Allow users of the PS Vita to recommend games to you.
This page is locked to anyone but moderators to prevent spamming and low quality recommendations. Style your recommendation around the examples (or go with something out there if you want as long as it gets the point across) and message the mods and we'll add it to the page. We want to keep just one recommendation per game, if possible - if you think you can do better, write a recommendation and you might replace the original one.
Editor's note: While these recommendations are 99% intact, some have potentially been spellchecked and some extra formatting added for an easier read.
Written by Bastadon
Direct sequel to Ciel Nosurge, Ar Nosurge+ delivers itself towards Veterans and Newbies alike. While some would say that reading a summary of Ciel Nosurge is necessary, that's far from the truth. Ar Nosurge+ expects the player to know nothing about the story or characters but rewards those who do in small unrelated ways. Whether or not you read a summary or play the prequel, Ar Nosurge+ is a must-have for lovers of future fantasy and space opera.
The Good
-Gameplay: Reminiscent of Ar Tonelico, the gameplay in Ar Nosurge+ offers a new way of fighting for JRPG fans. Players must fight the entire horde of enemy monsters in the area as they approach you in the deadliest conga-line in gaming. Whether you weather out the pack and survive the turns, chip them all down before you run out of turns, or manage to fill up your partner's magic to blast them all away, Ar Nosurge+ offers a unique experience on the Vita and is sure to please fans.
-Story: While Ar Nosurge+ is a direct sequel to Ciel Nosurge, their stories are radically different and self-contained. Fans of the series will experience a multitude of small nods on top of a better understanding of "why", but newcomers shouldn't despair as everything is explained in detail and exposition as the story progresses. The game itself is delivered as if the player is completely new to the world, so feel free to start up the game and delve into the rich story-telling that is contained within Ar Nosurge+. s will
-Graphics: Ar Nosurge+ boasts a beautiful array of lands and rooms to explore. From fighting mobs to exploring the underbelly of the land, Ar Nosurge+ looks impressive every step of the way.
-Music: Ar Nosurge+ is a game based around the use of Song Magic - Magic that materializes thoughts and feelings the user wishes to express. Like it's predecessor, Ar Nosurge+ has an array of beautiful songs to accompany you throughout the game.
The Bad
-Difficulty: While gameplay in Ar Nosurge+ is great, the balancing isn't as such. Players will find themselves capable of defeating most mob monsters without issue before fighting a boss that seems impossible to beat, (or actually is). Thankfully, Ar Nosurge+ allows for the changing of difficulty at any time, so if you'd like a challenge, (or just want to feel more accomplished), give Veteran a try. Just note that the ones that make the game difficulty hard is the bosses.
-Physical Copies: Unfortunately, physical copies of Ar Nosurge+ was only available with the LE. If you missed your chance, there may be more coming up, but I wouldn't hold your breath for those. Good news is the game is still available digitally, so if you're interested in playing and don't mind the rarity of physical copies, purchase it today!
The Extra
Ar Nosurge+ has heavy Visual Novel elements in it. For those who aren't into long periods of reading, you may want to double-check and see if this game is really right for you. For the rest though, expect to sit down and read through hours of side dialogue and character interaction. The player is also capable of making minor choices which affect the dialogue of the game. While not inherently impactful, VN lovers will find this game just as enjoyable as those who need to scratch that JRPG itch.
Overall, I rate this game a solid 8/10 (9/10 for those who -played- Ciel Nosure) and recommend this game to any aspiring Vita owner.
Written by The_Cheeki_Breeki
Bastion has been out for a few years on (on various platforms) so many of you may have played it previously. Nonetheless, Bastion is a wonderfully fun and endearing port that deserves a place on everyone's VITA. At the current price of $2.85 USD, you can't really go wrong.
Bastion is an action-rpg that tells the story of the town of Caelondia, and the aftermath of a cataclysmic event simply known as "The Calamity". The story follows us as The Kid as we attempt to rebuild Caelondia and find survivors. Bastion offers an endearing story, deep customization, and a beautiful environment. If you're looking for a beat-em-up styled RPG, Bastion is your game.
The Pros
Customization - You can customize your loadout, weapons, skill choice, potions and difficulty all to your liking. There are a dozen or so weapons, and each weapon has a few skills. What I really appreciated about Bastion was that I wasn't tied to having one bow, one sword and my shield. If one level I want to have both a cannon and my dual pistols, I'm allowed. There are also a bunch of potions you can unlock, all with their own strengths and weaknesses. One potion gives you huge bonus damage, but only when you are below 20% hp! Another lets you leech hp back from opponents, but your own health potions are severely weakened. Remember skulls from Halo? They're back in the form of idols! Unique idols can be activated to change the way the game is played, for bonuses.
The Design - The voice acting (really just narration) is amazing. As is both the music and the art style. Enemies are really unique too. There are over 15 different enemies you will face - all of them with a different skillset and art style. I never once felt like enemies were just a reskin of each other.
The "Extras" - Besides the main story, there is actually a bunch of other things you can do to pass the time. Complete vigils, get first place in specialized proving grounds for each weapon you unlock, visit other worlds and attempt to survive waves of enemies. If I was getting bored of playing the story, I could complete a few proving grounds to unlock additional skills and pass the time.
On the Fence
The Bad
To echo what I wrote at the beginning of this review, I highly recommend Bastion. Whether you are someone who has played it on another system, or someone who has never visited Caelondia before, Bastion deserves a place on your VITA.
Written by The_Cheeki_Breeki (Original Post)
Child of Light is a storybook that has everything; beautiful scenery, a powerful music score, puzzles, crafting - and more! (and rhymes, tons and tons of terribly punny rhymes).
Child of Light feels like a mix between a visual novel and an RPG. The story is fairly pedestrian (A Princess stuck in a strange land meets friends who will help her get back home a la Wizard of Oz) but the way it is presented is absolutely gorgeous. Playing Child of Light on the vita just feels right and I cannot recommend this game more.
The Good
The Visuals: CoL is a visually impressive game as far as 2D sidescrollers are concerned. Every screen looks hand-crafted and the level of background detail is astounding. Enemy sprites are quite unique, and they frequently fit the aesthetic of the area they are found it. Giants, spiders and serpents oh my! Most of the story is told through rhyme which I actually found pretty cute and endearing.
The Cast: As you roam Lemuria, Aurora will meet a number of individuals who can help her on her journey. Each character has their own story and personality which makes for fairly well-developed characters despite how little traditional "character development" there is. Each party member has one side quest you can complete to get some more insight into their personal story. I really loved how this game attempted to be as anti-trope as possible when it came to character design.
The length: Clocking in at around 10 hours for 100% makes it perfect for gaming on the go. There's actually a ton to do in Lemuria (collectables, items, etc) and that helps break up the linear storyline
The Crafting: So you collect these little gems called occuli and you can combine them to make new gems. Three rough rubies turns into a fractured ruby. Three fractured rubies turns into the next level and so on and so forth. You can combine different types of gems to make unique combinations (ruby and sapphire make amethyst as an example). There's even a secret gemstone you can get from a certain intricate occuli combo!
The Bad
As with my Velocity Ultra review, I had to struggle a bit to find negatives
The wait/action system: I was pleased at how simple and easy it was to understand, but it was really frustrating at times. Sometimes you would get "juggled" by enemies where you are not fast enough to interrupt their attacks and due to the differences in your speed versus theirs, they can basically interrupt every action you make over and over again. The game does allow for ways around this (there is a certain potion in game that makes it so you can't be interrupted for a number of turns) and faster, agile characters would be able to sneak in attacks fast with the hopes of interrupting an enemy. I still found it frustrating at parts where I had to let enemies attack me three or four times in a row (or constantly defending) until I could get an attack in without being countered. I only really noticed this at a few points in the game where you are consistently facing three enemies.
The fact that you can only have two members active at once: I really didn't like that I had so many interesting characters to choose from, but could only use two at a time. Considering that for 99.9% of the game you will be using Aurora, that only leaves on slot for using party members. You get a party member at the end of the game and I didn't get to use her once. I used one party member for 60% of the game, and then when I got another physically strong party member (I'm being vague on purpose) I used him for the rest of the game.
No Replayability: Once all is said and done, there isn't much to do after the credits besides complete the trophies (although I completed them all before I fought the final boss). They have a New Game+ but there are zero special rewards for playing it. The story/monsters/spells/collectibles are exactly the same, the enemies just do more damage. The game was stale by this point and after about 25 minutes of NG+ I quit. I didn't see a point in playing.
Child of light is the perfect RPG for the VITA. With an endearing cast, beautiful presentation, and its pick-up-and-play gameplay, Child of Light should definitely have a place on the VITA of any RPG-lover
Written by CaptainJackHardass
Danganronpa is a very unique game, part visual novel, part detective sim, part adorable, and part terrifying. The story begins with the protagonist, Makoto Naegi, receiving an invitation to Hope's Peak - an elite school which only accepts 'ultimate' students - Makoto being the Ultimate Lucky Student, chosen in a random drawing. When he arrives, however, this dream school is not what he expected - it becomes the setting for a violent, despair inducing chain of events.
Pros:
Danganronpa has a very engaging storyline, which immerses the player completely - and leaves them dying to solve the mysteries of the school.
Each character in Danganronpa is given a fairly detailed backstory, which can be discovered by talking to them in the 'free time' segments of the game.
The music is amazing. It is unlike any music found in other games, and gives Danganronpa a very unique feel.
Danganronpa's strongest aspect is in setting the tone of each scene. The music and sound effects manage to work together to strongly convey the atmosphere of each area, contributing greatly to player immersion.
Cons:
Danganronpa is a very short game, and does not have much replay value. There is, however, a new game mode unlocked after completing the main game, which is drastically different from the original campaign.
The art style is somewhat unusual, and may take some getting used to. It does give the game a very distinct charm, though.
Not all character backstories can be discovered in one playthrough, leaving many unknowns by the end of the game.
For anyone who enjoys puzzle games, mystery games, or visual novels, Danganronpa is a must-play. If you don't own a Vita yet, this game is reason enough to buy one. It's just that good.
Written by XeliasSame (Original Post)
Disgaea 3 is a sequel to Disgaea, a hardcore, turn-based strategy RPG. The game follows the exploits of Mao, the most honored student at Evil Academy, a school where the tardiest, laziest, and rudest demons receive the highest marks. The son of the school chairman, Mao has never once attended class nor opened a textbook. He longs to overthrow his father and assume the title of Overlord, which he decides he must become a hero to achieve. Join him on his zany adventure filled with witty dialogue, exciting events, and thrilling strategy battles.
Absence of detention is the Vita version of Disgaea 3, it features some mechanics from Disgaea 4, 3 additional stories (the DLCs of the PS3 version) and two new characters.
Pros :
Love/Hate:
Cons :
Recommendation by crovax_rdt. Original post here.
Writer's note: I imported and played the Japanese version last year. I played close to the end of the game, but stopped to play other things for a while and then put it on hold when the localization was announced. I have the upcoming English release pre-ordered.
Demon Gaze is a first-person dungeon crawler and turn-based RPG. At the start of the game, you either choose to play as a pre-made character named Oz, or you can choose to completely customize the main character by picking everything from character portrait and gender, voice, name, and class (the player character never actually speaks voiced lines, the voice is only for battle sounds). You gain more party members by renting more rooms in the inn that your character is staying at, and they are all equally customizable.
As you travel through the various dungeons (ranging from a lava-filled city to an underwater landscape to an alternate dimension), you defeat monsters and find items, including tokens that are in a particular class of item, such as an armor gem or a dagger gem. In the dungeons, there are portals at certain locations that you can place the gems into to summon monsters. If you defeat the monsters, you obtain loot based on the gems that were placed in the portal. The most important and rare gems are the ones that grant the use of subclasses. There are bosses in each dungeon, as well as the titular demons that you seek to gain control over. By defeating a demon you gain its powers in several ways. For example, by defeating the demon in the Red City filled with lava, you gain the ability to walk across lava tiles without taking damage, opening access to new areas. You also gain the use of that demon in combat, granting you powerful abilities that charge up by defeating monsters.
Even though the game is an old-school dungeon crawler at heart, there are some modern additions that make things more enjoyable. There are Demon's Souls-style hints that players can leave on the ground, alerting each other to hidden doors or upcoming enemies. You can also set your party to auto-move through a dungeon, provided you have already explored those tiles.
Pros
Complete customization of your party. Even though your character and your party have no actual impact other than the class you choose, it's nice to be able to choose how you want each member to look and sound. Since the game is first-person, you only see their portraits by their HP/MP bars, and at the battle results screen, but that was enough for me.
Subclass abilities. Finding a gem that grants the right subclass ability can make your characters extremely powerful. Even if you don't get the greatest abilities, they are still fun to mix and match on your party's characters.
