338 replies to this topic

[famousmortimer]

Vita Owner here too.

PSN: Lord_audie

Games:
Wipeout
Lumines
Uncharted
Rayman
Stardust

Really considering getting HSG, but i have yet to play (much less buy a Golf game). Is that game arcadey or simulation?

It's arcadey, in that your power shots and stuff have fire coming off them... but it's sim in that the ball bounces and rolls where you would expect it to.

[mik]

Finished Mutant Blobs Attack. The final set of levels gets really tricky, challenging, and fun. Then it does something that I totally love--it rewards you with a couple closing levels that have essentially no challenge at all as a payoff for making it through that gauntlet. Wonderful ending to a great game.

[Dream]

Hey Mik, have you played About a Blob on PS3? I picked it up when it was on sale, but haven't played it yet. Just wondering how the Vita game compares.

Edited by Dream, 27 February 2012 - 12:28 PM.

[mik]

I played it a bit when it first came out, but got distracted and stopped. I'll be going back to it now. I like a lot of the new mechanics in the Vita version (rocketing around levels, using the touchscreen, and the tilt controls), but it is pretty similar to the first game.

[dammitmattt]

Here are my quick (or not so quick, in the case of Lumines) thoughts after playing a bit of each game:

Lumines - For context, the original is one of my favorite games of all-time. This version smartly gets rid of the pop shit from Lumines 2 and adds a universal leveling mechanic, which is a nice touch for gamers like me who need constant encouragement, but it's very rudimentary. There is a weird option that I don't remember from the second game - the ability to continue from the level you died on while your score completely resets (and no XP is earned). However, you do have to start from the beginning every time you "begin" your journey. I seem to remember Lumines 2 giving you more starting options. Overall, I really enjoy the game, but after a solid day of playing, I feel like I've exhausted most of the content (all I have to do is get the level 5 master achievement and finish collecting the avatars) and honestly, I think I've just played enough Lumines for one lifetime. However, if you've never played Lumines, you're in for a treat. One weird thing - I don't think the World Block mechanic has worked correctly for me yet. I never get to contribute.

Hot Shots Golf - Very similar to my thoughts on Lumines. It's a good version of a game that I've already run into the ground. Thankfully, I really enjoy this game, and the daily tournaments will keep me coming back. I wish the RPG mechanics were better designed and more smartly incorporated into the whole structure of the game, though. This is also the least "next-gen" looking game that I've played on the Vita. It doesn't look a whole lot different than the PSP games. On the positive side, I'm really looking forward to seeing how hideous I can make my online avatar. One weird thing - the timing for getting a sweet shot on your drives on the opening golfers is really, really tight. I don't remember it being like this in other games. You basically have to get a perfect shot or you're in the red.

Uncharted - I've played the least amount of this but because my expectations were low, I've been pleasantly surprised. I still don't like the shooting, but I like all of the other "gimmicky" stuff. I almost think it would be a better game if they completely went away from the combat and focused exclusively on making a platformer/gimmicky puzzle hybrid. And man, it looks goooooood.

Mutant Blobs - Mik was right. This is a really fun game with charming art, great 2D/touch controls, and fun play mechanics. It's the best $8 you can spend on the Vita.

Welcome Park - Fuck the large sliding puzzles. Fuck them really, really hard. My brain just sucks at those, which means I can't get the gold. The touch mini-games were surprisingly good.

I think I want to buy Wipeout next. Talk me into or out of it.

[mik]

Wipeout is awesome, but may well fall into that category of "great game you've already run into the ground."

[momerath]

I'm very excited to play Mutant Blobs Attack, since I enjoyed About a Blob so much on the PS3.

Now that I think about it, it ended up being a great move on their part to release About a Blob as a free download for PS Plus users, since it got me to play a game that I normally wouldn't have paid for, and consequently made me much more willing to pay for the Vita version.

[gamer812]

Finished Mutant Blobs Attack. Besides dammitmattt crushing my scores on the earlier levels and making me #2 on my friends list, it was an easy but highly entertaining game. It makes me want to finish the PS3 version as I never got around to it after beating the first level.

Played some more Lumines. I can't for the life of me get held up in the skin with blue and yellow blocks with holes in them. I can get past it, but my screen is almost to the brim when I get to the next skin. Then I get crushed by the marshmallow looking blocks in a later skin.

Hustle Kings looks great. Almost in par with the PS3 version.

