PS Vita: General Discussion

[eyedeeuk]

That's what I had sitting on my desk.  I haven't enjoyed playing my Vita for a couple of months now - not at all good considering it's only been available in the UK for 14 weeks.  Tragically, it's now been moved into the dark recesses of a cupboard, though I hope not for ever.

To be honest, I feel a bit stoopid.  I've often bought consoles on day of release, hopeful that even 50% of the warming and exciting promises that are made would become reality.  I was sure I'd learned my lesson after buying the 3DS for nearly £100 more than all the sensible people, but... Oops!  I did it again.  £270 odd slapped down on a PS Vita, memory card and games on launch and very little to show for it.

I did enjoy it early on.  For the first month I got to grips with everything the PS Vita had to offer.  But that was the problem.  I got to grips with "EVERYTHING" and there is nothing left and there's been nothing new.  I've considered buying titles like MvC3 and Disgaea 3, but I can get them both for far less cash for my PS3 - not to mention that they've been available for the PS3 for a long while before being ported to the Vita.

And now the games that everyone has been expectantly waiting for: Gravity Rush and Resistance B.S. are almost with us, it turns out that the titles that were expected to coment the PS Vita's success are generally being considered mediocre to poor.  Some people will bang on about 'personal opinion' and 'don't decide until you play the game for yourself' as much as they like (and those opinions are valid, of course), but simple maths dictates that a vast majority of individual poor review scores suggests that titles are going to be less than the spectacles of wonder that we were all waiting for!  The wait continues...

I'm sure there'll be those who dissagree with my experience; some because they genuinely enjoy owning and using their PS Vita's, but more who can't admit to themselves that Sony have failed them this far.  I say this far because it's still not too late for Sony to save the handheld console.  It's not really early days anymore - not where the development of software is concerned (and that's why it's clear Sony have failed the early adopters with it's relative trickle of mainly underwhelming, ported or lackluster titles), but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Sony can turn things around with a second-stage wave of AAA titles that may have been kept underwraps to be outed at this years E3.  We can only hope!

After the commercial mess that was the PSP (it may have eventually turned profit, but that doesn't constitute it a commercial success as far as global giants like Sony are concerned), when Sony decided to release another handheld games device you'd have thought they would have learned everything necessary and put all their efforts into ensuring it was a huge success from the get-go, fuelled by frequently released amazing games, clever expandable features (that they actually utilise) to draw in current owners of their other gaming hardware, a sensible price point and fantastic promotional delivery.  Oh dear...

So what have I finally learned by all this?  Well...  Not to buy the Wii U on launch day!

Right then.  I better go cancel that pre-order.  

[Spirit0fLight]

I buy most consoles/ game technology Day 1 also, it's just something I like to do.
The 3DS let me down just as much as the Vita is currently. (Though I sold my 3DS & actually made a profit about a month or two ago). Score!

Burning Skies - Which was supposed to get me to wipe the dust off my Vita, well just look at the reviews. Not good.

I'm still holding onto the hope that something will be shown soon (E3) to restore my faith in the system.

I suppose it comes down to personal preference though I know some people who literally loved every launch title for the Vita. They just feel like iPhone games to me, not the hardcore gaming platform the Vita was initially advertised as.

As for WiiU . No, just no. I had the Wii. Motion controllers, do nothing for me. It makes gaming feel like a chore.

[The-Sea-Trout]

I am another who has fallen out of love with their Vita.

It has been sat in my bedide drawer for weeks now untouched.

Lets just hope Sony have some good news for us at E3.

[eyedeeuk]

I bought a Wii on launch day and it got plenty of use for the first few months.  Friends and family who had never even been remotely interested in games suddenly wanted to play Wii every time we hooked up!

Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 were very special, and the Zelda games were worth buying the machine for.  But after the first year of ownership, and apart from the few games listed above, my Wii sat completely untouched until I finally brought myself to sell it a few months back.

I don't want the PS Vita to end up with the same fate (or worse) so I'm so hoping Sony blow our minds with fantastic titles and content at E3!!

Re. the Wii U; I think it could be a great machine with lots of (dare I say it) 'promise', but I'll wait till it comes out and establishes itself before passing judgement.

[RotorHed]

Stopped reading OP when you said Gravity Rush was "Mediocre or Poor".

Can't take that opinion or it's writer seriously.

Rotor.

[BlackKnightUK]

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RotorHed wrote:

Stopped reading OP when you said Gravity Rush was "Mediocre or Poor".

Can't take that opinion or it's writer seriously.

Rotor.

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Same here. Gravity Rush is far from being mediocre or poor judging by reviews so far. Having played the demo myself just judging by that it's going to be a great game. To be honest there are way too many threads and posts of people whining and complaining. Anyone who bought the console at launch took a risk and if they're not happy with it so far it's their own fault. I bought mine at launch and currently own 13 games some of which I've hardly had the time to play. I've got Gravity Rush coming in just over two weeks and I expect a lot of good things to come out of E3 next week. The Vita is the best hand held console ever to be released and it had the best launch line up of any console. There has been plenty available to play. OK games have been a bit slow to come since but I expect things will definitely pick up during the second half of the year.

[eyedeeuk]

Now, now kids.  Calm down and put your thinking cap on a moment.  