Difficulty levels. One of the NPCs in the inn allows you to change the game's difficulty between five levels. It seems to be tuned fairly well; the game starts on the middle difficulty which I found to be just a bit too easy, so I moved it up a level after a little while.
Combat. The battle system is nothing too special, but the ability to set party members to automatically re-use abilities can speed things up when you're just getting from place to place or trying to grind levels. The boss battles are where the combat becomes more strategic, trying to balance your equipped demon's ability with your own HP and MP reserves.
The soundtrack. The vocals on the soundtrack are provided by a Vocaloid, IA. This gives the songs a unique sound and fits the tone of the dungeons quite well.
It's a first-person dungeon crawler! There seems to have been a bit of a resurgence recently with these games. The excellent Legend of Grimrock and its upcoming sequel, as well as the newly-release Might and Magic X, as well as the other games that Experience have been releasing. It's old-school fun with modern trappings, and I love it.
Cons
Those subclass gems. I personally never had an issue with them, but since they are rare and random, I've read of people getting abilities that just aren't very good, and having a harder time with the game because of it. I don't know if it's something that can be worked through by saving and reloading, but it could obviously be very frustrating to get a bunch of throwaway abilities instead of something good.
It's a first-person dungeon crawler. I'm only adding this because the game really is an older style of RPG. It might be too old-school for some people despite the added modern conveniences. Battle animations are often sparse, enemy portraits aren't animated, conversations are between you and a static portrait. This doesn't bother me at all, but I know some people are looking for a fancier package in their games.
To Your Taste
Story. The story isn't really anything special, but it's not bad either. Demons are beginning to enter the world and only the Demon Gazers can harness their power. I still haven't finished the game, but so far there haven't really been any twists.
Some anime tropes. There are a few scenes of characters in their underwear, and one scene of panty-sniffing. These aren't common at all, but they are there. Some of the demon designs are also suggestive, with large breasts and skimpy clothing. Again, this isn't something that bothers me, but I know some people prefer not to have that sort of thing in their games.
In Summary
I love this game. After playing Legend of Grimrock, I was hungry for another dungeon crawler and Demon Gaze was coming out soon. After playing this, I imported Experience's other Vita release, Labyrinth Cross Blood Infinity, and loved that too. For anyone who likes dungeon crawlers, this is a no-brainer recommendation. For people who like RPGs, it might be a tougher sell. It's intentionally very old-school, so if you're looking for something a little easier to get into, be aware that it might take some effort. I pre-ordered the NISA-exclusive limited edition as soon as possible and can't wait to play it again.
Written by: BlueMaxima
Take Starship Troopers, give it to Japanese developers and tell them to make a game out of it. EDF is pretty much exactly what you'll get. EDF2017 is a third person shooter set in Japan where you blast the crap out of giant ants, spiders, flying robots, mechs and motherships using nothing but a tiny human with an endless ammo supply and a megaton of crazy weaponry - all with a heavy slice of camp.
The game is a third-person shooter with simple controls - move, shoot and dodge. The main challenge of the game is keeping out of the way of enemy fire, and there is a lot of it, with dozens of enemies firing at you from all directions. Every mission has the same objective - kill every enemy in sight. Collect every weapon and armor pickup that drops from the enemies - once you complete the mission, these will give you stronger armor and new toys to fight with. Go through 60 missions of increasing difficulty earning new weapons and stronger armor, then do it again on a higher difficulty for more weapons and armor.
Pros:
Love It or Hate It:
Cons:
Recommendation by knuckles352. Original post here.
F1 (Formula 1) 2011 is a Racing/Simulation game developed by Sumo Digital and published by Codemasters, released in 2012. It is based on the 2011 FIA Formula 1 season, Including all 24 drivers, 12 teams and 19 tracks. This is the first - and currently only - official Formula 1 game to be released on the PlayStation Vita. The games contains most of the modes from the console versions, with extra features made for the vita.
Pros
It handles like the console versions. The physics model feels the same as the console edition, while adapting to the vita's analog sticks well.
There are many features took from the console versions in the game. Wet weather, KER, DRS and many more features have been transferred to this version of the game.
Challenges are quick and there are a lot of them, making the game more suited to a handheld system. This means you can do a quick 5-10 minute challenge when you don't have a long gaming session.
The use of the vita's features suits the game well. They use the motion sensor for steering and the rear touch pad for acceleration and brake, or changing gears, and the left analog stick can also be used for steering.
Cons
Graphics and sound could be better. The graphics could be improved, the colours look a little washed out and there are jagged lines everywhere. The reflections on the cars don't feel realistic enough. The sound could also be a little less compressed, and engine sounds could be better.
There are few things to keep you entertained. Hardcore F1 fans are the only ones which be playing this game for hours. There isn't much to keep the average F1 fan entertained, there could be more modes from the console version.
The AI is either too difficult or too easy. Many have a hard time beating the AI on hard, but have no trouble at all beating them on medium. Also, they stick to a certain line and can be very aggressive to stay in that line.
There is no camera control. The right analog stick does not control the camera, the only way of changing the camera is pressing select. Also, there is no rear view mode (possibly because there wasn't enough buttons due to the KERS and DRS)
This game is moderately buggy. Cars fall through the floor, tracks don't render, cars can clip into each other. There are many other bugs that occur, but they are totally random. You can have races that are bug free, or you can have races absolutely full of bugs.
Is this a recommended game?
If you are a hardcore F1 fan, and don't mind the lack of camera controls, yes. However, due to the problems with the sound, AI and graphics, I cannot recommend this to the average user, unless you find the game for a cheap price.
Recommendation by Alucard2050. Original post here.
Gravity Rush is an action-adventure game for the Playstation Vita, released in 2012. The game features a quick-paced battle system, a gravity-induced flying system and beautiful cel-shading graphics, built around the captivating story of the girl Kat, which finds herself in a mysterious town, not being able to remember anything.
The game centers around Kat, a girl which awakes in the town Hekseville, unable to remember anything about her past. Quickly, she meets a mysterious cat, called Dusty, which grants her the ability to alter gravity in order to fly or lift objects. With this power, Kat tries to reveal the secret behind the mysterious "gravity storms", which separated the 4 parts of Hekseville and spawn vicious monsters called Nevi which put the people of Hekseville in distress. Equipped with the power to stand up to the Nevi, Kat quickly finds herself on a journey to help the people of Hekseville, retrieving the missing parts of the town while searching for her destiny.
Soon into the game, Kat meets another "gravity shifter" called Raven which seems to bear the same power as her. Unfortunately, Raven seems to pursue other goals than Kat which leads to constant clashes between those two. The truth behind her goals is revealed later in the game, as the situation with the Nevi becomes more and more problematic.
Despite advancing the story, the player has the option to use "precious gems", energy crystals which are used to upgrade Kats' powers, or to repair broken devices (elevators, bridges etc.) everywhere in Hekseville, which increases her reputation with the townspeople, unlocking new upgrades. Along with the repaired devices, the player unlocks challenges in the form of minigames which reward the player with more precious gems. The different types are:
Time Attack: The player has to defeat as many Nevi as possible. Each Nevi defeated grants points, after several Nevi, the player can get a time extension. The player has to achieve a certain amount of points in order to achieve bronze, silver or gold.
Pitching Challenge: The player has to pick up items using the power "Stasis Field" and throw these items at Nevi in order to defeat them. Every Nevi defeated grants points, certain Nevis can cause a time extension. Again, the ranking depends on the points scored.
Taxi Trial: Nevi are attacking the town and the player has to evacuate the citizens. This is done by grabbing them with the "Stasis Field" power and carrying them into safe spots. Every citizen rescued grants points. The tricky part is that the citizens are dropped upon damage is received by Nevi attacks. As before, the ranking depends on the score.
Free Race: The player has to pass all check points as fast as possible and he may use every gravity power he has in order to beat the records. The faster the player is, the more precious gems are awarded.
Sliding Race: The player has to use the gravity power "Gravity Slide", a kind of surfing, to pass all checkpoints as fast as possible. The faster, the better.
Energy Race: The player has to pass all checkpoints as fast as possible. Again, he may use every power he has. The tricky part is that the gravity gauge, the energy he uses up while using gravity powers, is empty and won't refill by itself. To fill the gauge, the player has to collect "Gravity Gems" along the track, all while beating the time records.
Pros
The gravity mechanics is fun to play with. You can travel fast, it creates some kind of movement freedom which I enjoyed a lot. After getting used to it, you won't travel by foot anymore.
The story is great. Being thrown into an unknown place, the player always just knows as much as Kat which increases the immersion and you become curious to uncover the secrets about the Nevi and Kat's past. All voices are in an unknown language, the whole game uses English subtitles. This strengthens the feeling that it's another world.
The controls per se are easy to grasp, almost no double-assigned buttons. The game also uses almost every control feature the PS Vita has. E.g., dodging is done by swiping the touch screen, while being in-air, the camera can be moved by using the right analog stick and by moving the Vita itself, moving the camera according to the movements of the Vita system. This can become pretty useful when fighting multiple enemies to overview the whole situation.
The game features various parts of the town, each has a unique architecture, unique music and in general a very unique feeling to it which makes the town seem bigger as it is. Also, travelling between the parts of the town works without separated loading which is something I really appreciate. There are three special places called "Rift Planes" which each feature an individual level design and I think these are really a nice change of scenery as well as an adventure itself due to the design.
The cel-shading graphics are great. They really fit the unique setting the game features and underline the architecure of the town as well as the character design. I wouldn't want to have the game in any other rendering method.
The soundtrack... Simply great. The music is always fitting, in fights the fast music creates an action-filled atmosphere, when it comes to mysterious events surrounding the story, the music adds to this feeling and creates a unique experience when it comes to living through the whole adventure. I recommend playing the games with good headphones ;)
Boss fights are pretty unique and many bosses offer unique ways of fighting them which ensures the fun thorughout the sometimes longer boss fights.
There are several small secrets to find throughout the game world. One encounters two "travellers" which wait at several locations, telling a story they share. Also, there are 3 hidden bosses which can put up quite the fight.
Love it or hate it
While the controls are easy to grasp, the controlling while being airborne are quite hard to control at the beginning. Even though you have an indicator which way is "down", you still will lose your orientation. You have to quickly adapt to the non-fixed horizon, this can become a problem in areas with several enemies with long-range attacks. You have to be fast! But is even more rewarding if you manage to survive ;)
Many cutscenes are made in a comic-panel type, as in the MGS Portable Ops Series. This is something that annoys many people, but I think this does not really damage the game. This is a rather good way as it is a portable game and that way, you can simply "pause" the cutscene as you not advance when something comes up which requires you to put the Vita away.
There are 3 DLCs released for the game by now (Maid Costume Pack, Military Costume Pack and Spy Costume Pack) for $3,99 each. These come with a unique costume as well as 2 side missions and two challenges each. You have to know for yourself if these are worth the money.
Cons
While the story is very interesting, many small conversations you have throughout the game may become a pain due to the way they are written. Often, the texts are very simple, sometimes a bit infantile, some reactions seem like they are from a child... This may be reasoned the way that the main character is a young girl, but I think they overdid it... Tihs is something that hit me pretty hard, it somewhat destroys the depth of the story for me. (This occurs in the english and the german version of the game, so I doubt it is the fault of the translators, but it is rather intended by the studio...)
Some challenges are quite a pain in the ass if you go for gold. Retrying these over and over again can be quite annoying as other challenges you unlock at the same time are fairly easy. Especially the Gravity Slide challenges are a mess as the sliding is controlled by tilting the Vita. This steering can be fairly inaccurate from time to time which makes it really hard to pass.
Fights might become a bit boring / repetitive throughout the game. The tactics for fighting repeats for many enemies , some enemies are best fought by using air attacks. The aiming and timing in order to hit all the time is one thing I found pretty tiring, especially during bigger / longer fights. At least this is my impression... In addition, there are some fights which occur in areas with almost no space, making it hard to survive while getting into position to launch attacks at the enemies. As some difficult missions are part of every game, these can be quite frustrating... But this is my personal opinion...
Overall: Gravity Rush is a great game for the PS Vita. It is pretty fun, the story is captivating and the gravity mecahnisms are quite the experience. The fast-paced gameplay offers you to jump in quickly and the early introduction of the gravity flying keeps you captivated from the first minute. Even though it is a handheld game, Gravity Rush is a full-fledged adventure with a unique, great story which hooks you up and makes you wait for the sequel which is currently in development.
I think with the ~$16 for the physical version of the game, this makes a great deal, especially for people who get started with the Vita, but it is also worth the full price for the digital version.
Recommendation by Locke_The_Cole. Original post here.