[famousmortimer]

I've owned a bunch of Lumines games but it never really clicked with me. I always had fun, which is why i've owned 2 or 3 of them, but i just wasn't any good.

I'm not great now, matt's scores kick the fuck out of me. But there are a few tips I can pass on. You can tap the back touch pad to replenish your avatar ability. I use the scrambler one as an oh shit button when im getting an unruly board. It seems the more you tap to the beat of the song the faster it fills as well, which is cool.


My main problem with Lumines is that you need a chunk of time to play it. Seems like 45 minutes minimum. But, when i decide to do it I have so much fun. The other night it put me into a complete trance and by the time i finished it took me a split second to remember where the fuck I was.

[levitynyc]

I preorderd MLB 12 the Show with my 20$ amazon credit.

[TheKurichan]

I love Lumines, but I am not paying retail for a game I played to death on the PSP. I bought it on PSN a while ago and realised I don't want to spend 45 minutes playing Lumines anymore, unless it gets cheap (PS plus?).

Bought Mutant Blobs, though it's 12 bucks in OZ, it's a fun platformer so am happy to have that on the system.

HOT SHOTS!!!!

Bought Motorstorm RC, it's a fun little time/leaderboard chaser and is really quick to jump in and out of. Definately a must buy at 10 bucks for both PS Vita and PS3 versions. Though they don't seem to have cross-platform play, or leaderboards (but maybe I am just not looking in the right spot or something).

Virtua Tennis 4 is pretty much the same os the PSP version, but it's a fun game to play, and I love sports games on the go.

FIFA Football is FIFA 11 on a portable, includes online if your into that, and has the best addition ever to the series (back touch to control shot direction.... AWESOME).

Escape Plan, the art style and music are quite awesome, the game is not so far (but I only played 10 minutes).

The five minutes I played of Uncharted were fun, I look forward to playing more one day.

[juanster]

When did Warrior's Lair get pushed back? It's now coming out in September.

[dammitmattt]

Bought Motorstorm RC, it's a fun little time/leaderboard chaser and is really quick to jump in and out of. Definately a must buy at 10 bucks for both PS Vita and PS3 versions. Though they don't seem to have cross-platform play, or leaderboards (but maybe I am just not looking in the right spot or something).

Virtua Tennis 4 is pretty much the same os the PSP version, but it's a fun game to play, and I love sports games on the go.

Maybe I'm stupid but I thought that Motorstorm RC isn't out yet. It's definitely not on the store. Europe, maybe?

Also, I'm starting to hear that Virtua Tennis 4 is good as a sports RPG. That really piques my interest more than it did previously. Is it worth it JUST for the career mode?

[famousmortimer]

Virtua Tennis 4's career mode is part RPG, part board game, part weirdo Japanese mini game collection and part tennis simulator. I think it's absolutely brilliant. I definitely recommend it.


I guess it's a port, so those that played it on other platforms aren't getting anything new. But for folks like me who never played it - it's a massive and fun game. Not to mention its one of the cleanest looking games which I guess is also at 60fps.

Edited by famousmortimer, 28 February 2012 - 10:24 AM.

[TheKurichan]

Maybe I'm stupid but I thought that Motorstorm RC isn't out yet. It's definitely not on the store. Europe, maybe?

Yeah I am in Australia and we share a region with Europe for games. Motorstorm was out on release day here.

[minus_273]

I just got excited for little deviants. We'll see how long it lasts.

[bkforyou]

currently own Unsharted Golden Shower, Hot Shots, and FIFA Soccer.


1. Unsharted: haven't spent too much time with it, but so far it feels like its PS3 counterparts. i like that i can touch and director Drake through various climbing portions of the game. the dialogue and small cutscene definitely lacks something also. feel more blend and disconnected. little disappointing since i think that's a huge part of unsharted.

2. Hot Shots: it's hot shots. seriously. if you liked the ones before, you'll enjoy it.

3. FIFA Soccer: finally bought this game off PSN with a psn card since i kept running into np-2244-2 error (anyone else?) and couldn't add funds. i knew before purchasing that this is more of a representation of FIFA 11 than FIFA 12 but im still a huge FIFA fan and wanted to be able to play it on the go (hence, off psn and not the physical card). it doesn't have tactical defending nor its new impact system. also, head to head mode isn't by 10 match seasons. it's just ranked or unranked with an obscure level system that was in FIFA11 and before.

anyone play some PSP games? I started playing Monster Hunter Freedom Unite and have been going crazy with it. just discovered adhoc party that lets me play via internet.

