I gave this a 3 out of 5 stars simply because the bundle is not worth the high cost just to own it a week early. Had I known a few things, I would have waited until the 22nd to buy just the 3G version. So this isn't going to be a review of the Vita but rather the package. The Vita itself is a drastic improvement over the previous PSP releases and anyone looking for a home console-like experience on the go should definitely pick it up.
As for the package, things are hit or miss. The included case, although smelling like some type of industrial waste, is rather nice. It has enough space to hold 5 games (6 if you keep one in the Vita), the included USB cable, and the included AC adapter. Not much else is going in there as it is a tight fit. The case is sturdy enough to keep the Vita protected though I wish it had a little more padding around the edges. Overall, I give the case 4 out of 5 stars. I don't think it is worth picking up the early bundle just for the limited edition case.
Little Deviants is a game that isn't really required and will easily be $15 in a short period of time. It is nothing more than a game to show off the Vita's tech and things become boring rather quickly. This is something that should have been included with every Vita, it is that mundane. 2 out of 5 stars.
The 4GB memory card is really where things take a hit. 4GB isn't all that much especially if you plan on saving some money and buying games from the PSN. Some tend to be around $5 less than retail cartridge copies. That would be nice except that graphically intense games, such as Uncharted, take up a little over 3GB. You can essentially put Uncharted on here, some music videos, a handful of songs, and call it a day. That isn't a whole lot to get the most out of the Vita especially since you will want to playback 720p videos (which look great on the Vita's display). What irks me the most is that the 3G version coming out on the 22nd will come with an 8GB card. You would think that Sony would reward people for buying early. Instead they just offer more incentive to buy a week later. This isn't much of an issue if you plan on buying only cartridges but I wanted to save money when buying games, not pay more for the retail copies. Further memory cards are only another financial burden not to mention that they are extremely small and easy to lose. 2 out of 4 stars.
Lastly, I wanted to make a comment on the free game that you get when activating 3G service. I haven't received it yet but I have played it quite a bit. The game is great and easily one of the best Vita games out there. However, it is only a $10 PSN game. You cannot use the Vita coupon for free 250MB of data to get the game. You must PAY for the data service and that starts at $15 for 250MB during a 30 day period. You essentially lose $5 if you pick up the 3G version to get the free game. I don't plan on using the 3G data much as the "wonderful" at&t caps downloads to 20MB. That means you won't be doing a whole lot over 3G. That and transfer speeds are sticking around 1-1.5Mbps for me, that isn't something you would want to use for online video streaming via Netflix and would probably introduce lag during gaming.
All-in-all, this is an extremely disappointing bundle and not worth the extra high price for early entry. Save your money and pick up the two packages coming out next week.
Edit: I figured I would throw in some impressions of the actual Vita. It is a really nice handheld console and definitely offers the closest home console experience on-the-go. The graphics for most titles are near-PS3 though some (Marvel vs Capcom) look dead on for the home console release. That is likely due to the simpler graphical nature of the game. Don't get me wrong, it looks great but it isn't nearly as complex as Gears Of War 3 or even inFAMOUS 2. The Vita's system software is a huge improvement over the dated XMB but it still isn't perfect. Every app, game, whatever will have its own bubble that you must use to access them. It is somewhat annoying as you have to select a bubble and confirm your selection. It isn't like on Android or iOS where you select an app icon and that particular app opens. Furthermore, accessing the settings can be a pain as that has its own icon bubble. That means that you have to select Settings and then confirm your selection for Settings before you can actually change the Vita's settings. It is a little annoying having to go through this double process if all you want to do is select a wi-fi network to join. That is where the XMB actually excelled as you could easily pick the particular setting you wanted to adjust in a matter of seconds.
The Vita's firmware is all touch driven, the game controls and rear touch panel will do absolutely nothing when browsing the Vita. You have to use the front touchscreen in order to do anything with the Vita. Fortunately, Sony has incorporated easily one of the best non-iOS touchscreens out there. Touch input is responsive, multi-touch works really nice, and everything feels very fluid-like. So I have absolutely no issues that Sony has limited general usage to just the touchscreen since it really is a joy to use. Speaking of the Vita's software, it comes with some basic functionality out of the box. The built-in browser is easily one of the worst mobile browsers I have ever used. It doesn't work with HTML5 or Flash so multimedia content won't load. Mobile versions of websites were OK but anything more advanced would have a bunch of empty spots on the webpage. The browser is quick when initially loading a website via wi-fi but it stumbles when you are scrolling and has to constantly "reload" content. I don't think this is a major issue (even the PS3's browser is pretty bad) but it is something that Sony should fix if they want to push the Vita beyond its current labeled niche of being just a gaming console.