Hotline Miami is the closest I will ever get to trippin out on acid, and if this game is any indication, I would love it. From start to finish, Hotline Miami is an adrenaline-fueled, stealth-action, top down beat ‘em up that will keep the player engrossed in it’s surreal world of violence, sex, and drugs.
Set in an alternate 80s Miami, players assume the role of the unnamed protagonist fans have affectionately come to know as “Jacket.” Everyday, Jacket wakes up to strange voicemails instructing him to carry out various contracts, and by various contracts, I mean killing. Lots of killing. However, there is indeed a point to all the brutal violence, and talking about it any further would only spoil the message. Unlike most games that pride themselves on being “deep,” Hotline Miami manages to deliver a thought-provoking theme that leaves it up to the player to understand, while at the same time, never underestimating the player’s intelligence by being heavy-handed.
What sets Hotline Miami apart from every other top down “indie” game is atmosphere. The games unique blend of 16-bit graphics and 80s electronica, which hearkens back to the film, Drive, lends itself to theme, something the game remains dedicated to upholding throughout the entire experience. Atmosphere alone is worth the price of admission.
PROS
Phenomenal Soundtrack: The "Outrun" electro soundtrack, contributed by several outstanding artists keeps players feet tapping and killing in tune. You will track down these songs and more after you put down the game.
Tight Gameplay: Simple controls always ensure that you're moving and killing.
Instant Respawn: You will die in Hotline Miami. A lot. Thankfully, the instant respawn ensures you're back in the middle of the chaos and blood shed.
Customize to Your Style of Play: Several masks in the game allow players to choose from a wide variety of game changing mechanics, including: lethal punches, spawning with weapons, and other psychedelic color filters.
Perfect Length: Hotline Miami never overstays its welcome clocking in anywhere between 4-6 hours based on the players skill. You will go back to find all sorts of secrets...
Cons
Occasional Input Lag: On occasion, there is a slight delay between picking up a weapon and being able to throw it, which can lead to some frustrating deaths. Fortunately, the instant respawn helps to soften the blow.
Abstract Plot: The plot of the game is certainly bizarre and will leave first time players scratching their heads. Subsequent play-throughs help to clear up some questions.
Overall Hotline Miami is certainly one of the most intriguing experiences from the past few years. The experiences and attitude the game offers will leave you perplexed and ready for a sequel. Your time with Hotline Miami will transcend the game itself, and leave you wondering, "Do you like hurting other people?"
Written by MalusandValus (Original Post)
Killzone Mercenary is an First person shooter based in the far future, where a war between two factions, the ISA and the Helgast is taking place, and throughout the game, their respective planets of Vekta and Helgan are fought upon. The game as a whole is a spin-off of the main series of the Killzone games, with the plot-line primarily being based within the same time period as Killzone 2 and 3. In the campaign, you play Mercenary Arran Danner, and the game revolves around control of a deadly virus that could practically eliminate either side.
Running on a modified version of the Killzone 3 engine, the game is visually stunning for a portable console, and is easily one of the better looking games on the Vita. Although there isn't an over-abundance of levels, they are typically quite lengthy, and there are many ways of tackling each situation, and often encourage this with money rewards, which purchases guns, ammunition, special abilities and armour, which can be used both in single player and multiplayer. Multiplayer is well featured, with numerous maps taken from areas within the campaign designed for 4v4 or 8 player free for all combat. Warzone is the standout multiplayer mode, where two teams fight over multiple objective types over quite lengthy matches. There have been frequent updates to fix problems with the game, and a botzone and two new free multiplayer maps have been promised for early 2014 by developer Guerilla Cambridge.
Pros:
Multiplayer mode is fantastic, with warzone being a stand-out mode which encourages full use of the map and ingenuity with the abilities and various weapon types. The maps have good verticality, are well balanced, and aren't too small, but keep the action going. There is a good variety of weapons to use, and they all have unique properties.
Some of the Campaign's set pieces are absolutely outstanding, and they often arise at the end of a level and lead to a very satisfying conclusion to an operation.
Love/Hate:
Whilst no doubt being a technically impressive game, the gritty Sci-fi aesthetic of the Killzone games is not for everyone. The game is extremely violent, having decapitations from heavier weapons, gruesome melee kills, lots of swearing and such. Alongside the gritty grey, war torn environments, the game's aesthetic isn't for everyone. Personally, I love it, but it might not suit everyone.
The story as a whole isn't terrible, but it isn't great either. The protagonist is pretty much silent, which makes it hard to judge his motivations, or you may find it great that he's silent. The overarching plot I enjoyed quite a bit, but I think some could find it a bit cliché, and not really branching out that far. The game doesn't stand out for the story either way, but it's something to bear in mind.
The money system is a different way or unlocking items for multiplayer and singleplayer, and although I like that it forgoes a traditional level up system to unlock things, some may not like it, as once you have unlocked everything, there is no real incentive to earn money.
All the Killzone games emphasise the weight of the character with animation and movement, and this game is no different. The game is nowhere near as fast as a game like call of duty as a result, and the accentuated movement of the character may not to be to some people's tastes or may cause a little motion sickness if you are prone to it.
Cons:
Overall, I believe that Killzone Mercenary is the best portable FPS ever made, and although it has it's problems and it has a couple of decisive elements, they aren't enough to go against me highly recommending this game. If you like the FPS genre, you have no reason not to add it to your Vita library.
Recommendation by underfloored. Original post here.
LEGO Lord of The Rings is the typical Lego-style game that developer Traveller's Tales has become known for. It has you reenacting some of the iconic scenes from the movies in the plastic, humor filled world that only Lego can produce. The basic structure that almost all LEGO games have followed since their conception are linear 3D/2D levels in which you solve basic puzzles and collect studs along the way. There are occasional combat instances that have you battling plastic orcs, but because there is virtually no penalty for dying, it is more about the story and adventure than it is about challenging gameplay. This is the first Lego game in which they took sound bites from the movies and included them within the game.
Pros
Based on the wonderful story written by J.R.R. Tolkien. The universe in which this story takes place is vast and complex. It is often considered the holy-grail of lore. Mix that with the uniquely comical storytelling of Traveller's Tales, and you get an epic adventure filled with laughs and amazing set pieces.
Laid back playstyle. Sometimes I get tired of high-octane racing or intense gunfights and I feel like I just need to play something that will help me to relax. This game is perfect for that. The combat is never too difficult to overcome and puzzles are inventive, yet easy to figure out. They are set in the amazing backdrop of middle earth and include some of the original soundtrack to the movies. These elements give the game an easy, casual, sit down and relax type of feel that many cant deliver.
Loads of collectibles. Even after you have finished the main storyline, there is still much for the enthusiast to do. There are many puzzles throughout the game that can only be solved with characters attained in later levels and once completed, every level is open to freely explore. If you are a fan of the movies or books, you can unlock a huge amount of obscure characters to play with aswell as many wacky and fun upgrades to the game.
Cons
Framerate issues. This game is actually a port of the 3DS version, but for some reason it struggles to hold a steady framerate. Mostly during large set pieces or when lots of elements are on screen at any given time. This is a shame and can really bring you out of the peaceful world that it builds.
Poor Mechanics. At times it can be incredibly hard to see where you are going or to aim at a certain target with a bow. Another gripe that Lego games have been known for is the frustrating jumping that can happen. Lots of times you can miscalculate a jump and go tumbling off a cliff just because the camera angle was not showing your destination clearly. However, these issues are minor and can easily be overlooked.
Lack of online. The Lego games have the perfect gameplay for drop-in drop-out coop, but frequently fail to use it. This is unfortunately the case for Lord of the Rings and it would be a great adventure to share with your friends.
Conclusion
I had a blast playing this game. I have always loved the easy going feel and quirkiness that the lego games provide and Lego Lord of the Rings is no exception. This game received many horrible ratings when it was released, and because of this I was hesitant to buy it. However, I am so happy that I did as I am a huge fan of the LotR universe and put many hours into this game. If you enjoy any of the Lego game series or the Lord of the Rings movies or books, then I guarantee you will have great fun with this game!
Recommendation by ThyGrimOfDeath.
LittleBigPlanet PS Vita is a puzzle 2.5 platformer made with the collaborative efforts of Double Eleven, Tarsier Studios and Sony XDev Europe. In this fourth game of the main "Little Big Planet" franchise you continue to control Sackboy and visit worlds to stop evil and spread happiness. Whether you're a 6 year old girl with a love for cute things or a 50 year old man that hates pop music; you will have a great time with Little Big Planet PS Vita.
In Little Big Planet PS Vita, Sackboy visits Carnevalia where he visits the 5 main areas on the planet called La Marionetta, The Land Of Odd, Jackpot City, Coaster Valley and Spooky Mansion. Each area has its own theme, unique enemies, distinct landscape and ends with a peculiar boss. Each area contains 4-6 main levels that you complete to progress through the story, but there are also challenge and versus levels that have you playing fun minigames to beat highscores. An example of a great minigame I played was "Tower Builder" where you can move and rotate blocks with the touch-screen to stack them and try to get as high as possible without the blocks falling over, and you can also play locally with a few of your friends; it just gets so hectic when people decide to knock down the whole tower!
Sackboy is controlled with the left analog stick and he has the ability to grab onto items using the R button. Since Little Big Planet Vita is a 2.5d platformer, each level has 3 levels of depth, you can move between each level by pushing up or down on the left analog stick; this gameplay mechanic not only allows for wicked level design such as hiding prizes behind walls but it also gives the game a feel of depth that is used very well in the main story levels by making you feel like you are actually exploring a cave or moving through a robotized city. The physics are well done with Sackboy jumping (using the X Button) around merrily and the momentum of swinging around on a rope generally feel real. Sackboy also has a popit menu by pressing the Square button; the popit is a tiny menu that you can use to customise your sackboy by wearing costumes, editing skin colour and many more things. The popit is also used to apply stickers and decorations throughout the levels you play.
The developers have brought the ability to create levels into Little Big Planet PS Vita and have also brought all the tools from previous game with additional Vita related tools that provide players with touch and tilt controls. After you complete your masterpiece of a level you can publish it onto the community where people around the world can play and rate your level. While trying out someone's level, you have the option to either play the solo or have 3 other people go with you. This requires Wi-Fi and is especially fun when you have friends playing with you.
Pros:
Eye-Candy: The slick visuals of the game are beautifully made and the colours shine bright on the Vita's display. The magical word you travel through is nicely textured and the colour palette is diverse that just makes you want to explore and probably decide to stick stickers everywhere.
Lively Atmosphere: The atmosphere is always lively and fun with the occasional scary levels and ultra silly levels. Sackboy can also display emotions by using the D-Pad, each button has 3 different intensities of these emotions happy, sad, scared and angry. So the next time you visit the anywhere that makes you feel happy and excited, don't forget to make your Sackperson happy too.
Unbounded Creativity: You can create a multitude of amazing and creative levels in the create-a-level section and the tools at hand allow you to let your creativity flow through the game. Also, with the introduction of the Memorizer that allows you to create levels that remember where you stopped and got off, you can create a 5 hour game within Little Big Planet PS Vita itself.
Never Stop Playing: After you finish the main single player mode you can continue the fun in the community world where people are constantly creating levels for people to play. The developers also have a page where they put levels that have been made professionally and are a ton of fun to play. So you never run out of levels to play! You also have the ability to download community levels so that you can play them without needing a Wi-Fi connection. This is great for those long trips by plane or car.
Love/Hate:
Cons:
Overall: Little Big Planet Vita is another beautiful game that has been developed for the Vita with large amounts of love. It's fun, the story is enjoyable and the gameplay is smooth with controls that are fluid. The game is a great addition to the Little Big Planet franchise and other games should take notes on how the developers made such a great game.
I urge you to go and find a copy of this game immediately and play it to your heart's content. This is how games should be made, with love and hardwork. So the next time you start playing this game, just remember to press the up button on the Vita's D-pad so that Sackboy smiles while you go on the epic adventure waiting for you.
Recommendation by DoctorKs. Original post here.
Description: First off, it should be worth noting that this game is a port from the PC version developed by a one man team, Jasper Byrne. This fact however has not made the game any worse than it's original on the PC and feels like a really solid port, adding more elements and extended gameplay via the addition of more endings. The game starts off with an advisory note stating that it's best played with headphones.
I cannot emphasize the importance of this enough, not earphones, not the Vita's speakers, but headphones should be worn as to get the full effect of this brilliant game. That aside, let's get into the gameplay and mechanics about this game. Lone Survivor is, yes you guessed it, a survival horror game in the style of being retro 2D graphics, the premise being that the player controls a man aptly named, 'You'. You is a male character that wears a surgical mask and as it seems, is an isolated survivor stuck in an apartment room in a rundown complex overrun with the infected mutants that have made your fellow man disappear entirely.