[TheKurichan]

Up to chapter 2 in Uncharted, no complaints. The game looks beautiful, I'm snapping away trying to make a background in game.

[dammitmattt]

Maybe something's wrong with me, but I'm really, really enjoying Uncharted. Even more so than the first half of Uncharted 3. Maybe it's new launch goggles, but halfway through, I'm enjoying the pacing and the heavy emphasis on collectibles, minor puzzles, and combat situations where shooting can be entirely avoided using stealth. Hopefully that pacing will continue through the second half of the game, but I kind of doubt it because there are a lot of weapon-based trophies for weapons that I haven't even seen yet, which makes me feel like the back half of the game will be heavier on combat and big weapons.

I'm smitten, though, so much so that I bought the $.99 treasure hunter add-on, which is either brilliant or insiduous for completionists like me (or both). I have a feeling that this will be the new normal in the future. Whereas in the past, many games would put icons on the map for collectibles (Just Cause) or would allow you to unlock maps (Saints Row, Assassin's Creed), I can see a future where the only way to get this is via a paid add-on. It's brilliant. And I hate myself already for the times now and in the future where I will buy these add-ons.

I'm loving my Vita. Now I'm itching for some Virtua Tennis RPG and Wipeout when I'm done with these games. And having 8-4 compare Gravity Rush to Crackdown made my anticipation for that title soar through the roof.

[minus_273]

unsharted golden shower sounds painful.

[TheKurichan]

Maybe something's wrong with me, but I'm really, really enjoying Uncharted.

I'm right with you, I am still only near the end of chapter 2, but I am fucking loving it.

I got Wipeout 2048 for free (anyone who bought the 3G in AUS and loaded the prepaid sim got a code for the game), but as I have never really played the series I am not sure what to think. I will try to get into it when I have more time. I am really building a back log already on the vita.

[famousmortimer]

I think uncharted is awesome as well, for all of those reasons. Tacked on gimmicks or not, it feels more like you are an adventurer... and i really dig that.

[famousmortimer]

Hustle Kings has a kinda neat asynchronous mode. It's not quite (or even in the same ballpark) Hero Academy or Words with Friends, but having these ongoing pool games is pretty cool. You can't play randoms though so I need each of you to buy the game and then play me. The good news is its only $10 and you get the PS3 and PSV version for that. Or if you own the PS3 version already the PSV version is free.

[TheKurichan]

the good news is i will probably buy hustle kings now. the bad news is i live in australia and due to the time difference one game will take forever. Fuckkkkkk posting from my 3g vita, it isn't designed for this.

[levitynyc]

I legitimately got stuck in Mutant Blobs Attack. It was one of those parts where you need to rotate the wheel and maneuver inside it. Something happened where i was in the wheel, but the touchpoint was below the screen and i was stuck inside the wheel. Nothing I could do.

I screen capped it and ill post it later. After restarting i was able to advance with no problem.

[famousmortimer]

Yeah the game kinda knows you can get stuck, I think one of the early tutorials showed how to reset if you did.



I know exactly the wheel you're talking about (it looks like going right in the best way... but then you get fucked). This game becomes devilishly hard. I'm really struggling with the second to last area (army base?).

[famousmortimer]

the good news is i will probably buy hustle kings now. the bad news is i live in australia and due to the time difference one game will take forever. Fuckkkkkk posting from my 3g vita, it isn't designed for this.

Well the beauty of asynchronous, for me, is that games can take forever and it doesn't bother me in the slightest. I know that isn't the case for everyone, judging by the "OMFG TAKE YOUR TURN" messages I get in Hero Academy. But if you want to play often start a lot of games. Some people start like 2 games and expect you to make moves on their every whim. I don't think they quite understand the beauty of this style of multiplayer...


But hooray for another HK pal.

[mik]

I don't think on those wheels you have to touch the specific point--just anywhere on the wheel. Same goes for the platforms that shift up and down.

[famousmortimer]

No the wheel i think he is talking about there is a specific point that turns it, and you can turn it off the screen. But you just restart from the last checkpoint which is like 20 feet away and do it correctly. It's not really an issue at all.

