Whats the best way to enjoy a vita?

[Damion]

I know that the PSvita isn't the most popular system but I'm in the market for one at the moment and was wondering what games I should get as well as should I worry if I get one that can have a custom firmware or not. I want to be able to play online and enjoy the psn store ( from what I understand paying members get a free game every month ) I've been out of the loop for years and I can't have a home console at the moment so I believe the vita is my best bet. Looking forward to any and all suggestions :-)

[FieryReign]

Can't speak on custom firmware. Be aware there are 2 different models. I like the Vita although the touchscreen is poop, it acts up with the smallest amount of perspiration on the fingertips. And the memory sticks are expensive as hell. Make sure you count that into the equation.

Pretty sure you only get that free game if you sign up for PS+ subscription service. I've never gotten any free games just shopping around. I could recommend games physical and psn, not sure what type of games you're into though?

First thing I recommend is a controller grip, unless you like carpel tunnel. I have this one, it's cheap and feels comfortable in the hands. I won't play it without it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00GZ...CwL&ref=plSrch

[Tanooki]

I had one a few years ago but let it go when then the games dried up. Total wise though there's far more now than before but it is slow though still and your mileage would normally vary if you had a home system. You though do not.

This opens a big door, as part of my problem with the Vita was a lack of releases that weren't just console ports or remixes especially of third person adventure or FPS type stuff which I didn't want. But you though don't have a PS3 lying around, it means lots of opportunity. As fiery said, Sony is greedy with their custom memory cards, research that a lot, get the right size you think you'll need going into it. Why? You said it, freebies. PS+ if you keep it active will give you 1 or 2 free games every single month to use as long as your account is maintained. Secondarily that plus account gives a steep discount on prices on games all the time, the titles roll on those though, but if you buy it, even if PS+ is removed you still paid something, it's yours.

I'd peek at the existing game list, I never looked much, but I don't think the Vita got cracked to where you can warez the hell out of it like PSP, but if they did, you better buy two because Sony maintains and active online connection unless you disable the WiFi and if they smell BS you will be punished severely with probably a banned account, total stone walling short of a bricked system. I'd go peek at the Wikipedia, sort by the US, and see what got a physical release. There's some big time console games that got ports to it, and some amazing sequels and spinoffs, the huge one being Uncharted for one, but there are a lot of others including stuff like Assassins Creed, Hot Shots Golf, and various others. I should temper my post, or I'd get tempted to buy one again as I have like twice this year so far but backed away as I knew I wouldn't commit the time as I rarely do with the 3DS I do have.

[Aussie2B]

I hope you like niche games from Japan because that's about all the system has been getting for some time now. Support from Western developers and "AAA" games have all but dried up. It's not a bad thing to me since Japanese games are primarily what I want to play anyway, but it's just something to throw out there and keep in mind. Pretty much all the AAA-style games are from near launch, back before they realized the Vita was flopping in the West and largely abandoned ship.

If you can find one, I recommend the original model with the OLED screen. It's got some downsides (such as its weight compared to the slim model), but the screen is just soooo much better.

[Damion]

OK this is all really helpful is there a certain numbers I should consider? I'll get the older model for sure. Games I like are vared but I know I'll enjoy ffX and X2, hot shots golf and probably call of duty (though I've heard rumored it wasn't very good) I want to get back into the japenese rpgs as I really got into halo, call of duty and oblivion back when I could have a home console. IDid they make a valker chronicles for the vita or a ace combat? I've been out of the loop so long they could have came and and went. Is the metal gear games any good? I know this is all stuff I can look up but honestly I'd rather get real opinions from here.

[FieryReign]

Hot Shots for sure, great pick up and play anytime game.

Racing/Vehicular Combat
Wipeout 2048
Sonic All Stars Racing

Action/Adventure
Uncharted: Golden Abyss
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 1+2
God of War Collection

Japanese Hack n Slash/Brawler
Dragon's Crown
Muramasa Rebirth

Platformer
Rayman Legends
Shovel Knight
Guacamelee

Puzzle Platformer
Limbo
Thomas Was Alone

Shmup
Resogun
Soldner X-2: Final Prototype
Velocity Ultra/2X

FPS
Duke Nukem: Megaton Edition
Killzone Mercenary
Resistance: Burning Skies

Survival Horror/Action
Resident Evil: Revelations 2, though it doesn't hold a candle to the awesome first game.