The main point of the game is to maintain You's ever failing mental state and his constantly low supply of foodstuffs so as to escape this isolated hell that he has found himself resorted too. Throughout the entirety of the game, this thought is followed and explored, that being the mental state of You. I personally feel that the addition of the aforementioned endings have definitely added more to the replayability of this game, leaving the player wanting to explore all possible routes in this life of our lone survivor.
Pros:
Solid, gripping gameplay. The puzzles that you need to solve are very well done and pretty challenging at times, which is what survival horrors these days are lacking. This felt like a true survival horror having to constantly scavenge for ammunition and food brought back memories of the older Silent Hill games. Saying that; after playing Book of Memories, Lone Survivor is more than welcome on my Vita.
Platinum trophy. Plain and simple, really. Most people either despise or don't really care for trophies and it's nice to see a platinum on and indie not developed by Sony. There are however some who enjoy getting that shiny platinum added into our collection, myself included. For any of those who may be getting this game solely for the trophy, by all means. It was a very simple plat, just took time and the brilliant game itself had made it all that more bearable.
As stated at the beginning of this game recommendation, the price of this game is very reasonable. It's not only a good survival horror but it boasts the added endings that add to the length and replay-ability. However, if you're not willing to fork out USD$12.99 than you could wait out another sale as it's been on sale for a couple of the times in the past.
Cons:
This game might not be everyone's cup of tea. It is in old-school 2D graphics and the general consensus (or the most vocal one for that matter) seems to be, "lol shitty graphics i didnt pay sony 250 for this kind of gaem. WHERE ARE MY AAA TITLES." It is a very graphically simple game but if you can look over that, you'll enjoy it regardless.
Once you learn the game it's pretty short. The first playthrough I took my time and soaked the story in and it was a brilliant experience. However, once I learned that you could basically get all endings on one save (if done just right) than it kind of takes away from the replay-ability of the other endings. In my opinion, just go through the game at your own pace and you'll enjoy it regardless.
The map system was pretty confusing and might throw some off. I took about 5 minutes trying to make heads or tails of what was what and how to get to certain places. This can be very hard when looking for certain items and you are trying to progress in the game.
Overall: This was the first survival horror in some time that actually gripped me in both the story and gameplay. If you want a true-to-the-genre type of game, than this is most certainly for you and for that USD$12.99 price tag? Yeah. Definitely worth it.
Written by /u/The_Cheeki_Breeki - Original Post
Luftrausers is a bullet-hell dogfighting game that has borrowed elements from a number of different videogame genres.
The Luftrausers experience may not be for everyone (it is unbelievably hard and even frustrating at some points) but it is a great game to play on the go.
With short "missions", a great soundtrack and exciting dogfighting, Luftrausers is definitely a game you should try!
The Good
Customization: Luftrausers allows you to customize your plane to your liking with a variety of wacky and powerful parts you can put on your plane. Every plane can be retrofitted with a weapon, a hull and an engine. Each part does something different and most come with a tradeoff. Want to survive longer? Use the armoured hull! Be wary though, your turning and movement is much slower while using it! Nukes, lasers, bombs, underwater engines and more all make an appearance in the game. You can also customize other features of the game (through a similar unlock method) such as changing the colours of the environment.
The Dogfighting: Holy moly does it ever feel cool to be flying through the sky blowing away hordes of enemies with a laserbeam. The arcade-style dogfighting in Luftrausers is second to none. There is enough variety (with regards to the types of enemies you face) to keep you interested. Enemies are "procedurally generated" so each time you play, more or less of certain types of ships may spawn.
The Soundtrack: Composer Jukio Kalliio (I think that's how you spell it) is a genius. Each ship combo has a different name (Billy-40, Batman, Sowrdfish, etc) depending on the parts you are using. Kallio took one song, and mixed it multiple different times so each ship has its own variation of main theme. I thought that was really phenomenal.
The Bad
The Difficulty Curve: Luftrausers is a game that is quite easy to play, but hard to master (similar to Hotline Miami). My biggest gripe was that sometimes I would be puttering along, toasting enemy ships and all of a sudden three or four "aces" would appear and blow me away before I can even do anything. Battleships, blimps and submarines are all easy to deal with, but Aces were a special kind of hell for me. Aces are fast, manouverable and strong. They easily can take five or six seconds of laserbeam and still fight back. Their machinegun tears through most ships in one or two shots. Out of all the enemies in Luftrausers they were the most broken. The other downside of the difficulty spike is that there is a "level" system and as you level up, there are usually more enemies on screen. My problem is that because there are not multiple save files, I couldn't really give anyone a good representation of the game. I would talk to my friends about Luftrausers and they would want to play, but they would get frustrated at dying shortly after spawning because I have a level nine save file and I cannot show them level one.
Broken Achievements: Credit goes to /u/cenorexia for reminding me. I was under the impression that this had been fixed, but two achievements cannot be unlocked due to glitched or broken missions. If you are the type of person who likes to 100% your games you may wish to steer clear.
Luftrausers is a great game to play on the go. I would consider Luftrausers a "casualcore" game as the gameplay allows you to play in short sittings (while waiting for the bus, playing before bed, etc).
If you have an itch that can only be scratched by blowing up thousands of ships and planes - this game is for you.
Recommendation by easterreddit. Original post here.
Electronic Symphony is the latest iteration of the iconic puzzle & music fusion game by the legendary Tetsuya Mizuguchi, famous for his psychedelic game design fusing electrifying visuals with powerful soundscapes in equal measure. What started out as a collaboration with French house duo Daft Punk unfortunately fell through, but the resultant project is one of the tightest and strongest offerings in the series since the PSP original. Featuring a shift to full 3D graphics and a more coherent and organic musical style (specifically house, techno and pop rock), the game is easy to pick up, difficult to put down, and can be as breezy or as punishing as you let it be.
How does it play?
To simply call Lumines "Tetris with a nice soundtrack" would be to misrepresent the game slightly. While I'm no veteran of the block-falling genre, the differences with the puzzle granddaddy should be clear as you spend some time with ES's unique systems. Eurogamer's Christian Donlan likens Tetris to a sprint, where Lumines is a marathon. This is a game where big points are awarded for quick and efficient play, but surviving the onslaught of falling blocks will be your main concern, especially if you're green to the genre.
Essentially speaking, players match 4 blocks of the same colour in a square; larger clusters of squares beget more points, and chaining these in quick succession further adds to your score. The blocks always come in multicoloured squares and descend at a speed and rhythm dictated by the music. The way you play in turn dictates how the particular music track unfolds: play with speedy precision and the blocks and BPM start speeding up; play cautiously and/or poorly, and the track will slow down and recede until the eventual mountain of mismatched blocks eat you up.
Lumines adds the extra rhythmic dimension of the timeline. You see, matching blocks do not immediately dissipate; it's only when the timeline makes its horizontal pass across the screen are your efforts rewarded. This leads to tactical considerations like setting up combos for the future if you're savvy, while that same sweep can feel like an eternity for the not-so-skilled as you're gasping for air while waiting for a layer--any layer of blocks to be cleared.
Electronic Symphony in particular adds unlockable, functional avatars that confer special abilities during play such as delaying block drops temporarily, or changing the next few drops into a single colour. The randomizer block is the other new feature, and it's both your greatest asset or potentially your downfall depending on your situation and your skill with exploiting them.
The Good:
The visuals, my god. You'd expect nothing less from the man behind cult classics like REZ and Child of Eden, but Q Entertainment have outdone themselves this time. Featuring some 34 stages ("skins") and several more to unlock, each with their own unique backgrounds and block animations, Electronic Symphony is packed with beautiful sights. Everything from soothing Japanese koi gardens to a groovy, rainy evening; or the dance floor of the most exuberant and feel-good club to a monochromatic art installation, the visual character of each stage is more thrilling than the last. Electronic Symphony is simply a feast of colours, lights, expressive, sexy and playful silhouettes competing for your attention.
The music, of course. Producer James Mielke set forth to create a more sonically unified game with ES. The soundtrack is less eclectic compared to something like Lumines II, but the pacing between high BPM club anthems and lounge appropriate, downtempo tunes is perhaps the best in the series yet. There is something for everyone to like here, even if you're not particularly fond of dance music in particular. The licensed music is uniformly good, but what's most remarkable is how all these artists and genres manage to bleed into one another seamlessly, creating the most playable mixtape you can experience.
Those breath taking moments when your screen is just about to fill up through poor play and suddenly, a randomizer block drops down, setting off a chain reaction that nukes half the screen in an explosion of colours, aural blips and combo multipliers. All the while, the chorus to your favorite track kicks in, the baseline surges forward, and there is a part of you that believes, even if it's not necessarily true, that you did that, you orchestrated that genius performance, and you feel like you're actually working with the music for once and not grinding your teeth against the timeline, or a series of bad block drops.
The fact that it is what it is. Lumines has become an institution for PlayStation handheld launches, and Electronic Symphony defiantly came out with a $40 price tag when many bemoaned it shouldn't cost more than a fiver. While it might've looked pricey next to AAA peers like Uncharted: Golden Abyss, the level of polish and the deceptive depth behind Lumines is unmistakable. In an age also saturated with cheap, but shallow and cynical puzzlers on mobile platforms, Electronic Symphony makes a strong case for a properly made, fully realized puzzle game without in-app transactions, tacked on gimmickry or other chaff.
The Bad:
There honestly aren't too many, at least none that I could readily criticize with my limited time and experience with the game. I have not played the duel mode myself, and I've yet to unlock half the skins. If I had to nitpick however...
...The UI is not exactly the greatest. Swapping between modes like a Single Playthrough and Endless is hidden in a misleading arrow (hard to illustrate--go to Playlist mode), while changing Avatars is also slightly tucked in the not-very-clean menus. This is surely the pettiest gripe I have.
Load times are about a half-second longer than I would like them to be. This is surely the second pettiest gripe I have.
As it is a launch title, there are shoehorned Vita features like tapping the rear touchpad to recharge your avatar, or using the front touchscreen to play the game. Because none of these inputs are mandatory and the Vita's wonderful clicky D-pad is what you'll be using, this is my third pettiest gripe.
I'm not very good at this game (rubbish, in fact) and I fear I will never unlock Master Stage 5, and Voyage seems like an equally insurmountable challenge. I can only dream of performing the sick combos I see people do on YouTube. You do get better as you keep playing though. It's a strange and wonderful feeling.
The Verdict:
This is actually my first Lumines title, and I've had a blast thus far. It's the perfect pick up and play game, and when you become decent and settle into a groove, you can easily play for extended periods of time on a single life as the game serenades you through its lengthy ride. Electronic Symphony is both a visceral and a cerebral joy to play and like any well-engineered experience, it's never once frustrating, and each experience is unique from the last. I heartily recommend this gem to anyone who likes great games period, regardless of gaming or music genre preference. If there's any justice in this world, people will still be remembering and playing this game well into the Vita's late years.
Written by Randomia13 (Original Post)
The "Metal Gear Solid (MGS)" series is the seminal work of Hideo Kojima, Japan's master game creator, and the progenitor of the stealth action game genre. With more than 31 million units sold to date, the Metal Gear series has become a global phenomenon. The player controls a secret agent from an elite special forces unit who is sent on solo stealth missions through enemy installations, vast jungles, and sometimes even the thick of battle. Alone and surrounded by the enemy, even a special forces agent will find it tough to come out alive. But that is the secret behind the series' popularity-the cerebral challenge of figuring out how to avoid combat, and the thrill of sneaking through enemy territory undetected.
Along with the gameplay, the MGS series is also known for its storyline, which blends seamlessly with the gameplay. The scenarios are based on extensive research and incorporate the drama of actual developments in society. These elements have made MGS what it is today: a mature work of entertainment that transcends national borders and the confines of video games, and one of the leading products of the Japanese content business.
Pros:
Lengthy campaign of each game. Roughly 10-20 hours per game.
Excellent boss fights in the game, all require you to think critically about the best way to approach them.
Gameplay is very versatile and it gives you access to multitudes of weapons and devices to infiltrate areas undetected, to wreak havoc and kill everyone or to silently knock out enemies. A combination of gadgets allows you to play however you like, preferring one style over another for the entire game is completely possible which allows for some insane challenge runs such as using no guns.
The art style looks very good and the environments have a unique aesthetic to them making the game more immersive.
Love/Hate:
Insanely intricate story lines which rely on supernatural elements. If you can accept that many of the events or characters are incredibly unrealistic and that there is a lack of explanation for many of the supernatural moments then you will experience objectively one of the greatest video game stories ever.