The Vita comes equipped with two cameras: one on the back and a front-facing camera. Unfortunately both cameras are limited to 640X480 for both image and video recording. Images are grainy and both cameras struggle with standard lighting conditions. A flip phone from 2006 will take a better still image. Fortunately though, the Vita is OK for video recording. A modern point-and-shoot digital camera will run circles around the Vita's video recording capabilities (same thing with an iPad 2, smartphone, or 4G iPod touch) but they aren't nearly as bad as the Vita's still images. It would have been nice for Sony to include a 720p camera on the back. I have a feeling than an updated Vita will be coming out featuring an HD rear camera. The front camera is also positioned to the right side of the Vita's display so that means you will never really look at the camera when video chatting. You will always be looking to the left and it is noticeable. That is why manufacturers often put the front facing camera right above a display in the middle.
The Vita's battery life, although better than I have experienced with the 3DS, still leaves a little to be desired. I normally get about 5 hours of usages (watching 720p videos, playing some simple games, and playing more complex releases) on a daily basis. Uncharted will drastically drain the Vita's battery and give you 3 hours on a single charge. People are complaining about the battery life. Although I agree that it could be a lot better, it is also on par with many smartphones in terms of gaming. My Droid X's battery will only give me about 6 hours of gaming before it dies. My 4G iPod touch will last even less than that (4 hours) if I am playing a complex game (GTA III). The battery life is what it is. I still think that Sony did a much better job than Nintendo with the 3DS. My Vita can actually go for a few nights without needing to be recharged whereas my 3DS can't go a single night without needing to be put into its charging cradle. Sony definitely nailed the standby battery life. Video playback could be a little longer too. Of course, 3G usage completely destroys the Vita's battery life but that is to be expected.
The built-in speakers are OK for gaming but most people will likely turn to headphones. An inexpensive $20 pair of headphones will give you a better experience than the Vita's built-in speakers. I don't think that is a major issue either as the Vita is a portable console. The built-in speakers for most handheld devices are rather bad anyway and the Vita seems on par with them. The speakers can get pretty loud but they don't really project their sound (if that makes sense).
The Vita is first and foremost a gaming console and that is where it really shines. As I said, the Vita often provides a near-PS3 experience (both in terms of controls and graphics) and these are just the launch titles for the console. I have no doubt that developers will be able to push the system and provide a greater level of detail beyond current home consoles. It may take them a few years but I could easily see that happening (especially since the Vita's display is lower in resolution). Uncharted is almost on par with the PS3 releases though some things stand out. Some objects are not as smooth as others, some textures are much lower in resolution than others (a trick often used with the PS3 as well), etc. It is easily the best looking portable game to date but it isn't quite on par with Uncharted 3 on the PS3. The jungle is also the main setting for the game and that gets a little old. The extra thumb stick on the Vita's front really allows gamers to play games as they should. It is nice that Sony didn't include this as an extra accessory after the fact, that would have annoyed me to no end. The AAA titles also fully take advantage of the Vita's touchscreen and touch pad controls (which work really nicely if the software developers implemented them correctly). Some games have issues with the touch controls though. Escape Plan is a prime example. It is a really good looking game but there are some issues with the touch controls that hold it back from being perfect. I don't think this is a hardware or software issue on Sony's part but rather the game developers. Some swipes across the game characters aren't fully registered and pinching (when you have to touch the screen and rear panel in the same places at the same time) doesn't always work. The first level in Little Deviants relies on the rear touch panel and their implementation is sloppy at best.
All-in-all, there are still somethings that Sony needs to do if they want the Vita to be an all-in-one device. Netflix was just released for it and the experience is fine but they need to come out with more apps. I also think that Sony needs to refine their PC syncing software. All of the syncing is done through the Vita. You essentially download Sony's software, tell it what folders to look in for music, videos, and photos, hook your Vita up to your PC, and then browse all of your media using the Vita's touchscreen only to select what you want to copy over. This doesn't feel natural and goes against what most other syncing programs do that allow you to directly look at your device and select what you want to copy over using the computer, not a small touchscreen. It can be a pain going through a large library of audio and video content just to select certain objects that you want on your Vita. The syncing process is pretty quick but the whole process needs a lot of work.
