I really wanted to like the PsP 2!

On 11/19/2013 at 12:33 AM by Coolsetzer

Okay, this is not a rant blog. I'm posting some thoughts on why the Vita is a love/ hate thing for me. This article got me thinking about it: http://kotaku.com/sonys-three-pronged-plan-to-save-the-vita-1466833231

Now don't get me wrong - I loved the original PsP. After a few years, it was a great system. Plus, you could hack it to put emulation on it. Btw, Sony didn't like that idea too much, as evidenced by the constant firmware updates for every new game. Anyway, it had some great games on it, plus you could put music and photos on it to share with your friends.

As far the successor goes, I just don't know. Even though the graphics for it are great, it's just missing something. For awhile, it was just too expensive to be affordabe, like over $200. Now, it's under that price point, which is great, but compared to the 3DS, its value in software is still underwhelming.

For that matter, high capacity memory cards are still nearly $100, and you have to get the first party Sony branded ones.

And why can't I play my UMD games on it? That's right, it's a digital only device. Another problem for me. Why do I want to upgrade my Sony portable, and have to rebuy my games on PSN? Plus, not all of the games I have are on there. This would have been a lot easier if there was a way to transfer the games you already own through your computer or PS3 digitally.

Cross Play would be great, but it's not a system seller. Maybe if you could play your PsP games on the big screen through the PS3? Hey, that would be awesome! I could forgive the lack of "Vita" games if they had the foresight to do something cool with the system before new games started coming out for it.

So... this is or almost "was" year two for the portable. I really wanted them to be successful with the machine, but there's not really anything for me to invest in. I suppose that my gaming on the go is relegated to the 3DS and iOS this generation. Sorry Sony, at least we had some good memories of portable goodness. I guess I'll have to stick with my PsP 1 and upgrade it to be the Sony portable I always wanted. Or at least pretend. Such wasted potential.

Thoughts and comments appreciated!

Casey Curran Staff Writer

11/19/2013 at 03:03 AM

I said it before and I'll say it again, I don't expect the Vita to have support next year. And honestly, that is probably the best move for Sony to make, just put all their effort on the PS4. I'm not saying the thing will completely lose its support, I think indies will stay on board for quite a while. But any retail games, even those from Sony, won't be something we'll see on Vita. Just look at its 2014 lineup if you want proof, that's not how a system finishes its second year, it's how one starts its last year

Coolsetzer

11/20/2013 at 01:48 AM

I haven't really looked at their upcoming release lists. Mainly because it's just not a priority. I have a lot of other things to keep me preoccupied. Sorry, but Final Fantasy X was a really annoying game to me, and I have no wish to revisit it again. I might possibly look into getting one this next year, but only if something is released that I really want to get. The Vita doesn't have a system seller, which is really too bad.

Matt Snee Staff Writer

11/19/2013 at 03:30 AM

I just got the Vita this week and I have to say I love it. And, for me, I think the software is great. There's a lot of games I want for it, and the catalogue appeals to me more than the one for the 3DS. But that's just me.

I have to disagree with Greenman though, I think support will continue, and I think it will eventually be like the PSP, which was my favorite handheld of all time -- even without hacking it.

But I could be wrong. Personally I think it's a great device, and I'm really glad I have one.

11/20/2013 at 06:48 AM

I hope so, too. I really don't want to see it head out the way of the PsP Go.

Cary Woodham

11/19/2013 at 06:05 AM

Only games I would want on the Vita are Gravity Rush, the new Ys game, and maybe the Katamari one. So needless to say, I don't have one yet.

11/20/2013 at 12:11 PM

So far, I would play Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 on it, but that's about it.

Nick DiMola Director

11/19/2013 at 06:54 AM

The big killer for me with the Vita is the storage. I mean, what a disaster that is. I still have the memory card I bought at launch (8GB, I think) and I refuse to spend a small fortune to grab a bigger one despite the fact that I absolutely need it. They really should've, for once, gone with something standard (like Micro SD) instead of pushing their shit proprietary formats.

My lack of space actively keeps me from playing crossplay titles in my library, which is a damn shame. I can't stand having to constantly "clean the fridge" and micromanage what games are on the system due to the small memory card. Even worse is the fact that I can't do the micromanagement on the device itself! I have to hook it up to my computer and back up everything there (rather than quickly deleting with the option to redownload later), just so I can preserve my save file. It's all so idiotic it makes me want to scream. I guess if I had PS+ this wouldn't be an issue, but Sony can fuck right off if that's how they choose to solve that problem.

Not to rant about Sony, but I hate how they leverage their gaming division to push proprietary formats that they hope to have adopted as standards across other mediums. It makes dealing with a lot of their products an absolute headache. The PSP is basically crippled due to this and I detest using the thing despite liking a fair number of games I have on it.

Despite all that, the Vita is a very nice piece of hardware, I really do like it a lot, but they need to start improving it fundamentally and doing something to get some support on the system. Even if they manage to get the PS4 streaming to work better, that's not the panacea the system needs right now. /rant

Jamie Alston Staff Writer

11/19/2013 at 08:25 AM

Wow, managing stuff on the standard memory card sounds a bit convoluted, to day the least. It's a shame that Sony forces you to choose between having inadequate baseline storage, or paying more than what you should for more memory. But then again, Apple gets away with it every year.

transmet2033

11/20/2013 at 09:15 AM

I lucked out because a couple of weeks after I picked up my Vita BestBuy had a deal on the 32GB memory sticks. They were $65, but if you had the Gamers Club Membership you got another 20 off that.

jgusw

11/19/2013 at 09:05 AM

I would love to get the thing, but it doesn't have any games I want to play on it except Persona 4 Golden. I know I'll get a Vita some day, but I'm not going to play $200 for it. I'd rather buy another PSP.

KnightDriver

11/20/2013 at 03:37 PM

I just heard that Nintendo is doing some stuff between the 3DS and Wii-U soon. I'm interested in seeing what interaction the Vita will have with PS4. They must be thinking of some new cool stuff you can do between the two systems.

PixlBit