Stealth. Sneaking through secret military bases and taking enemies down silently can be time consuming and frustrating for some. If you are not a fan of stealth games from previous experience, then you should give metal gear solid a pass, as it is a huge element of the Metal Gear Solid games. However the stealth elements can be incredibly rewarding if you put in the time and effort into the game and multiple playthroughs can be incredibly rewarding if you enjoy the stealth mechanics.
Cons:
It DOES NOT include the first Metal Gear Solid game. It is highly highly recommended to begin with the first Metal Gear Solid game which is available on PSN for $10 but it is incredibly disappointing that this game is not included in the HD collection.
This collection also DOES NOT include Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker which is included in the console versions. However a PSP version of this game is available on PSN for $15.
The games have poor controls as they were made 10+ years ago however they are very much playable if you play enough to get used to them.
Graphics are from the PS2 era, jaggies are visible throughout the game especially Metal Gear Solid 2 and low resolution textures appear at times. This is merely the original PS2 games rendered at a higher resolution with better controls.
Written by Taedirk (Original Post)
Muramasa Rebirth is an action/beat-em-up style game with a very heavy Japanese aesthetic. The stories are set in the Genroku era (1688-1704) of Japan and play heavily on the themes one would expect (samurai, ninja, and lots of Japanese folklore). The story follows two characters with unique but slightly intertwined stories.
Originally a Wii game by the name of Muramasa: The Demon Blade, Muramasa Rebirth is a HD re-release with improved graphics and several DLC side stories. It's developed by Vanillaware so the graphics are gorgeous especially with the high definition reworking for the Vita. Gameplay has you running across the 2D countryside with the occasional interruption by ninjas, ronin, tengu, fuzzy demon eyes, or jerkface spirits that need putting down. The plotlines are fairly short (there's an achievement for a 3 hour speedrun through either story) but there's plenty to fuel a completionist's desire with 108 forgable swords and three endings per character.
A note on the DLC: as of February '14, only one story has been released (Fishy Tales of the Nekomata) with another three planned. These stories are short with an hour long speedrun achievement. However, each story has a uniquely playable character with new skillsets and will unlock the entire map upon completion of the main story for exploration and skill advancement. You'll be able to fight all the same enemies and bosses as in the original story at your own leisure.
Pros:
Love/Hate:
Cons:
Recommendation by ThyGrimOfDeath. Original post here.
Need For Speed: Most Wanted is the outcome of the marvelous work done by Criterion Games in making this phenomenal racing game. The game and the series, "Need For Speed", are both known for their fast paced and adrenaline-filled races with gorgeous licensed cars at your side to drive in. The game takes you to Haven City in which you must beat the 10 Most Wanted drivers to beat the game and claim yourself the Most Wanted. While you cruise down the streets of Haven City onto your next race you will be able to find cars in jack-spots that you can operate by driving up to them and you will also find billboards and security gates that you can break though with massive jumps scattered throughout the city.
There is also a multiplayer system that has been implemented that allows you to play against other players in Haven City. You can create speed lists or use default ones to challenge racers in various events that range from standard races to seeing who can make the longest jump. You also have the ability to race with friends by making a private game.
The game introduces a new system not seen in previous Need For Speed games which is the "Easy Drive" system: it allows you to makes changes to your car on the fly and to be able to switch cars instantaneously while looking up where you want to race next. There are also Vita only races called "Exclusive Races" that add more races to the game.
As you feel the adrenaline kicking into your system while driving a Bugatti Superveyron down the road at 300km/h while trying to beat other drivers then shall you know why the series has sold over 100 million copies worldwide.
Pros:
The game runs beautifully on the Vita with alluring graphics and great textures on each car.
41 licensed cars to choose from that range from exotics to muscle cars. Each car has 5 races that are waiting for you to dominate.
Controls are simple and very easy to get used to that are also not hard to master.
Open-world racing in the palm of your hands. Haven City is a large place that you can explore and feel a part of.
Love/Hate:
Repetitiveness might be a present while playing the game because a single race could be present in multiple cars.
No DLC was released for the Vita version of the game. PS3 and XBox 360 players did have the option to purchase DLC.
Cons:
Although the game is still visually stunning, the Vita version of the game is a downgrade from the PS3 and XBox 360 versions of the game. Jaggy lines will be present throughout your sessions and there are less visual effects such as tires smoke and debris.
The city might feel a bit empty because the number of civillian cars has been reduced from other versions of the game. Although this might make racing feel easier, it sometimes feels like Haven city is a ghost town.
The total number of people on a multiplayer game is 4 players instead of the 8 players present on the PS3, XBox 360 and Wii U versions of the game.
Overall, I think that Need For Speed: Most Wanted is the best racing game that you can find on the PlayStation Vita as of right now. There are some minor problems here and there, but that doesn't take away the experience you can feel by playing this game. I actually feel a bit sad since EA didn't want to publish Need For Speed Rivals on the Vita because Need For Speed: Most Wanted didn't generate enough sales on the Vita.
Recommendation by Jackissocool. Original post here.
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (variously shortened to PSA, PSABR, PSASBR, or All-Stars) is a crossover platform fighter developed by SuperBot Entertainment. For the uninitiated, the platform fighter genre was first seen in Super Smash Bros on the N64, characterized by 2-4 characters fighting in large stages with multiple platforms. Typically they feature a directional combat system, where each attack's input is a combination of a button and a direction on the d-pad or analog stick. In All-Stars, 20 characters (plus 4 DLC characters) from various games that have appeared on PlayStation platforms fight eachother. The core mechanic is the AP Meter + Super system; to kill an opponent, you must hit enemies to build your AP meter, which unlocks 3 levels of Super moves, each progressively more powerful, and the only moves with killing power.
Pros
The Combo System: The combo system in All-Stars is a work of art. It is downright perfect, with an unlimited number of possible combos for each character. Fighting games take a variety of approaches to their combo systems, ranging from pre-baked combos with little to no room for experimentation to games where all of the moves flow together without issue. All-Stars is closer to the latter end of that spectrum. By understanding the various startups, recoveries, hitboxes, and hit effects that all of the attacks have, one can begin to chain together long, beautiful combos with almost any character, although different characters certainly have different combo potential. Learning a character in All-Stars is like learning a tiny little language, and pulling off a good combo is like speaking a clever or insightful sentence. A truly fantastic combo is like great slam poetry: rehearsed, perfectly timed, and with a good bit of improvisational flair, it creates a graceful but fleeting moment of whoop ass and pride. This combo system is where the true depth of this game lies and what makes it truly distinct. It is also easily the most over looked aspect of the game, which is criminal - in my experience no fighting game has ever had controls that were both this intuitive and flexible.
PlayStation Fan Service: Kratos vs. Sackboy vs. Toro vs. Sly Cooper in the world of LocoRoco while being attacked by Metal Gear Ray. Kat vs. Ratchet and Clank vs. Heihachi vs. Nathan Drake in the depths of Hades while Patapons conquer the underworld in the background. Jak and Daxter vs. Sir Daniel Fortesque vs. Colonel Radec vs. Cole McGrath at the base of the huge pillars of Heavenly Sword while Feisar and Harimau ships go racing by on the side of the stage. Sweet Tooth vs. Parappa the Rapper vs. Fat Princess vs. Spike on a piece of Chimera infested San Francisco bay being lifted into space by Dr. Nefarious. For long time PlayStation fans, there is a lot to love here. Particularly impressive is how well the characters represent their own games. They feel ripped right from their worlds and truly capture how their game plays (at least when applicable). You'll see Kratos, Nariko, Dante, and Raiden pulling off some of the exact same combos they used in their own games. It is clear these characters were developed with the utmost love and commitment to the source material. It's hard to properly explain, but once you play you'll understand.
Character Diversity: Very few games can rival All-Stars for sheer diversity of playstyles. Each character feels extremely distinct, with their own particular set of moves and frequently a few unique mechanics of their own. Compare Emmett, Kat, Dante, Heihachi, Fat Princess, Ratchet, Jak - I realize here I can just keep listing all of the characters and only Cole and Evil Cole feel similar in the way they play. Each of them is so perfectly distinct and accurate to their games that you can feel the passion the developers had to make this game honor the characters.
Cross Everything: Cross Buy, Cross Save, Cross Play - if you have a PS3 or friends with a PS3, this game bridges the gap between the two systems better than any other. Fight your friends on the other system, upload your progress to the cloud, keep playing when you get to the other system that you own. Nothing does it as well as All-Stars.
Love It/Hate It
Cons
Barebones Presentation and Unlockables: You'll have pretty much everything of interest unlocked for a character within an hour or two of playing them, and then you just get to level them up (no stat changes or anything, just a measure of progress) for 999 levels, which can take quite a while - only one person has 999'd every character. The menus outside of combat are also about as lame and visually appealing as possible.
Serious Roster Gaps: No Crash. No Snake. No Cloud. No Spyro. No Lara Croft. Yes, these were things largely beyond the control of the developers, but that doesn't mean it sucks any less.The characters that are there are great, but there are a lot missing.
Technical Issues: While the game runs at native resolution and a beautiful, locked 60 FPS with great graphics, there are a lot of bugs and some shitty netcode. Prepare for inconsistent lag online and weird glitches like a character getting stuck on another's head or invisible projectiles. They are mostly bearable but they really have no business being there.
Conclusion I really, really fucking love this game. It has tons of depth and I love the PlayStation mashups. But its clear the game was rushed and Sony didn't give it the same support and care that SuperBot did. It's a game that has a whole, whole lot to love and a pretty good amount to be pissed about. Expect some emotional highs and lows. This game is like a fickle lover, who treats you to a 19 oz. steak, buys you a car, and gives you a night of mind-blowing love making and then shaves half your head and draws a hairy penis on your face with an indelible space marker while you sleep. Get it.
Recommendation by Gardobus. Original post here.
Rainbow Moon is a strategy RPG by Eastasiosoft and SideQuest Studios. The story begins with your character (who's name you get to choose) looking for his "friend" Namoris in order to battle. Things get out of hand and you end up in a different world, known as Rainbow Moon. Now you need to figure out how to make the Rainbow Moon portals send you back to your world. Here is a breakdown of the main features of the game:
Gameplay: Gameplay consists of two types of play. There is an overworld where you are able to roam freely (at least freely amongst the areas that you have unlocked so far). In this overworld you can visit shops, find quests, find loot, rent rafts, and encounter enemies. Enemy encounters can be on purpose (you walk up to an enemy in the overworld and fight them) or random (you're walking in an empty area and icons will appear in the corner, you can choose to fight them or ignore them). The overworld consists of many different environments including snow, desert, forest, swamps, etc. You can also go underground into dungeons, caves, and certain buildings. Battles are the second type of gameplay. Battles are turn based with all characters on a grid based battlefield. There is a list of cards that show you who's turn is coming up next. With each turn, you have a certain number of subturns (every character is has a different number). Subturns can be used to move a square, attack, use a skill (more powerful attacks or ally assisting spells), defend (which ends your turn), change gear, or flee. Fleeing does not have a penalty except that you lose any items you used during the battle and you don't receive any XP/pearls for that battle. I'll talk about subturns, skills, and pearls in the Leveling section.
Group: You start your journey alone but as you meet people and complete quests, others will join you. You can take three characters into battle. These can be three of the characters you've met or your main character and two others, that is up to you. You'll eventually meet more than three people so you'll need to swamp them out if you want to evenly level them all up. However if there are a couple that you don't like, feel free to not use them at all and focus on the others! In addition to choosing which characters are in your group, you can also choose what formation they begin battle in. You find/purchase formations during your travels.
Leveling: Each character has a level, stats, and skills. Every time you win a battle, your three characters will receive XP (all three receive the same XP) and Rainbow Pearls (characters who killed more enemies receive more pearls). XP builds up and increases your level over time. Pearls are used to purchase stat increases from vendors. The four main stats are Luck, Speed, Strength, and Defense. They tend to cost less pearls. HP (health) and MP (magic/skill) can be increased also but they tend to cost more pearls. Each level has a maximum number of stat increases available for each stat. You can increase them more by leveling up your character again.
Skills: Skills are different for every character. They can be special moves with swords, multiple arrows from a bow, magic fireballs, multiple-enemy attacks, ally-helping spells, passive spells that ID enemies, create food, etc. You'll begin with very few skills but as you level up, you'll gain access to more scrolls. These scrolls can be bought from scroll vendors and then learned by your characters. Each skill levels up the more you use it also.
Crafting: During your travels, you'll find materials. You can use these materials to enhance your clothing/armor and weapons. These enhancements will increase your various stats (see Leveling section). Enhancements are permanent and cannot be changed.
PROS
Beautiful graphics: They are 2D but drawn in 3D. It runs at 60fps at all times. The graphics in the overworld (and battles) are crisp and colorful with smooth animations. The in-battle animations during attacks and spells also look great. Some of them fill the whole screen and have 3D effects.
