PS vita

[WorknMan]

FYI: On the latest Tested.com podcast (sister site of Giantbomb), they have Jeff Gerstmann on there talking a lot about the Vita, answering most/all of the questions that have been raised in this thread. If you're interested, you should give it a listen.

[Shane R. Monroe]

The PSP suffered for being ahead of its time and the Vita is the same mistake. How's a company that lost billions going to balance the costs of supporting the PS3 and Vita? This company keeps jumping ahead without thinking. Remember Move, remember the 3D? And all the while they're pushing their hundred "next big things", The Last Guardian has been in development hell. That's beyond pathetic.

I disagree with "ahead of it's time". It really has nothing to do with it being "so advanced the market isn't ready for it" (that's how I'm interpreting what you're saying - if that isn't it - sorry).

The problems with Sony handhelds have been lamented about endlessly - but none of them have been because "well, it's just too advanced for the market in 20xx".

If the PSP was released TODAY, the market still wouldn't "be ready for it".

Look, there is ZERO excuse for ANY "portable" device to require a significant delay between request and delivery.

Imagine if your cell phone took 1 minute and 41 seconds to retrieve your email. What if bringing up a page in your browser took MINUTES?

When you're essentially talking about 10-15 minute intervals (LESS if you're going to take a dump or whatever) - having 1:40 of LOAD TIME and 10 developer screens - and THEN a gaming experience that was originally designed for longer play sessions.

This is why the stupid magic formula of Angry Birds works - you can "finish a level" between your deuces.

[BJWanlund]

How many updates have you already had to apply?

Can you use or do ANYTHING with it WITHOUT buying the expensive memory card?

Only 1 so far, and that was when I first got it.

And not really, but I must preface that by saying that I got mine WITH an 8GB memory card already included. Your mileage may vary, however.

If you got the 3G version, what can you do with 3G? Also impressions, thoughts, gripes?

I haven't really had much of a chance to test the waters on the 3G yet. I'll get back to you on that one.

As far as impressions go, this sucker is SLICK. I don't actually have an OLED screen on any of my other devices, so this is the first time I've had to view stuff on an OLED display, and it is glorious-looking.

I have only played 1 full game thus far, Blazblue: Continuum Shift Extend. I gotta say, this looks EXACTLY like the PS3 version. Not a hint of pixellation on the animations, and it is just amazing.

I have 3 minor gripes: 1) EXTREMELY small buttons (although I can live with that when a 5 inch OLED screen is included), 2) the rear touch pad is just plain useless in Welcome Park, and 3) The touch screen is a fingerprint magnet. Make SURE you get a screen protector for this unit. The D-Pad and buttons don't show the fingerprints nearly as bad as the PSP-1000 did, so that's one major plus.

BJ

[moko]

As for memory card doing anything without memory card. The answer is NO.

[moko]

I have 3 minor gripes: 1) EXTREMELY small buttons (although I can live with that when a 5 inch OLED screen is included), 2) the rear touch pad is just plain useless in Welcome Park, and 3) The touch screen is a fingerprint magnet. Make SURE you get a screen protector for this unit. The D-Pad and buttons don't show the fingerprints nearly as bad as the PSP-1000 did, so that's one major plus.
BJ

I pretty much agree with you on this. Sure the buttons are more smaller than the PSP. I still find it ok for me use, it does not bother me that much. As for the rear touch screen, I used it for Unchartered when climbing on ropes, and also rotating the artifacts. The rear touch is pretty good for that game. Many games on the Vita still use the front touch screen over the back. Glad to see another Vita owner on the board besides me.

BTW anyone try using the Vita with the PS3 on Remote Play? I hear Killzone 3 can be played on the Vita. Seems similar to the Wii-U tablet concept.

[merman1974]

A friend of mine took the plunge and got a Vita. Took ten minutes to sort out the wifi on starting up and then an hour to do a system update before it would let him p,at anything...

[Shane R. Monroe]

Yeah, the weird thing is that the buttons aren't that much smaller (if any) than the 3DS, but on that unit they FEEL a LOT smaller. When I picked up the demo unit? It made me crazy.

[TripHamer]

I guess the main point of interest is the overall experience. Is it an enjoyable platform for gaming?

Overpriced memory cards, buttons too small this, fingerprints that, took too long to setup, etc. Let's get past all that as you can expect those kind of complaints on anything. Once it's all setup and running, how's the experience? That's what we judge things by.

[BJWanlund]

Experience-wise, I'm definitely enjoying it so far.

BJ

[seanyboyuk]

After watching lots of video reviews i am still not impressed by the vita. I think its a bad move by sony not to go down standard connectivity for their usb cables and media, again they are using their own format to make more money. Why cant they just stick a micro usb for charging etc and use micro sd?! Them 2 niggles alone (with the rest of the others) make me walk further and further away from sony. Xbox handheld please...........