As mentioned in my blog, several PS Vita titles were present at EGX via other versions, mainly on the PS4, rather than playable on PS Vita demo units, which though annoying was compounded somewhat by the lack of signage telling visitors that they were coming to the Vita as well as the PS4! Of all the titles listed below only Helldivers display POS had a mention of the fact it was coming out on PS Vita (and PS3) as well as the PS4.
Final Horizon is a gorgeous looking hybrid of tower defence and “proper” real time strategy – essentially taking Tower Defence to the “next level” if that makes sense. Just don’t expect the bad guys to be trooping past your defences in an easy to target line – they’ll be going for you with everything they have so expect a bit more Command & Conquer than you might be used to. The game is being developed by UK team Eiconic Games, exclusively for PlayStation formats and will be released on both PS4 and PS Vita later this year.
Titan Attacks is a refreshed version of Space Invaders with elements of Galaga and the like thrown in for good measure. Smooth and crisp and offering power ups and the option to increase and decrease various equipment in the game, making it an incredibly presented slice of retro shooter, releasing on the PS3, PS4 and PS Vita in the Summer, courtesy of Curve Digital.
The Swapper has already won awards on the PC and the sci-fi puzzle platformer is coming to the PS4, PS3 and PS Vita in May via Curve Digital. The game features some wonderfully atmospheric graphics and sound (PS4 version being demoed at the event) plus the main character has a very interesting teleporting ability that can get you out of a fix fast.
Velocity X2 is the follow up to Futurelabs PS Mini Velocity and Velocity Ultra on PS Vita and PS3. Velocity X2 is coming to PS4 and PS Vita and expands the game structure with side scrolling platform/puzzle sections as well as the usual Velocity top down scrolling shooter sections. The platform sections I have seen are very fluid even though they are not from the finished version and I dare say many people are anticipating the games release, later this year.
One game that caught my attention from a distance was Helldivers, though this may be due to the fact that the display panel actually stated it was coming to PS3 and PS Vita as well as PS4 unlike so many of the titles on display. A slick looking isometric top down team shooter, the game will offer cross play (the missions appear to support 4 players) and cross save. Reminding me a little of Alien Breed but from a view point that looks like a real time strategy, the enemy aliens look awfully like big bugs so if you can imagine a Starship Troopers game rendered in proper 3D but from the same viewpoint as The Chaos Engine, you are halfway there. Exclusive to the PlayStation formats, it’s due out later this year.
Super Exploding Zoo features herds of explosive animals which you use strategically to stop marauding alien invaders, by blowing them up whilst protecting an egg. Each type of animal has special abilities to slow those bad guys or open up extra areas. There is even to be a random level generator to make it as everlasting as possible above and beyond the 80 standard destroyable levels. Multiplayer will feature cross play across PS Vita and PS4 with the game arriving later this year.
Foul Play is a bizarre scrolling beat em up (Renegade style) set on a stage in a theatre. Rather than your usual life bar, to continue to need to keep the theatre patrons entertained, so the more jumping and clapping and Mexican waves in the audience the better. You take too many hits in a row and bore the crowd – it’s game over. I must admit my first reaction was to ask why Mr Monopoly was smoking a pipe and attacking people on a stage (wasn’t he Mr. Moneybags originally?) One of the developers was present on the stand showing the PC version, and did confirm to me that they intended to have a target price of £9.99 for the PS Vita and PS4 versions, and it will be on cross buy and feature cross save too.
Velocity X2 I have seen before and that looks gorgeous. Foul Play looks like a day 1 for me. Final Horizon looks likely to feed my strategy desire for a while and Super Exploding Zoo looks completely mad! The Swapper is completely new to me though so shall be keeping an eye on that now.
No interest in Helldivers? – that does look like a chunk of fun 🙂
Actually I missed that off (shame on me). I am looking forward to Helldivers and I have known about that one for a little while does look good fun. Really appreciated the mention of cross buy titles in your article, it is something I always look for now. It seems more and more indie devs are exploring this feature since it first started.
I get the feeling Cross Buy is a standard that Sony Computer Entertainment is expecting of titles they bring in from the PC indie market especially, and any indie title being developed specifically for any PlayStation console looks like it’s expected to be as well. I would be very surprised if any of these ended up not being cross buy to be honest!
Velocity X2 is probably the top pick for me from all of these and is a definite day one purchase. I wasn’t too sure about Titan Attacks from the initial press announcements but seeing that it bears more than a passing resemblance to Space Invaders has really grabbed my attention and the retro gamer in me is really drawn to that one now!
Hey, I’m a sucker for old-school games!
It will be interesting to see how it compares with Extreme Space Invaders.