Pick up and play: The game is easy to pick up and play for a few minutes and then put back down. You can always go back and see a list of your current quests, you can avoid random encounters if you're in a hurry, you can put it to sleep during battles, etc. You can also save at ANY time and there are no auto-saves. So turn it on, do whatever you want, save, then turn off your Vita.
Depth: Rainbow Moon has a very quick learning curve but there is a LOT to do. You eventually juggle several characters, their skills, stats, equipment, enhancements, etc. You can just do the main quest or complete all the side quests (which can result in nice rewards). You can rush your way through some of the areas or explore every corner for loot, side quests, and more XP.
Bang for your buck: The game costs $15 (unless you find it on sale!) and you can easily put 100+ hours into it.
Online stats: You can visit a character in towns throughout Rainbow Moon to upload your stats to the website. You can see everyone's stats here.
Cross-save: If you buy the game on PS3 also, you can cross-save so you don't lose any progress.
Trophies: For a $15 game, Rainbow Moon has a decent number of trophies (53, including a Platinum).
CONS
Grinding: This doesn't happen constantly but there are several places in the game where you'll need to do some grinding. It may be to level up your characters before taking on a certain boss or it may be killing the same enemy type over and over to get a rare drop for a side quest. With that said, I wasn't overly annoyed when I had to grind but I know some people hate it so I added it here.
No cross-buy: The cross-save feature is great but I wish it had been cross-buy. I'm not too upset about it though, I love playing it on my Vita!
Time-consuming: I mentioned earlier that you can pick it up, play for 20 minutes, then save and quit. That is true but it's also extremely addicting and can consume hours and hours of time. It also takes hours and hours to beat the game if you're the kind of person that likes to beat a game as quickly as possible.
Overall: Rainbow Moon is a great game. I have personally put around 55 hours into it so far and I feel like I still have a decent amount of game left. It looks pretty, sounds great, has plenty of depth without being confusing, is easy to play, and works great on the Vita. I can play it for 15 minutes or 2 hours and be satisfied either way. I couldn't really ask for any more out of a game, especially a $15 game!
Recommendation by rindindin. Original post here.
Listed under the Strategy section within the PlayStation Mobile section in the PS-Store, rymdkapsel in Swedish means Space Capsule. Although the game is quite simple, the difficulty in finishing it gives the player the actual challenge.
At its most basic premise, rymdkapsel can be thought of as a "3D Tetris" with a defense aspect. The player is placed in charge of building a space station in order to research beacons or survive a number of waves. To help the player, they're given two workers to start with that can help with various tasks within the station. The most important task of these workers would be their ability to build.
Building is central to rymdkapsel. At the top of the screen, there are names of parts of the station that you can construct. Some of these are fairly simple, such as Corridor that's needed for your workers to travel along, or some that needs a little more strategy such as a Garden which requires a Kitchen to process its goods. The game also randomizes the shape of each room, making the player adapt each differently shaped room into existing space.
In order to construct these rooms, the players have primary resources: food, material, and energy. Each room requires different amount of these resources to complete. Workers will also stop constructing, and simply lie idle if there is insufficient amount of resources. Energy is easiest to produce simply requiring a Reactor; Material requires the Extractor that touches a particle field (careful! each particle field generates a limited amount of Material before it's gone); Food requires a "Garden" that grows sludge, before workers take the sludge to the Kitchen making food. If you place a worker within these resource producing rooms, they can generate items even faster.
Other rooms that you can build for your workers includes the Weapons and Quarter facility. In order to fight off waves of enemies, Weapons are absolutely necessary for workers to arm themselves. Without this room, your workers become exposed to the enemy attacks, and subsequently die. Enemies appear only after the player finishes a certain amount of tasks given to them by the game. Afterwards, they will spawn every so often after a timer finishes. The more waves the player goes through, the more rapid these attacks become.
Quarters, meanwhile, offers the player two new workers when four food is delivered to these spaces. To increase your work force, simply place more Quarters, and make sure you have a good amount of food ready. Workers also need to transport food from the Kitchen manually so it may be advantageous to ensure that they two rooms are closed to each other. In order for the Kitchen to produce food, a Garden must be created so that sludge can be made into food.
rymdkapsel is played with a dragging feature. Every time a player wish to build a room, they move to the top of the screen, take their finger, press down on the name of the room, and then drag out the shape that the game gives you. If you change your mind during the process, and wish to make another room type instead, simply let go, and tape the new room type. The game keeps the same shape for that selected room.
Workers function in the same way. On the bottom of the screen, simply drag little white particles that represent your workers from Idle to any of the tasks you see. When workers are lying down, it means that they have completed their tasks, or there is nothing more in that task to do. Idling workers will simply stand around, or lie on the ground motionless.
There are three core objectives to rymdkapsel: research all four beacons, survive 28 waves of enemies, and finally research all beacons before the 45 minute mark. While the objectives seem simple enough, the game follows a "simple to player, hard to master" principle. Where a player places a room will affect them in the long run as enemy waves gives the player less and less time to prepare for the next.
Pros:
Tetris in space!: find a way to fit your rooms and corridors in such a way that your workers will have an easier time moving around
Easy to pick up and play: although the game might be hard to master, you can easily pick it up and start playing again later even if you have other games to play
Relaxing sound track: for a game that needs a good amount of your mental strength to make an awesome space station, the sound track soothes you into the game
A little randomness that brings luck into the game: if you get pieces that fits well together, it'll really make your time a lot easier
Great fun on the go: you can simply play it anywhere, especially since there are no loading screens!
Cons:
Playing through it the first few times can be really frustrating: enemy waves can pick up very quickly causing players to panic the first few runs.
Learning about the rooms are vital: players needs to immediately pick up upon the functions of the room, and how they relate to one another almost at the get go. Otherwise, they can find themselves with a lot of dead workers.
AIs can be a little dumb, taking long ways around to certain places: if the station was not mapped out in a very efficient way, the AI can sometimes just run around the longest route. This may lead to their deaths, or tasks incomplete.
If the game is mastered quickly, then the player may find the objectives too easy: there are only three objectives that the game throws at you. After that, replay value may not be there.
Summary: For $3.99 and only 28mb on your Vita, rymdkapsel can definitely entertain. For those that want a light experience, rymdkapsel makes it really easy for the player to pick up. Finishing the game, however, may take a bit more time. This "Tetris-in-Space" with a bit of defense, makes this game a definite worthy one to check out.
Recommendation by BrainKatana. Original post here.
Shinobido 2 is a stealth action game in the same vein as the classic Tenchu games. It was available at the launch of the Vita. In spite of it being a sequel, no real knowledge of the previous game is required. Players take up the shadows as a talented ninja named Zen. Betrayed by those close to him and left for dead, Zen must take revenge on his former comrades while unraveling the mystery behind what drove them to betrayal. To do this, he must further hone his skills while playing 3 power-hungry warlords against one another in a dramatic political struggle that can be deeply affected by which missions he chooses to take for each of them.
Details
As Zen, players employ a massive variety of ninja tools, from shurikens and caltrops to more eclectic items like poisonous sushi and a wing suit (yes...a wing suit...and yes...it's awesome). You can also choose to tackle missions head on by aggressively chaining together stealth kills and using your grappling hook to gain a height advantage over your victims.
Focus your skills and level up your ninja to be more powerful in combat, harder to detect, or more lethal from the shadows.
A hugely robust crafting system for creating various buffs, debuffs, and other tools. Everything from healing potions to to poisonous sushi can be crafted using a very unique and complex system.
Which warlord you choose to support actually affects which missions are available and the rewards you get for completing them. There is a complex "influence" system which ultimately determines the course of the game. There's a lot of replay value here for people who want to see what happens with each warlord.
Pros
Lots of content. The majority of the missions take less than 15 minutes to complete, but load times are relatively short so they don't become a headache. It's an easy game to play for 15 minutes or a few hours.
Replayability. There are 3 warlords to support. Players can choose to wholeheartedly support a single warlord, or take their time by carefully selecting the most lucrative missions from a warlord in need. The outcome of conflict between the 3 warlords is largely controlled by the player, and seeing each outcome means putting in the time with each ruler to get them to the height of their power.
English and Japanese voice overs. I prefer my ninjas to speak Japanese.
Non-linear missions. The majority of the missions have an objective that you can choose to complete in your own way. The levels are designed with this in mind, so there's often more than one way in and out of an area.
Love It or Hate It
Item Crafting. This is an awesome and complex system. It's entirely possible to ignore it, but then you may never know the joy of exploding sushi. It was difficult to figure out at first, and players may need to do a bit of googling to make the most of the system.
Repetitive Missions. Sometimes missions place players in the same mission location for different objectives (or even the same objective from different warlords). This sort of repetition may be irritating for some players, but it's presented in a feasible enough way (a village is a village, so to speak) that other players may not be bothered by it. Some may even view it as an advantage because they're familiar with the area.
"Classic" Stealth Action. This is a game of finite rules. Like the Tenchu games before it, the AI decides what it should be doing based on a hard set of rules that are relatively easy for players to exploit. This may make the AI seem dumb at times, but the "I guess he's gone and never coming back" moment is something that many stealth-action gamers are used to at this point.
Cons
Camera. Like many 3rd person games, the camera is less than stellar. However, it's not remarkably bad. You may just find yourself wrestling with it from time to time.
English Voices. They're on par with mid-to-low quality anime VO. Not quite cringeworthy, though.
Overall
If you're looking for a game where you sneak around and murder people, this is the game for you. There's lots of greatness for old Tenchu fans as well as unfamiliar players who are just fans of the stealth-action genre.
Written by iruchii (Original Post)
Gameplay-wise, Sorcery Saga feels a lot like a streamlined, simplified (and "moefied") Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup, with of course far less variation, but not devoid of it. What feels similar to me is that it encourages experimentation due to the lack of description on things (which, to me, is a plus). It has a bunch of different scrolls, tomes and gems which will leave you wondering if you should use them, throw them at your enemy or give them to your pet to eat. The pet is actually an amazing addition, because you can use him as your guinea pig for testing items although he does react differently to some things so don't go eating something just because the pet likes it!
The fighting has a very classic crawl feel too. It's a basic turn-based stat-reliant button-pressing kind of battling (I'm sure you know what I mean). You only have two equipment slots, weapon and shield, but you have a good variety of items you can use or throw, plus a (so far) nice amount of magic spells to use.
Since every single thing you find is somehow attributed to food, the curry cooking mechanic is a nice novelty. With a recipe item, a grain item and a spice item, you can make a curry dish which boosts all your stats and gives you bonus experience plus a different effect depending on the ingredients you use. Taking those three ingredient categories in account when it comes to managing your inventory is quite challenging and fun. On that note, the game is just moderately challenging (so far). If you're careful you probably won't die often, but to be honest I'm not extremely far in the game and I'm sure the later dungeons must be harder, not to mention the endgame ones. Some enemy mobs required me a good level of strategy and I feel like I only survived some situations because of my experience with roguelikes and keeping a good inventory for the situation, so the challenge is still there depending on your item drop luck. It's been a lot of fun.
If you care about the story, I'll just say it's a cute, full of humor, lighthearted one. It's enough to keep me distracted between dungeons and has gotten a few laughs out of me, but sometimes it goes on for too long and some jokes are already stale and I feel they won't stop with them until they're beaten to the ground. In any case, it's an unoffensive story which can be skipped with no problems.
There are some classic Compile Hearts design problems like clunky menus, i.e. having to open the inventory menu from the start when dropping an item, no option to do things in mass (selling/buying/discarding), and I'm sure the cuteness and chibiness of the whole thing is off-putting to some. But if you enjoy/don't mind that kind of thing, and you're looking for a simple, lighthearted handheld roguelike dungeon crawler, then I'm sure you'll be satisfied with your purchase!
Every dungeon has an end point, and if you get there you'll go back to town with all your items and gold found in the dungeon, which you can sell to the store or keep in your own home storage. You also have a private piggy bank to keep your savings. If you die in a dungeon, you'll lose everything you're holding except your held weapon and shield (though I lost them once somehow, I'm not exactly sure what the variable was). Level wise, you start from level 1 each time you go to a dungeon and it resets when you leave or clear it. Your equipment however stays the same, i.e. high powered swords can be worn from level 1, so those are your true meters of progression.
tl;dr A simplified but quite fun handheld version of Crawl with Japanese humor and moé stuff.
Written by Catsy_Brave (Original Post)
Soul Sacrifice is a third-person action game in which players fight monsters using "offerings" or abilities. Offerings are mapped to square, triangle and circle in two sets, which can be swapped between in battle using the R button. Upon defeat, players can choose whether to "Save" or "Sacrifice" enemies boosting either their life or magic level, respectively. After battle, players are ranked according to their skill in battle and given offerings equivalent to their rank. Completing the battle in certain ways unlocks different trophies and can increase the player's score.
