Sony releases PlayStation Vita launch details
If you’ve been following news for the PlayStation Vita, then you’ve probably heard about one of the biggest obstacles to new buyers: the outrageously priced memory cards. These babies were reported to run from $30 (4 GB) to $120 (32 GB), but now Sony claims gamers will be charged in the $20 to $100 range. That’s really not any better if you ask me, especially since I’m doubting we’ll get much use out of the lower end cards. Vita games are being compared to full PlayStation titles in terms of raw power and graphics, and I’m as afraid of the sickly battery life as I am how much memory each game will require.
At least something good has come out of the latest report from Sony: a launch line-up. You can see the entire list on the PlayStation blog, but here are a few that interest me. These titles vary from $10 to $50. Of course, you can snag all first-party games and some accessories and third-party titles with the week-early purchase of the First Edition Vita bundle.
Uncharted: Golden Abyss
Now that Naughty Dog has announced The Last of Us, it looks like they’re putting the lid on Uncharted. This is probably a strategic move on Sony’s behalf, considering it raises the incentive for fans to buy the Vita and play one more Nathan Drake adventure. Seeing on video how the various motion and button controls work with player preferences rather than against them is what sold me on the handheld.
Escape Plan (PSN only)
This is one of the more unique games in Sony’s Vita line-up. In Escape Plan (by Fun Bits Interactive), players guide Lil and Laarg through an environment laden with traps. The predominantly grey color scheme has indie written all over it, and the premise and humorous style promise something more refreshing than another cog in the giant first-person shooter machine companies are so fond of nowadays.
Army Corps of Hell (Square Enix)
Square Enix’s Army Corps of Hell combines Nintendo’s Pikmin with goblins and giant demons. The dethroned King of Hell commands the mini corps on a mission to reclaim his rightful place in the underworld. Annihilating enemies and looting corpses might make this game sound gruesome, but the idea is pretty charming.
Silent Hill: Book of Memories
I’m still not sure what I think of this one. At its best, Silent Hill is a single-player horror experience, and any hint of co-op (like in Homecoming) waters down the mood. Hello, hear those sirens? Better stay away! Regardless, developer WayForward intends on delivering a collaborative multiplayer game from a top-down, or isometric, perspective. I’ll be playing it because I’m a huge SH nerd, but this sounds like an attempted knock-off of Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light to me.
Touch My Katamari
If you can forgive the salacious name, which makes me want to roll my eyes while everyone else giggles unstoppably, then Namco Bandai’s newest Katamari is probably a good thing, even if it fails to impress. I can’t imagine a better game to lure in the more casual crowd. Katamari is simple but addictive fun.
What titles are you looking forward to? Do you plan to buy a Vita, or wait until the price drops (like, by a lot)?
