8 best PlayStation Vita games of all time
The PS Vita is slowly being forgotten by history, but we’re here to remind you of all the great games the handheld had to offer.
Although the PlayStation Vita isn’t looked back upon with much fondness, it could be considered ahead of its time. It may not have had the power that the Nintendo Switch has, but the overall concept of a handheld that you can play on the TV is there. With touch screens on the front and back and a vibrant OLED screen, there was plenty to love about this little device.
Looking at its extensive games library, it could be a bit hit and miss, but there were some greats on there. It was the best way to play PS1 and PS2 games for a long time, and its extensive array of original titles is nothing to shake a stick at. We’re looking back at the very best of what the Vita had to offer, and maybe it’ll convince you to dust yours off if you ever had one.
Freedom Wars
As is often the case in these niche JRPGs, we take ourselves to an anime-ified post-apocalypse where humans are fighting to work off a 1-million-year prison sentence. Combat is focused around a grapple-whip which is a lot of fun to play around with, especially as you use it to deal with some fearsome and giant opponents.
The Nonary Games
Escape room games are a lot of fun with their abstract puzzles, but the world of video games lets you get even weirder, and The Nonary Games introduces different timelines into the equation. It’ll have you scratching your head for hours, and is layered under a great narrative that forces you to make impactful choices for yourself and your allies.
Danganronpa
If you like Phoenix Wright, but want something a little darker then you should’ve checked out Danganronpa years ago. You’ll have to put your detective and courtroom skills to the test in order to get away with murder in a series of dramatic stories that expertly play with your emotions from start to finish.
Persona
This beloved JRPG series has recently announced it will make its way to modern consoles, but you shouldn’t sleep on the Vita releases, especially because it has the original and both versions of Persona 2. If you’re interested in this genre then you’ve almost certainly played one of the Persona games, so why not come to Vita and enjoy the rest?
Severed
Made by the same developers and Luchador Metroidvania, Guacemelee, Severed focuses on the unique features of the Vita. Its responsive touchscreen is vital to how the gameplay, something very few developers care enough about. You must face off enemies from all sides, but with only a single arm with which to fight them, meaning you are constantly on a swivel to keep yourself safe.
Lost Dimension
This forgotten gem of a JRPG plays around with strategy in a way few other games have done before. There is an element of social deduction in the combat, as each time around some of your teammates will be traitors. You can clear them out to keep yourself safe, of course, but doing so will rob you of a valuable team member in the now, even if it’ll cost you down the line. It’s a genius balancing act that no one else has ever tried.
Killzone Mercenary
First-person shooters have never done especially well on handhelds. It didn’t help that the DS didn’t get an analog stick until it became the 3DS either. However, the Vita didn’t have such problems, and it left the market open for someone to do something special for the console. Each level allows you to take the stealthy route, and it has all the trimmings of a fantastic stealth game alongside the enjoyable shooting mechanics.
Hotline Miami
One of the best indie games ever made, Hotline Miami’s frantic action is second to none. You’ll go into every top-down heist with a belly full of confidence only to be quite literally gutted within a few seconds. Whether you play slowly and cautiously or build up to a perfect fast run, it’s endless fun infiltrating, failing, then infiltrating again learning the layouts and tactics with every single death.
Written by GLHF.
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