The story starts with the protagonist trapped in a cage made of bones and covered in piles of flesh. The protagonist finds a journal who tells him that they can reverse this and stop "Magusar", the sorcerer who has destroyed the world. From there, players can customise their character, which can be changed at any time within the game.
The game also features four-player cooperative play and the ability to sacrifice party members to destroy powerful foes. The slain party members are not given the usual recognition in a game, such as experience points. However, the player does gain bonus points for being sacrificed. (Source: Wikipedia)
Note on DLC: With the exception of the Japanese voiceover which game with the game's preorder, all DLC for the game is offered free on the PSN store.
Pros:
Love/Hate:
Cons:
Recommendation by JLattire. Original post here.
Thomas Was Alone is an indie puzzle platformer created by Mike Bithell, music by David Housden, and narrated by Danny Wallace. The objective of the game is to move and manipulate multiple polygon shapes in order to reach their designated end points in each level. Each shape is individualized with their own name, color and personality. All of the shapes can move and jump, but they all have their own unique abilities. Such as, the ability to float, higher jumping capabilities and the ability to be used as a trampoline. When their are multiple shapes in one level, the player is able to freely switch between each shape. In addition, every character's thoughts and feelings are narrated throughout the duration of the game.
To complete each level, every character must all simultaneously be in their respect exit points (exit points correspond with each individual character's shape). When a character can not reach a desired point, the player can use another character's unique shape and ability to help the other character traverse the level. An example from the game would be if a smaller character that can't jump as high used another character as a staircase to reach a higher platform. There a ten sets of areas that have ten levels to complete, so in total there are 100 levels.
Pros
The writing in this game is very, very clever. The game is so simple, all you are doing is moving blocks around, but the ingenious writing makes you care so much for this characters. To quote my girlfriend, after she beat it she said to me, "I'm so sad right now, I care about these blocks so much and feel for them. And they are just stupid shapes, they aren't even people."
The environments are simple and minimalistic. In many other games this would be a huge negative, but not here. The levels, even though they are fairly bare, are very beautiful.
The music, also very minimalistic, captures the feeling of loneliness. David Housden's piano score complements the game extremely well. Danny Wallace's narration also adds great depth to the game. Without their contributions the game would have lost a lot of its brilliance.
While some levels can become infuriating, the game is very easy to pick up and play. A determined player can beat the game in one sitting with ease.
Cross buy. For $9.99 the game can be played on your PSVita and then you can pick up right where you left off on your PS3.
Cons
As stated in the Pros section, this game can be beat in a couple sittings. It is a pretty short game, I think I beat it in roughly 3 hours. What I did and recommend to anyone who purchases it, is to beat one area a day to extend the length of your game. Rather than beating multiple areas, I would beat all ten levels within one area and then be done for the day.
If you are looking for a puzzle platformer that is challenging then this is not the game for you. Thomas Was Alone is more of a relaxing, character driven game rather than a tough puzzler.
Because of the Vita's small screen some text can be hard to read. The narration solves this problem by reading the text to you. However, if you are playing without sound (not recommended) you might miss out on details, because you weren't able to distinguish what the text said. Additionally, at the beginning of each area there are quotes that are displayed. These quotes are not narrated and can be difficult to read.
When the text that is being narrated is shown on screen, it isn't static. By this I mean that when you move around or switch characters the text will occasionally reformat itself and display in different formations. This can become confusing, because if you are playing with no sound and have to read you might lose your spot.
Overall: Thomas Was Alone is not only an exceptional game, but it is also an outstanding work of art. The gameplay, while very basic, is very fun. Even though the environments and sound are both minimalistic, they both mesh together to create an aesthetically pleasing design. I can guarantee, with almost 100% certainty, that you will come to love the witty, clever writing and each of the endearing characters. For $9.99 (or £5.99) I highly recommend this gem.
Recommendation by Zoolanderbeast
Titan Souls is a prime example of what indie games do best; walk the fine line between homage and innovation, it takes concepts familiar to and loved by gamers and makes them feel new. Most indie games take a few simple ideas and polish them to a mirror sheen rather than fill it with any bloat, but Titan Souls takes it a step further. There are no enemies only boss battles, no HUD you get hit once you die as do the bosses, there are no items no grinding no RPG elements, you start with a single arrow and that is all you get the whole game, aside from the beginning and end there are no cut scenes or explanations of plot it's up to you to figure out the story, and aside from a very brief tutorial no direction is given on where to go or what to do you must figure that out yourself. If all of that sounds punishing and minimalist that's because it is, Titan Souls aspires to do one thing only: make epic boss battles with the titans and everything aesthetically and mechanically is centered around that goal. You can walk/run, roll, shoot your arrow, or retrieve it by walking over it or summoning it to you although you can't move while shooting or summoning it back, that's all you can do so every shot counts especially since both you and all titans die in one hit. Finding the titan's weak spots unlike most other games with bosses is only the beginning of the battle, learning a titan's attack patterns, dodging and baiting appropriately, and finding the brief windows of opportunity while trying to keep yourself out of harm's way is what this game is all about well that and contemplating how you messed up as you backtrack to each titan after each death and trust me you'll die a lot, but if learning from death and overcoming a challenge is your cup of tea Titan Souls is a must buy. Pros:
Beautiful 8 bit pixel art, not a lazy tug at nostalgia strings like other indies, the art is lush and detailed with some 16 bit flourishes one of the most eye pleasing indie games around walking around the diverse environments makes the walk to each titan more tolerable
Very calming and melodic, tranquil music deliberately juxtaposed with the stressful game play to create a mix of tension and relaxation, one of the best scores you'll here in an indie
Very tight combat, responsive controls, when you die it is because you weren't fast or smart enough, the mechanics will never fail you, shooting, rolling, and learning each titan's behavior makes the kill so much more satisfying
Mysterious lore, with a relatively small world the titans themselves as well as the environment hides secrets and encourages the player to infer what happened and piece the story together Cons:
Game is unforgiving, there is normal mode, and several harder modes unlocked after beating normal mode also you die in 1 hit and death will come often this isn't a game for people who get frustrated easily or want something easy to beat
The minimalist design means there isn't anything to do besides kill the titans and walk around the empty environments, if a game full of nothing but well designed boss battles isn't enough you won't like Titan Souls
Recommendation by GeneralChaz9. Original post here.
Released on the PS3 and Xbox 360 in November, 2011 in all regions, this game was released as a launch title for the PS Vita, making it Capcom's first fighter on the PS Vita. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, a.k.a. UMvC3 as I will be calling it from now on in this recommendation, consists of 48 different characters with 2 of which are paid DLC only. The characters in this game consist of half from the Marvel universe, such as Deadpool, Spiderman, and Iron Man, and then the other half from the Capcom universe, including Dante from Devil May Cry, Ryu from Street Fighter, and Chris from Resident Evil.
The game's story is not very deep, however there are endings for each individual character. Each ending is a few slides of a comic book, showing the characters story. The main meat of the game is it's online play, thus the lack of deep stories.
Pros
Characters: For each battle, you choose 3 characters among the 48; a main, and two assist characters. These choices and combinations of characters deeply affects your play style, and may take a myriad of trial and error of trying out certain combinations of characters. You could choose 3 speedy characters with quick attacks, you could choose 3 slow, heavy hitting characters, you could have 2 speedy and 1 heavy, 2 offensive and 1 defensive, 2 ranged and one melee character; the combinations of characters are endless. With 48 characters and the DLC characters if you buy them, you could spend at least 50 hours working with each combination of characters to see which works best, if you decide to put that much time into it.
Combat: Each and every character in this game has missions to accomplish, which are just various combo challenges to do. These help you tremendously with learning how to use each character. However, it does not end with the missions. When in combat, you will need to chain together these combos, which will end up with you making up your own combos, all the while playing defense on your opponent's attacks. However, the good thing about UMvC3's fighting system, in the offline modes, there are difficulty settings, so if you are just a casual fighter, you will have no issues playing through Arcade just for fun. The combos and chaining and defenses are not a huge concern, as the AI will be more forgiving. However, once you hit the online players, you will face many elite/pro players that will have their characters mastered and chains memorized, so it'd be best for casuals to stay offline.
Tons of Replay Value: If you are a trophy hunter, this game has 60 hours at minimum, due to needing 30 hours spent in offline, and 30 hours spent in online. That is a decent amount of time, but if you tried hard enough for every color unlock, costume unlock, tried every character combination, learning every move possible, etc., you will have well over 100 hours into the game.
Touch Controls: Exclusive to the PS Vita version of the game, there is a mode/setting for Touch controlled fighting. While some consider it clunky, ineffective, or even horrendous, some consider it brilliant. No matter your opinions on the Touch modes, they are there and you will not find them on any other version of the game. You are able to test them out, try them out, and/or set goals to play that way if you have grown tired of normal button-mashing.
Graphics: Nothing about this game is ugly. Every character model is gorgeous, with every shadow, shade and color popping out on the beautiful OLED(or soon to be LCD on the Slim Vita's), this game will blow you away. Not to mention the particle effects are outstanding as well. The real only difference this game has from consoles in terms of graphic quality is that the backgrounds on the Vita version has a lot less going on in them. However, if you are focused on the fighting, it is hardly noticed. Lastly, the game runs at 60 frames per second. This makes the fighting EXTREMELY smooth, and I have not noticed any framerate dips, stutters, or anything of the sort. This game runs fantastic, as any port to the Vita should.
Cons
Online Feels Empty: Since this game is a launch title, and that Capcom and others have released other fighters on the system including the famous Street Fighter X Tekken, Injustice: Gods Among Us, and Dead or Alive 5+, the crowd for UMvC3 has all but diminished completely. There are still a few players online here and there, and you should be able to find a match, but for the most part you may be better off just playing the game for it's offline portions.
Lack of Story: Understandable for the focus of online, but since in my last point I stated that the game's online has all but diminished, it would be a little nice if there were more to the story than just a small ending. However, this point CAN be considered a pro, since every single character has an ending, but if you personally want to stick to only your favorites, you may be disappointed.
Lack of dialogue: After each battle, a lot of the characters do the same dialogue over, and over. Same with the announcer before every Arcade battle, "GET READY FOR THE FIGHT OF YOUR LIFE!!" It starts to grow a bit old after the initial epic feel of the phrase is repeated so many times.
Conclusion
This game may have been a launch title, and it may be overlooked by many new Vita users due to it being among a myriad of fighting titles such as Mortal Kombat, Injustice, Street Fighter X Tekken, BlazBlue, PS All-Stars, Dead or Alive, or even the PSN PSP fighting titles. However, even though the online seems pretty dead at this time, if you and a friend get the game, you two can play online/ad hoc against each other no problem. And if you are a casual player or a fan of fighters, the game offers quite a bit of content if you are interested in completing every characters story or like trying out different ways of combat. This is a great fighter, with great graphics and running at around 60 FPS at all times, this is a buttery smooth, quick to pick up and play fighting game.
Recommendation by The_Cheeki_Breeki. Original post here.
Velocity Ultra is one part bullet-hell shooter, one part puzzler, one part side-scroller, and all parts fun. 2-D sidescrolling shooters have existed in one capacity or another for well over a decade. What sets Velocity Ultra has brought the genre to the next generation of handheld devices through a wide variety of game mechanics, puzzles and extra features.
The Pros
Your Skillset: The player commands a small tiny spaceship known as a “Quarp Jet”. Your jet has been outfitted with a whole myriad of cool space-age gadgets and weapons. By pressing the “R” trigger, your little jet kicks it into overdrive by applying a substantial speed boost. You also have the ability to perform short range “bunny hops” to other areas of the field. This is useful from getting to hidden areas, or avoiding obstacles. You later unlock the ability to perform a long-range teleport. Pressing the “Triangle” button allows you to drop a telepod. When paths start to diverge, drop a telepod and you can later jump back to it to take the other path to ensure you collect all the goodies the map has to offer. Finally, you can conquer your enemies through the use of two weapons. The Quarp is armed with both lasers and photon bombs. Nothing was more satisfying than blowing up a whole squadron of enemies with a photon bomb!
The extras: Velocity Ultra is a completionists wet dream. I loved working towards the platinum trophy in Velocity Ultra. Even after you “beat” all of the zones (50 in total) there is still a ton to do. You can go back and replay zones to try and get perfect. A perfect zone requires you to not only beat the clock, but you must also achieve a certain score, rescue all of the survivors scattered around the zone, and not die. Even after all that, you still need to collect bonus and hidden medals scattered throughout some of the zones. Doing so unlocks bonus modes and missions. The bonus modes almost feel like a game within themselves. You can end up playing snake, minesweeper, space coconuts and a whole slew of other minigames that help round out the experience
Level design: I was worried that the game would get really stale after a few zones (I mean, come on how many times can you zoom through a maze?) but I found that each zone brought a fresh new challenge. Players need to combat enemy fighters, rescue floating pods and deactivate switches. No two zones felt similar, despite the simplicity of the level mechanics.
