Conclusion
The PlayStation Vita, when you look at the machine as a whole, is easily the best piece of hardware you can play games on in the palm of your hand. If the market had been fair, and the Vita had gained the sales and exposure it deserved I would have been able to unreservedly recommend the purchase of the machine. However Sony’s choice of memory cards, the frankly pathetic omissions in basic non-gaming app functionality, and the various little niggles mentioned above tarnish the shine somewhat.
I love my Vita – I take it almost everywhere I go, as it is my media player as I refuse to get sucked into the Apple music monopoly let alone what else they are up to. However the issues outlined above mean that it’s nigh on impossible to recommend the machine as an iPod beater.
Then again why does it need to be? It’s a handheld game console, not a media player. Sorry guys, it’s a different era now. If people have a media player in their pocket, which you can download game apps for… like an iPod touch or an iPhone, why do they need a handheld game console? However sell a handheld game console that does your media playback better than what else is on the market, as well as everything an Android tablet can do… Well you get the picture. The thing is the Vita could do this with a software update.
As it is though, with having to budget a minimum of an extra £80 for a 32Gb memory card on top of the price of the machine (which we will be generous and call £200 for the Wi-Fi only version at the moment rather than the SRP), you really need to look hard and find games that you will REALLY want to play. Yes I love Mortal Kombat – but being as the main game is the same as the PS3 version, would you rather play it at home? Look at those titles or real variations on titles that are Vita only. Are there 4 or 5 that you think are worth buying? If so, and finding 4 or 5 games really shouldn’t be that hard especially with looking around Vita Player – get a Vita, as you’ll love it.
Everyone else… can I recommend you buying a machine in the hope that Sony sort the niggles and get enough software out there, from themselves and third parties, to make it worthwhile getting it? No, much as it pains me, I can’t, and I really REALLY want to.
Sort it out Sony, because you are killing this machine, no-one else. Get the media playback sorted. Get the Android compatibility put in. Let your customers use Class 10+ Micro SD cards for heaven’s sake. 4G’s the thing so non-Wi-Fi network gaming is feasible! Sort out your marketing (and not just for the Vita). Then watch it fly.
Sven Harvey
(The opinions in this feature are those of the writer and not necessarily that of Vita Player)
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