrible and it starts to take up too much of the game about half way in.  It's a good show piece for sure, and the "platforming" is pretty amazing, but I couldn't go on.

-Uncharted: I like it so far.  I'm kind of an Uncharted fan though.

Beyond that, this seems to be a hell of a machine for Indie titles and older games, as I said before. Even thinking about rebuying Spelunky (also, FEZ), because I might actually get into it now.  The only reason I haven't is I have a strong feeling they'll both be free eventually.

[Pugnate]

I am enjoying your updates. Keep 'em coming.

I basically use this thing as my indie machine. I'd rather play Hotline Miami, Thomas was Alone, Spelunky... etc on the Vita than the PC. It is ideal.

[gpw11]

Can't stop playing this fucking thing.

PSOne Classics are great on it, but there are a ton of otherwise great games as well.  PS Plus is a necessity.  What it doesn't have is a lot of high budget exclusives, but I'm cool with that - I'm having a blast just using it as a portable indie machine.  Rouge Legacy was so much fun on it, and it's great being able to play it on the PS3 and then transfer to the vita if I'm going out of town somewhere.   Cross play is a great  Sony initiative.   Hell, I now have Metal Gear Solid HD Legacy on both the PS3 and Vita so I can do the same thing.

Sony knocked it out of the park here, even if it isn't the most successful handheld.  And knowing that streaming support is mandatory on all PS4 games means that this thing is a must if you have that console.

[Xessive]

I love mine too

Btw, I finally checked out the Vita Slim: it is physically sleeker and the micro-USB port is a huge plus (it would also help me carry one less charger around when I'm travelling) but the drop in screen quality is noticeable. I mean it's not a bad screen but compared to the original Vita there is a clear difference.

I also got a 64GB memcard which has really alleviated the storage restriction.

[Cobra951]

Nothing beats self-emissive pixels (OLED, Plasma, CRT).  I laughed when they tried to spin the switch to backlit LCD as a good thing.

You're all making me jealous.  I'm so out of the portable gaming scene.