So...who Got A Ps Vita?

[Tormod]

OK, I admit it...I bought my first handheld gaming device when I got the Playstation Vita two weeks ago. And I'm pretty impressed by it. Anyone else get it? What games did you get?

 

I am currently playing Uncharted: Golden Abyss. It's incredible how they manage to retain the "feel" of the game when moving from the big-screen PS3 to the PS Vita's 5" screen.

[CraigD]

I don't have a PS Vita yet, but am thinking about it. I like the idea of a handheld with 2 analog sticks (they go well with my 2 analog thumbs :)), having decided not to get a PS Portable because it didn't have even 1 analog stick, getting a Nintendo DS instead, as it's touchscreen is, in principle, a great analog control, though I never played a game that IMHO proper use of it - ie: let you aim, smoothly move sliders or virtual sticks, etc. After a few months and a few games, my DS began gathering dusts.

 

With these close-source/platform console/handhelds, the design directions of big game shops are as important as the hardware, so unless I find one of the existing couple of dozen Vita games has the kind of game I like - more or less a move&point&shooter like the BioShock games (or, be still my heart, a float&point&shoot one like the old Descent games), I'll likely wait 'til the announced but yet or barely if at all dev started BioShock for Vita game before getting one.

 

How would you rate the feel of the controls and touchscreen on the Vita, Tormod? Would you say good enough to fly a realistic flight sim, or too small or clunky?

 

I've long lamented the lack of really good analog stick on present day consoles. The 2 thumbsticks on the "standard" Playstation controller (for most purposes, the same for the PS2 and PS3) are pretty good, but far from the equal of the old Nintendo 64 controller single big one. IMHO, the best non-lock-on shooter to date was 15 years ago, the GoldenEye 007, where stick position corresponded exactly to the onscreen aimpoint position, a scheme that's unworkable in my experience with present day controller sticks, which every non-lock-on game I've seen use to allow you to nudge the aimpoint around. I still keep an old N64, just to occasionally re-experience what a good analog control can do.

[Tormod]

I will not argue that the dual thumbsticks on the PS Vita are perfect, but they are a vast improvement over the PSP. I do miss a lot of shots in Uncharted. But with other games they feel surprisingly natural and smooth.

 

I highly recommend trying out the PSV!

 

I look forward to a "real" FPS showing up for the PSV. Uncharted is mostly a tour-de-force when it comes to visuals and interactive story. But for that it's fantastic.

 

BTW, Bioshock has been announced, but no ETA as of yet.