VIDEO: Sony’s Vita launch line-up, including the games to actually care about, part two

Matt Hawkins Contributing Writer, Video Games

Including the one game that everyone is looking forward to the most, and the other title that everyone should care about instead, plus two other 3rd party titles.

For those who missed part one, here you go. So where was I? Oh yeah…

Super Stardust: Delta
For whatever reason, I was expecting another pointless exercise is poorly handled, touchscreen controls. I was wrong! It plays as awesome as you would expect it to (as in, it handles far better than the nice, but close enough PSP port)…

ModNation Racers: Road Trip
Again, and much like LittleBigPlanet, creating custom tracks should theoretically be easier with the help of being able to draw directly on the display (passed on this one; if a kart racer doesn’t have Mario in the title, I’m not interested, sorry)…

Reality Fighters
Not going to lie; was bored with this in literally 30 seconds. It’s perhaps the most impressive tech demo I tried out, but something that definitely should be a system pack in, or rooted into the system, as opposed to an actual game you pay for…

Unit 13
Sorry, but I chose to skip this one, since I’m not into tactical based, first person shooters. But as far as those types of games go, this one looks pretty tight, albeit a tad bit generic (though the fact that so much is being delivered on a small plate helps to discount that tiny quibble)…

… Now, the following is from Sony, but will be launch titles anyway…

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
All that really needs to be said is that it’s a pixel perfect port of the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions, but in the palm of your hands. So often, fighting games get gimped when making the transition to a handheld, but not here! No official trailer exists, so all I have is footage of the game being played at Tokyo Game Show I believe…

Unfortunately, it doesn’t show the one key difference in the Vita port: support for tapping on the touchscreen to execute special moves. All you do is touch the screen and your guy or gal does moves. Tap multiple times and you prefer a predetermined combo. There’s no way to alter or argument what happens; the only real decisive point is whether or not your combo meter is filled (if so, the last move in the sequence will be a super; if not, it’s… not).

I know that’s pure b.s. to some, but considering the button mashing nature of the game, it’s not that bad. You can even play against such folks online, and throughly trounce them with your legit skills! Or simply chose to option to never come across such scum in the first place.

Lumines Electronic Symphony
I guess it’s fitting that the PSP’s first killer app get a Vita version as well. So two things worth noting: first, instead of the blocks being 2D sprites, everything is rendered in 3D! Which you won’t be able to notice in the following (it’s impossible to tell in real life as well)…

And the second thing is how there will be a ton of licensed tracks, and hardly any original music. Which is what made Lumines so awesome in the first place (and why the first version is still the king). And since playing imports will be much trickier this time, getting the Japanese version (I can deal with J-pop far more so than Black Eye Peas) might not be a viable option.

… And finally, two final pieces of Sony published software…

Uncharted: Golden Abyss
Perhaps the one game for the Vita that everyone is looking forward to is the one that truly typifies what’s wrong with the platform. Sorry, but the new Uncharted kinda sucks…

Christ, where to begin? The graphics are incredible, right up there with the PS3 version, that’s no exaggeration. Problem is, the way it plays is a joke. Awkward and totally pointless touch and gyroscopic functionality is inserted every single step of the way. I was told by the rep, right up front, that those wanting a more traditional experience could do so, but then almost immediately came parts in which one HAD to touch the screen.

It’s just hilarious how there’s finally a handheld with dual analogue sticks, something gamers have been begging for, along with just the right amount of buttons (I don’t think I’ve mentioned yet that, despite it’s bulky appearance, the Vita feels absolutely wonderful; won’t fit in your pocket, but it’s not design to make calls either), coupled with a game that totally ignores them. To the point that it almost spits you in the face for wanting to use them!

As noted last time, I totally understand the need to show off the fancy tricks the Vita can do, but to do so at the cost of a game’s mechanics is pure nonsense. And again, in the case of Wipeout, touch based interactions are simply best when the action is not so fast and furious, like in a certain kinds of action titles, or puzzles games. Uncharted is not one of them.

In Golden Abyss, instead of just touching a button or a stick to climb up or down a pipe, you have to make silly swiping motions on the back of the system to have Drake move. It’s just as bad as it sounds. The worst came during a sniper rifle portion of a level; it used a combination of manipulating the sticks AND tilting the Vita a specific way, to get the right angle. I literally had my Vita held 90 degrees, and leaning towards my left.

There is no way that is going to fly on a crowded subway. I could care less how silly I look while playing a video game, it’s about invading someone else’s personal space. Such a shame, because otherwise, the game is pretty awesome. Unless someone high up smells the coffee and realizes that there’s serious issues afoot, Uncharted: Golden Abyss will be the Vita’s prime example of promoting its unique feature sets in the worst pay possible.

Sounds Shapes
Meanwhile, behold the REAL killer app…

All right, confession time: I have a few pals of mine working on this thing. But they happened to be supremely talented in the ways of music, design, and making games. And it shows, me thinks. It’s a totally abstract music/action title in which the emphasis is in creating custom levels, which in turn creates custom songs. A concept that many games have tried, with varying degrees of success, but Sound Shapes totally knocks it out of the park.

Many folks are getting the Vita just because of that, but they’re more interested in using it as a an instrument, more than to actually play the game “part” (which isn’t bad, though the real meat and potatoes is in the level editor). At the very least, it’s something totally unique, which hasn’t been done anywhere else (and perhaps can’t be done so), which is what every new platform needs.

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