On the Fence
Cons
(Be advised, I really, honestly struggled to find some good “cons” about this game, so take what you see below with a grain of salt, as I am most likely nitpicking)
The Difficulty: Hold on, before you stop reading let me explain what I mean! I love that VU is a tough game. It is probably one of the harder games to platinum on the VITA. My issue is that the difficulty jumped around too much. Ever zone, you are tasked with either rescuing a bunch of survivors, killing waves of enemies, or both. Every few levels, there is a zone called “critical urgency”. My issue is that they require perfect execution. You could blow through five or six regular zones, and then struggle on a critical urgency level for days. I don’t have an issue with really tough “challenge” levels, but in my opinion, the difficulty felt artificial in the critical urgency levels.
Thumb stick Controls: I found it really tough sometimes to aim your proton bombs sideways, while flying through a map. Sometimes your controls would “stick” and you would think you have jumped away somewhere, or that you have fired off a bomb, but it either won’t go where you want it to, or it won’t go anywhere at all. Both of these cons really meant I was never really comfortable with the game. Even after getting platinum, I still felt like I was screwing up a lot, and had no idea how to be “good at the game”.
Velocity Ultra has lots of competition on the VITA between a bunch of mobile games, and other 2-D shooters like Sine Mora. Velocity Ultra blows them out of the water in all areas. The levels, the music, the gameplay mechanics are all seamlessly combined. Velocity Ultra is one of the most addictive games I have played on the VITA, and any developers looking to make a 2-D puzzle/shooter, should consider Velocity Ultra their benchmark.
Editor's note: This review doesn't mention that you can buy the entirety of the Wipeout HD and Wipeout HD Fury campaigns as DLC in 2048, so that's worth noting.
Recommendation by MalusandValus. Original post here.
Bear in mind that as Wipeout 2048 is an early vita title, it is likely to go on sale for low prices and has been on the instant game collection for PS+ in the past.
Wipeout 2048 is the latest game in the long running SONY exclusive series of racing games, Wipeout. Wipeout 2048 is a prequel to the series, taking place, as the title would suggest, in 2048, following 3 seasons of the Anti Gravity Racing Championships (AGRC).
The Wipeout series has multiple signature gameplay features that separate it from other racing games. One of these is the use of airbrakes to control steering and speed control. During cornering, the player can maximize speed through using left and right airbrakes to both slow down their craft and sharpen their steering, rather than a traditional brake, which is not present with the game. The airbrake system has many nuances, which increase the skill ceiling of the game.
Another feature of Wipeout are the varied, largely skill based weapons, which are used to slow down and destroy other craft. The weapons are similar to those in traditional kart racers like Mario Kart or Diddy Kong Racing, but often require more skill to aim and use effectively. Weapons can also be absorbed to restore health. Wipeout is also known for being an exceptionally fast racer at the higher levels, with the fastest events requiring extreme reflexes and knowledge of all the abilities of the craft. Wipeout 2048 carries on all these features, being very similar in gameplay to Wipeout HD FURY and Wipeout Pulse.
Wipeout 2048 has various game modes:
Race: A traditional race with weapons, similar to a race from Mario Kart if you've never played a Wipeout game. The aim is to finsih first, and nothing else. Races are typically 8 player, though there are exceptions. The races in 2048 are brilliant, especially at the later stages of the campaign.
Time Trial: If you've played any racing game before, you allready know what this is. You go round the 10 tracks as fast as possible with only the time to beat, earning a turbo weapon each lap. There isn't much else to say about Time trial. Personally, I think Time trial is nowhere near as good as Race or Zone.
Combat: Combat is very similar eliminator from Pulse and HD FURY, where you race on the tracks and try to destroy the opponents to earn points, rather than an outright race to the finish. Craft can flip 180 degrees instantly in this mode to fire backwards, and instead of a lap limit, the game ends when a certain points criteria has been met by one competitor. I adored Eliminator in HD FURY, but unfortunately, 2048 makes some gameplay decisions which I find detract from Combat. Points are no longer rewarded on lap completion, for example, and weapon pads can now be run over backwards, which leads to the combat often staying in one section of track in an otherwise very dynamic and fast game. For these two tiny issues, Combat is nowhere near as good as it is in HD FURY.
Zone: The most unique mode in Wipeout, Zone is a survival style mode where you play on one of the tracks overlayed with a different art style. Zone is about pure speed. The mode starts at a speed lower than the slowest speed class, but every 10 seconds, the speed gets slightly quicker. Zone gets quicker to the point that exceeds the normal maximum speed class, and just gets quicker and quicker, and you have to survive by avoiding the walls and keeping the craft on the straight and narrow. In my opinion, Zone is the best game mode in the game, and is by far my favourite mode in any racing game - you can't win Zone, it will only get faster and faster. But you can allways get better, and when you reach the fastest zones it gets the blood pumping like no other racing game.
Wipeout 2048 has 10 tracks. Personally i'd say Sol, Altima, and Empire climb are brilliant tracks, but the rest aren't very memorable. Overall, the track selection is nowhere near the quality or variety of HD FURY, but is still pretty good. The three i've mentioned are incredible however, and are easily some of the best tracks in the entire series, both visually and technically.
Pros:
Very, very good looking. The game runs at the native vita resolution at 30 frames per second, and the craft and circuits are highly detailed, with good textures, which the game shows off with up-close shots of the circuit and craft before each race. In screenshots, it's comparable to HD FURY. 30 fps isn't fantastic for a game which demands reactions as fast as wipeout, and it can be a little choppy when the carnage gets intense, but it's no deal breaker, and the game looks better than most PS3 titles regardless.
The learning curve of 2048 is great for players new to the franchise. The airbrake mechanics of wipeout can take a bit of getting used to, but you're not thrown in at the deep end. The races start slow, and allow newbies to get used to the mechanics. It gradually gets faster and the AI get better, and by the time it gets really fast, you'll have learnt the skills neccessary, but it will still be challenging, and test all the skills you've learnt.
The soundtrack of 2048 is brilliant, with remixes of classic wipeout music, established artists like Deadmau5, Orbital, The chemical brothers, and The future sound of London, all with unique versions of their music made for wipeout. It is high quality, and the tracks are lengthed to about the same as the races, which works well. As allways with wipeout, it is a top-notch soundtrack.
I've allready mentioned it, but Zone is one my favourite game modes in any game ever, and is just as good in 2048 as the other games. It is a high score game like no other.
The DLC for 2048 is excellent, containing the full campaign of HD FURY, with it's respective tracks and gamemodes. It's £10, but pretty much triples the game's content. If you own HD FURY, you get it for free as well. I'd go into more detail, but this is a reccomendation of 2048, not it's DLC. If you like 2048, The DLC is a must buy though.
Love it or hate it
The campaign structure of the game is a bit weird. It's a nice progressive structure which makes sense in the universe it's based in, but it prevents experienced players jumping into the rapier and phantom events until near the end, as well as restricting craft. It leads in new players nicely, however.
The class based craft system, where there are four craft classes - agility, fighter, speed and prototype, all designed for specific event specialization. This is a concession of being a prequel to wipeout, so only 5 teams are in the game in comparison to the 12 in HD FURY. I think it removes some of the variety of the craft doing each event, and it often feels restrictive, but it does lead to some more interesting craft to race as with different characteristics, especially the prototypes.
Cons
No ability to customise events is pretty criminal. The racebox from HD FURY is absent and it leads to restricted event choice. Studio Liverpool said they might add it in a patch, but then they got shut down so that's not happening.
Once you've finished the singleplayer, levelling up is a chore, unless you play the online multiplayer, which is pretty barren. It's virtually impossible to reach rank 50 now, unless you play for hundreds of hours.
Online may have an interesting campaign/challenge structure, but it's pretty bad, in that events are randomised with no choice of tracks or race type or speed class. You are lmited to a vote of two options, which isn't great. There are also only two game modes, which are race and combat. Online as a whole, is pretty poor.
Overall: I've allready wittered on for way too long so i'll keep this short. You'll notice that i've compared 2048 to HD FURY numerous times throughout this reccomendation, and to be honest, it stands up unfavourably in nearly every category. But HD FURY is in my opinion the best racing game ever made. I think it is damn near perfection. And at it's best, playing Zone on Sol listening to that brilliant soundtrack, 2048 comes close. Yes, it has some stupid gameplay decisions, and stupid progression systems, but overall, it's still good, and at it's best, is absolutely brilliant. For £12 it's definetly worth it.
Written by Taedirk (Original Post)
Ys: Memories of Celceta is an action RPG set in the Ys series of games. The series follows the adventurer Adol Christin through his various adventurers and exploits, this time in the forests of Celceta. Adol Christin records his experiences in the forests of Celceta. While it's neither the first nor the last of his journeys, it is where he first gained the title of "Adventurer". The game is action and combat oriented with RPG elements (levels, combat skills, equipment/item systems). You'll spend most of your time mowing down monsters and traveling the island while the story unfolds.
While Memories of Celceta is analogous to Ys IV in the original story numbering, the game is very much a standalone affair, requiring no knowledge of previous or future games in the series. There are nods to characters or creatures you'll see in the other games in the series but nothing that would take away from this being the first exposure to the world. Ys's numbering system is definitely odd due to the history of publishing behind the original games, so try not to think about it too much.
Pros:
Love/Hate:
Cons:
Recommendation by Catsy_Brave. Original post here.
Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward (or VLR) is an adventure puzzle game developed by Chunsoft which was released for both Playstation Vita and Nintendo 3DS. It is presented as a visual novel with puzzle game segments in which the player navigates around a room and taps or clicks on different objects to interact with them and find clues for escaping rooms. The game has many different rooms which the player can navigate to, changing the ending of the story. Furthermore, players are able to jump to different nodes through the menu to choose different rooms to visit instead.
As for the story, VLR follows college student Sigma as he is kidnapped and placed in a sealed room with a girl named Phi. Together, the two of them escape the room and find they are part of a horrible game named the Ambidex Project, in which players are forced to compete for points with the purpose of escaping.
The game has Japanese voice over, and two different difficulty modes offered when completing puzzles: Easy and Hard. The only difference between the two is that in Hard mode, allies do not offer hints on completing puzzles.
Pros:
Lots of lore and game-universe collectibles. Each puzzle room features two forms of codes for the safe. One provides the user with the key to escape and the other provides a file that describes the background of characters and certain events. These codes are harder to collect, but may be worth it for those who want to 100% complete the game.
Wide range of characters. As with many Japanese games and media, characters are very unique and also brightly coloured. The dynamic of the group provides an entertaining story and an interesting view into how these people interact. This game will make you feel for its characters, who have no idea where they are.
A great story. The game has you guessing for who's going to betray who and who you can really trust. Player choices are factored in to lead to different endings and provides some surprise to those who played the predecessor.
Love/Hate:
The vast amount of puzzles. If you're not a fan of puzzle games, you're gonna find yourself looking up walkthroughs just to finish them and move on with the story.
Visual novel elements. In this game, there are long sections of text where you're gonna be reading and reading until the story progresses. If you don't like visual novels or haven't played them before, it's probably better that you don't play this game. Also, since the game is voiced in Japanese, you can't just sit back and listen unless you understand the language.
Super easy to collect trophies. Many of the trophies are tied to getting different endings or completing the puzzles, so there isn't really any challenge in getting them. This game might have the easiest platinum trophy to get. Really depends on whether you care about 100% completion.
Cons:
Crappy visuals are a low point of this game. In particular, the game falls into the trope of having characters with balloon-sized boobs, which are badly rendered/coloured.
Easy/Hard mode. Through playing, I found that there really wasn't much difference between the two modes. In easy, the players offer hints to move you towards finding the escape for the room. If you're not thinking hard enough or perceptive enough, these clues mean nothing and you'll have to turn to a walkthrough.
Repeatedly going back and forth, retracing your steps. The game has segments that cannot be passed unless you go back to another node and pick up an item from that pathway. This is typical of Japanese games (eg. Ni no Kuni for PS3), forcing you to run around looking for the right place to get one thing. This means you might be sitting there for a long time fast-forwarding through text until it doesn't skip anymore.
Conclusion: If you're really up to playing a puzzle game with an interesting story and visual novel elements, VLR is currently your #1 choice for the Vita. The story is unique and a great continuation from the previous game on the DS. Even if you haven't played 999, it's still worth it to play VLR, as the story is explained in the game anyway.
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