Unless you've played the complete retail release of Gravity Rush you can't seriously suggest that the game will be "great" or that it isn't mediocre.  Not that I ever personally suggested it was mediocre.  It was purely based on the collection of critical reviews I have come across so far.  All the comments made above are completely just and based on data provided (generally) by paid professional game reviewers, many of whom were underwhelmed by Gravity Rush, even if it was still considered an enjoyable title (which I hope and believe it probably will be).

Sony's marketing team pushed Gravity Rush as a triple A title, and the gaming media hoped that it would be in order to improve the undeniably poor sales figures the Vita is suffering.  It hasn't been reveiwed anywhere as a triple A title, and many a review (such as that from the heavily respected IGN - whether you personally respect it or not is inconsequential) gave it a 7.5 - Good.  Not 'Amazing', or 'Great', but 'Good'.  And that was one of the more favourable reviews.

I'm genuinely glad you love you're Vita's (I did say some people would), but facts are facts, and so far the PS Vita has not lived up to it's expectations as set out by the company that sells it: Sony.  To suggest it is a persons own fault that they are not fully satisfied with a product which was promoted as being so much more than it has proved to be so far is both childish and ignorant.

And as much as you may think; "... there are way too many threads and posts of people whining and complaining."  Firstly, this thread is obviously neither a whinge, nor a complaint, but an individual voicing their opinion of the present position of the product.  And secondly, I'm sure there are equally as many people fed up with hearing fan boys, all to often, willing to take the low ground to incorrectly defend a service or product that has proven itself, via sales figures and general opinion, to be less than the sum of its claims.

I really hope Sony pull their finger out and invest the necessary time and money developing the software and firmware needed to ensure the PS Vita is a real success.  They have a fantastic product and some of the worlds greatest developers (first and third party) available to them to set things on the right course before it's too late and the products reputation becomes so damaged that it is no longer considered a financially viable investment for the wider majority of production houses - as is what happened with the PSP.

Fingers crossed.

[BlackKnightUK]

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eyedeeuk wrote:

Now, now kids.  Settle down and think about it.  

Unless you've played the complete retail release of Gravity Rush you can't possibly suggest that the game is "great" or that it isn't mediocre.  Not that I was suggesting it was mediocre.  It was purely based on the collection of critical reviews I have come across so far.  All the comments made above are completely just and based on data provided (generally) by paid professional game reviewers, many of whom were underwhelmed by Gravity Rush, even if it was still considered an enjoyable title.

Sony's marketing team pushed Gravity Rush as a triple A title, and the gaming media hoped that it would be in order to improve the undeniably poor sales figures the Vita is suffering.  It hasn't been reveiwed anywhere as a triple A title, and many a review (such as that from the heavily respected IGN - whether you respect it or not is inconsequential) gave it a 7.5 - Good.  Not 'Amazing', or 'Great', but 'Good'.  And that was one of the more favourable reviews.

I'm genuinely glad you love you're Vita's (I did say some people would), but facts are facts, and so far the PS Vita has not lived up to it's expectations as set out by the company that sells it: Sony.  To suggest it is a persons own fault that they are not fully satisfied with a product which was promoted as being so much more than it has proved to be so far is both childish and ignorant.

I really hope Sony pull their finger out and invest the necessary time and money developing the software and firmware needed to ensure the PS Vita is a real success.  They have a fantastic product and some of the worlds greatest developers (first and third party) available to them to set things on the right course before it's too late and the products reputation becomes so damaged that it is no longer considered a financially viable investment for the wider majority of production houses - as is what happened with the PSP.

Fingers crossed.

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Sorry but you're wrong regards Gravity Rush and just looking at the Metacritic scores proves it. http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-vita/gravity-rush That's definitely a series scores for the most part associated with a quality AAA game. Not to mention you must be living in cloud cuckoo land if your under the misguided impression that it has been promoted as a AAA title because developers and publishers never differentiate their games. They all get promoted the same way as they want all of them to obviously sell well. Now stop whining and complaining and I suggest you sell your Vita if you're not happy with it and be done with it. Stop criticising just for the sake of it when you have no valid reason to. Actually this is a better link. http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-vita/gravity-rush/critic-reviews

[eyedeeuk]

Again, I am not wrong.  It is not MY opinion, but the opinion of people who have actually played the final and full retail release.  I am as aware of metacritic's score for Gravity Rish (87%) as I am that of Destructoid's (6.5/10).  In all cases it has not lived up to the hype that pushed it as being the 10/10 title ALL PS Vita owners have been waiting for.

And regarding your insulting (and incorrect) dig regarding the title having not been promoted as a AAA title, I'm afraid it's you who does not understand the way the industry works when it comes to pre-launch promotion and product awareness through the channels of professional active and written communication.  As a designer and game publicist I have a fairly good idea how it all works, and I can assure you developers certainly do differenciate between their titles.  That's why some titles never even make it to general release despite having been in a test-competed state and approaching being ready for some sort of launch.

Facts are facts.  Fan boys are fan boys.

Don't fret about my opinion anyway.  Just forget about it and enjoy YOUR Vita!  

[frodouk]

Your opinion is wrong. The game is classed as superb.

If you are NOT happy, sell it, move on. Simple really.