Tearaway and Gravity Rush are 2 original games for the system. I have yet to dig into them yet, so can't speak on their quality. Then you have the crap-ton of psp games for download. Like the God of War games, Dracula X Chronicles, etc. Going even further you have the ps1 classics. There's a ton of shit to pick from.

Can't help you with the jrpgs. It's far from a niche system. I just hope they don't pull support for it on psn anytime soon. Not going to bother with broken-out-of-the-box consoles like the ps3+4.

[kupomogli]

Since you can't own a home console at this time then the Vita is a better system than those of us who own a PS3 . If you don't mind digital, then the PS1, PSP, and digital game library make it one of the best systems available.

If you pay $50 a year for the PS+ subscription, then you get a minimum of two games a month for the Vita, but some PS4 games and PS3 games also work for the Vita as well, so sometimes you might end up with three or more. The problem is, is that none of these games are retail any longer and that's all thanks to Sony adapting to Microsoft's requiring a subscription to play online for the PS4. That being said, if not for PS+, I'd have never played games like Spelunky, Rogue Legacy, etc. I did get Hotline Miami and finished it on PC prior to playing it on PS+, so getting that game for the Vita, PS3, and PS4 was a bonus. If you're planning on getting PS+ games, then you'll need to keep your system up to date and if the games date expires, you need to load the game while under wifi to get it to reactivate to the most recent PS+ date.

Memory cards are still high priced, but they have been coming down and sometimes you can find them for a decent price once in awhile when there's a sale. If you only plan on purchasing PSP, PSX, and indie games on the memory card, 16GB should be fine and would set you back around $36. 32GB for $65 and 64GB for $85.

So imo, the Vita library is only good if you don't own the competing systems. If you own a PS3 and it's your primary console, then the Vita loses over half of its library because you will be playing the games elsewhere while enjoying the few good exclusives on the Vita. Ive listed some I like that are at retail below, eight of them are also on PS3.

Unit 13
Wipeout 2048(purchase the Wipeout HD/Fury DLC for $10.)
Playstation All Stars
Soul Sacrifice(Delta is digital only)
Uncharted Golden Abyss
LBP Vita
Persona 4 Golden
Final Fantasy 10/10-2
Demon Gaze
Dragon's Crown
Child of Light(retail)
Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus
Gundam Breaker(great import friendly game, plays like Devil May Cry mixed with Diablo) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp5tYWAZtc4
The Walking Dead Season 1(player control framerate when during action scenes is bad though.)

[Flynn]

Tearaway and Gravity Rush are 2 original games for the system. I have yet to dig into them yet, so can't speak on their quality. Then you have the crap-ton of psp games for download. Like the God of War games, Dracula X Chronicles, etc. Going even further you have the ps1 classics. There's a ton of shit to pick from.

Tearaway is a very good game. The developpers of Tearaway are Media Molecule, the dev of Little Big Planet. Tearaway have a real story, it's so cool and you will take so much pleasure to play it.
Gravity Rush is also a good game. I played it a few hours and it's a very beautiful game with some great concepts.

But one of the best way to enjoy the PS VITA is buying PS1 classics games on the PSN. That the best way to discover again or for the first time some classics video games.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Aside from Persona 4 Golden, the other major reason to own a Vita is the Hyperdimension Neptunia seires. The Vita has a full fledged remake of the first game that is a night and day difference in quality from what first popped up 2010.

Hyperdimension Neptunia in case you haven't heard, is an hilarious RPG series that parodies the gaming industry with the console manufacturers being represented as anime girls. The thing to remember here is that this a parody series that pokes fun of pretty much all aspects of gaming and nerd culture. It uses an overthetop moe style and self aware trope humor.

After Re;Birth, they also ported and enhanced MK2 and Victory for the Vita as well. There are also three spin off games made by different developers. They aren't the same quality and won't nessesarily appeal to RPG fans. The first - PP - is an idol management sim. Next is U Action Unleashed - which is a Dynasty Warriors style hack n' slash. Third is Hyperdevtion Noire, a turn based strategy game by Sting in the vein of their other SRPGs.


Forget about custom firmware on the Vita for now, especially if you want to access PSN. Despite critics who claim Vita is "dead", there are still quite a number of games that get released for it physically and digitally, plus updates and DLC and such. This isn't the PSP. You can't just get custom firmware and illegally download everything. At least, not while Sony is still supporting it. Could be in a couple of years.