[levitynyc]

I was literally stuck in the wheel. I couldn't back out and get killed and start over. I had to restart the whole level as i didn't know how to reset. I'll upload the photo when I get home.

Edited by levitynyc, 03 March 2012 - 12:22 PM.

[Phineas Gage]

Same thing happened to me.

[TheKurichan]

Well the beauty of asynchronous, for me, is that games can take forever and it doesn't bother me in the slightest. I know that isn't the case for everyone, judging by the "OMFG TAKE YOUR TURN" messages I get in Hero Academy. But if you want to play often start a lot of games. Some people start like 2 games and expect you to make moves on their every whim. I don't think they quite understand the beauty of this style of multiplayer...


But hooray for another HK pal.

Yeah I don't mind a long game. At least you are consistent in hero academy, once a day is fine and feels less like a chore.

[levitynyc]

Just finished the army base last night. Not too tricky at all. I was prepared for the worst. But it wasn't too bad.

I guess playing Super Meat Boy a lot prepared me for a tough platformer. This is a walk in the park compared to that.

Best 8 bucks you can spend. Really like it.

[famousmortimer]

Motorstorm RC is gonna be free on the vita. http://blog.us.plays...rtesy-of-scion/



I will gladly see some loading screen ads for free dollars.

[levitynyc]

Wow. Awesome.

[dammitmattt]

Fucking awesome!

Also, I have to say that I was blown away by the Unit 13 demo. It looked good, ran very smoothly, and the snap-to aim implementation is fantastic. It's really what you need with these loose analog sticks. I really wish Uncharted was a little snappier. I also love the high-score, mission-specific structure. It really works better for a portable game than something like Uncharted, which I can't play while I'm watching TV like I can with other Vita games like Hot Shots.

[famousmortimer]

Fucking awesome!

Also, I have to say that I was blown away by the Unit 13 demo. It looked good, ran very smoothly, and the snap-to aim implementation is fantastic. It's really what you need with these loose analog sticks. I really wish Uncharted was a little snappier. I also love the high-score, mission-specific structure. It really works better for a portable game than something like Uncharted, which I can't play while I'm watching TV like I can with other Vita games like Hot Shots.

Agreed on all fronts. We are coming together, matt. Cats and dogs! Total pandemonium.


I think Unit 13 has the chance to be amazing. Not amazing in a Mass Effect/Skyrim/Battlefield/whatever kind of way. But amazing like Stardust or Lumines... the score chasing aspect just feels so good in that demo. I've run through it about 5 times now trying all the operatives. Getting extra points for stealth kills and head shots and trying to get a multiplier going and moving fast so you don't lose it... it's just such a great concept. It obviously has no story and doesn't the depth of a typical shooter in most respects, but I almost feel like if this scoring thing is done right it could offer the most replay value of any non-competitive shooter that i know of. Two player co-op also sweetens the pot. And yeah, the mechanics feel solid. This isn't a Halo moment, per se, but it's a pretty big deal that it's a shooter and its on a portable and it actually feels good.


And while i love uncharted i'm only able to play it when no one else is around. So it's kinda rare. But if my wife is in the room chances are she is gonna wanna talk (OMGGGG WHYYYY!??!?!) so I've been avoiding it. But after she goes to bed I'll sprawl across our couch, lights off, headphones on and really get into it.

Edited by famousmortimer, 05 March 2012 - 12:14 PM.

[famousmortimer]

The daily missions in Unit 13 are going to be a one shot attempt only type of thing. I'm not declaring anything yet, until i see how it works in action, but this makes it a very serious contender to companion piece to the hot shots tournaments.


Just planting the seed...

[famousmortimer]

So is there anything in particular you guys are hoping for out of the vita game thing on the 9th?

I'm hoping for a monster hunter announcement, but I don't think it's coming.

I would love something from Level 5. Jeane d' arc 2? Dark Cloud 3? Something like that.

Gran Turismo would be huge, but i feel like it would be leaked already. And it wouldn't come out for 5 years.

A vita port of Dragon's Dogma would be absolutely perfect.

People at Neogaf keep pointing out that Sony owns the Demon's Souls IP. Demon's Souls 2 could be a really neat handheld game.

Sega is evidently showing a lot of stuff.

I've always wanted a new Jumping Flash.




I dunno, im thinking mostly Japanese stuff since it's coming from there. There's obviously a list of western stuff I'd want also.

[levitynyc]

some "I'm so fucking over that" God of War game