Playstation Vita « Joystics Game Reviews

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Playstation Vita

Release Date: 2012, February 22
Rating: 4.5/5
Studio: Sony Computer Entertainment

Rounding out the control options are regular face buttons, shoulder buttons, an extremely high quality directional pad and a super accurate touch screen. This device is built for gaming and does not disappoint. The only minor hiccup is the throw distance of the analog sticks. There is significantly less distance here for you to move the analog stick, so it will require a little bit of adjusting to for it to feel natural.

Battery life for the system falls into range of any other mobile device playing a game, around three to five hours. This matches the 3DS and most smart phones when used exclusively for gaming, so it is hard to completely fault Sony. Just remember to charge the Vita overnight so you have a fresh battery to enjoy the next day.

The biggest selling point for the Vita (outside of a great launch line up), is the killer OLED screen. While not sporting an HD resolution, the colors on the screen are unbelievable. Even running Netflix and streaming standard def ’90s sitcoms looks fantastic on this screen, and the games look even better. This very well could be the best screen on a mobile device, ever.

Replacing the PSP’s and PS3′s cross media bar is a new touch centric operating system, dubbed LiveArea. It is essentially a desktop filled with icons you flip around and organize however you like. It isn’t perfect, especially when matched to iOS or Android. But as a gaming console it is very flexible and extremely responsive. It gets the job done and does so quickly. Expect more refinement in future updates.

The two biggest dings on the Vita’s report card are lack of display output and no built in memory. With the Vita approaching console quality visuals, it is extremely disappointing to lose a feature that even modern PSP’s had with display out. HDMI output would have be a glorious addition. As far as memory, the Vita uses some very pricey proprietary memory format and doesn’t include a single kilobyte in the package. Many games require one for game saves and with the push for digital distribution the memory cards become paramount to enjoying the Vita.

The Vita ships in two versions, a wifi only model at $250 and a 3G version at $300. For that extra $50 you get access to a 3G antenna and built in GPS. While GPS helps with some of the Vita’s built in software it isn’t necessary to enjoy the system in the slightest, and 3G is extremely limited based on your data plan. You won’t be able to game over 3G or download large files, so it ends up being relegated to web browsing and you’re better off doing that on a smartphone.

At the end of the day, the Vita is a gaming machine. A monster of a gaming machine, and it fits in your hands. While there are a few deficiencies it isn’t anything that can hold back all of the bright spots the device has. The launch lineup is one of the best in console history. Any self respecting gamer would be doing themselves a disservice if they didn’t jump on the Vita bandwagon.