[Damion]

This is great you guys are awesome. I love all these recommendations. I'm going to make a list from this thread and try all these (gundam breaker looks cool) Im glad for the warning about getting a custom firmware vita. I like owning the games anyways to be honest.

Though I know the persona series is popular. I had a hard time getting into the PlayStation one persona. But I'm sure it's improved since then.

[kupomogli]

Persona isn't the same game ever since the third game in the series, now it's heavily story based. On Persona 4, Unless you grind, you'll be spending more time during story events and in the town than you'll be spending in the dungeon or battles. You have more than enough time to get whatever you need done, but you're on a calender. You can do a few actions per day and at certain points you're required to complete the dungeon before a certain day or it's game over. You'll basically hang out with characters each day to increase your relationship with them to unlock story events and increase bonus' you get when fusing monsters. Persona 4 has an amazing story, among one of the best JRPG storylines. The dungeons do get a bit repetitious, but the good combat and the amazing story make up for the lackluster exploration.

[Damion]

OK I'm sold that sounds good. Are there any good multiplayer games? A friend mine is getting excited to and was asking all kinds of questions about it. I told him that the vita is similar to a ps3 in visual quality and that the screen is bigger then most phones. He seemed pretty interested.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

In my experience, nearly all the best, must-own Vita games are single player only. You don't multiplayer with handhelds; that's something for consoles.

There probably are some Vita games that are good multiplayer fun, but that's not at all the strength of the system or why you buy one.

The Vita is about two genres above and beyond anything else: JRPGs and Visual Novels. Outside of that there are a splattering of other genres, but like I said, it's mostly for a single person.

[FieryReign]

In my experience, nearly all the best, must-own Vita games are single player only. You don't multiplayer with handhelds; that's something for consoles.

There probably are some Vita games that are good multiplayer fun, but that's not at all the strength of the system or why you buy one.

The Vita is about two genres above and beyond anything else: JRPGs and Visual Novels. Outside of that there are a splattering of other genres, but like I said, it's mostly for a single person.

That's not true at all. There are tons of multiplayer games for both of the current handhelds. Local and online. Half my collection have some sort of multiplayer included. I don't do it myself but the options are there.

Not sure why people say Vita is a jrpg system? It's not. Only seen 2 mentioned so far. 3DS has way more of those things than Vita. There are more Monster Hunter clones than jrpgs.

[Damion]

So I'm currently trying to work a deal for a white PSvita. I think that might be my best bet am I right in thinking that?

[Tanooki]

Without knowing anything but it being a white ps vita, why do you think it's the best you can do? I mean prices are local, even if youre looking at lame old craigslist, but I've passed on a few OLED screen original Vita's for like $90-100 a few times this year. They usually had some small few GB memory card with it and a game.

[Damion]

The deal I'm getting is 125 for a white PSvita with 4gig memory stick and all the cords. I thought the white vitas were a limited run and it would be my best bet for a oled screen.

[Aussie2B]

All models that aren't slim have OLED screens. Or in other words, all the ones with OLED screens are the bigger-sized Vita systems. So if you can tell the bigger model from the smaller model, you're good to go.

[kupomogli]

Here's the easiest way to tell a Slim Vita from the original apart. The audio and the buttons. If you look at the start, select, and playstation buttons, they're all circular rather than oval and the audio is in a circular shape rather than sort of rectangle.

On the Plus side, the Vita Slim does have bigger face buttons and that definitely makes it better to use games like Mega Man Maverick Hunter X where you're constantly going back and forth between using the face buttons, something I've felt was a bit difficult on the original Vita, but on that same note, the original Vita does have a much better screen. It's honestly give or take. Get the better sized controls and give up OLED screen for a standard LCD, or give up the controls for the OLED screen. I'll have a comparison video of the OLED screen below. The OLED is noticeably better, it's a huge difference. I also haven't used the Slim Vita, but this is just speculation on whether it will be more comfortable to play with the bigger buttons, because I know I can go back to the PSP with no problem and play those quick paced games, but on the Vita I have problems.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW7TzE9LnBQ

[Damion]

Wow the difference is really obvious. I'll check with the person I'm buying from and see if its oled