Sony definitely has a hit on their hands with the Vita hardware. It offers a much needed upgrade over the PSP and is able to provide a near home console experience. A few software improvements (both on the Vita and PC), new app releases (the Vita should have a dedicated Facebook app, Hulu Plus would also be nice), and more games will only make this a stronger mobile companion. The biggest issue for many people will be whether or not they want to carry a second or even third device around with them. I don't mind as I currently carry everything in a backpack so the addition of the Vita wasn't a big deal. However, if people already have a smartphone and tablet in a small bag, the Vita might be a big issue. Personally, I think it is worth carrying the Vita for that portable gaming experience.
I give the Vita itself 4.5 out of 5 stars. All new console releases have their issues and those seem to be very minimal with the Vita. Hopefully Sony fixes a few things as time progresses in order to make the Vita an all around better product (not just for gaming).
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PlayStation Vita First Edition Bundle
Platform : PlayStation Vita
$259.95$259.95
Only 1 left in stock - order soon
- Blur the lines between entertainment and reality with breakthrough controls, including back and front multi-touch screens and dual analog sticks.
- Take on your friends - or the whole world - anywhere, anytime with always-on 3G and Wi-Fi
- Go wild in the world of Little Deviants - the addictive new game that makes full use of the PS Vita's unique features
- Protect your investment with an exclusive PS Vita case
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Product information
| ASIN | B005IMVP0O |
|---|---|
| Release date | February 15, 2012 |
| Customer Reviews |
4.1 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #129,335 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games) #47 in PlayStation Vita Consoles #439 in PlayStation Vita Accessories |
| Pricing | The strikethrough price is the List Price. Savings represents a discount off the List Price. |
| Package Dimensions | 8.8 x 8.5 x 4.3 inches; 2.45 Pounds |
| Type of item | Video Game |
| Item model number | 22056 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Item Weight | 2.45 pounds |
| Manufacturer | Sony |
| Date First Available | October 26, 2011 |
Warranty & Support
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Product Description
Product Description
PlayStation Vita First Edition Bundle:
Claim your PS Vita week before the official release date with the PlayStation Vita First Edition Bundle. Become one of the first to discover the new ways to play the biggest and best games. For a limited time, get the PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi system plus a 4GB memory card, a limited edition case, and Little Deviants game.
• Blur the lines between entertainment and reality with breakthrough controls, including back and front multi-touch screens and dual analog sticks.
• Change the way you play when you access AT&T's Mobile Broadband Network*
*Mobile Broadband access requires DataConnect Pass plan for other specified devices. Time begins expiring immediately upon purchase/activation, whether you are using the service or not. Once your time expires or the allotted data is used, whichever comes first, your data access will cease. 30 day domestic plans automatically renew, unless you cancel auto-renewal. Fees are non-refundable. For full terms see Data Connect Pass Wireless Data Services Agreement on www.att.com/wirelesslegal. Mobile broadband coverage not available in all areas.
Amazon.com
Blur the lines between entertainment and reality with the PlayStation Vita First Edition Bundle. Become one of the first to discover the new ways to play the biggest and best games. Take on your friends—or the whole world—anywhere, anytime with always-on with the network connected by AT&T and Wi-Fi. For a limited time, get the PS Vita gaming system plus a 4GB memory card, a limited edition case, and Little Deviants game.
Handheld gaming enters the Next-Gen.View larger.
Blur the Lines Between Entertainment and Reality.
PlayStation Vita is designed to blur the lines between interactive entertainment and reality in a variety of ways. Reaching beyond the capabilities of every handheld gaming console that has come before it, in this model of Vita players have access to a vast amount of content via improved Wi-Fi, allowing for maximum connectivity wherever you go. (An additional Vita model allows for Wi-Fi and always-on 3G connectivity**) Its 5-inch OLED front multi-touch display brings brilliant images to life and allows for a new touch driven navigational system, while the additional multi-touch pad on its back surface will allow users to interact with games and characters that they encounter within them with a simple movement of their fingertips. The real world and the game world are seamlessly merged with front and rear camera enabled augmented reality. Additionally, services created specifically for Vita will be available on PlayStation Network. These services are designed help users take their gameplay, as well as interaction with other gamers, to new levels.
Additional features include: dual analog stick controls, a 4 core CPU, system-specific flash card media support for game and media saves, mobile PlayStation trophy support, built-in three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer and GPs functionality.
New controls include dual analog sticks, three-axis gyroscope and accelerometer and 2 cameras.View larger. Superior design features, including touchpads at the front and rear.
View larger. New dedicated flash-based game medium, with one slot for game content and a second for personal content.
View larger. The best in content, from classic PS One games to your favorite franchises and new ones going forward.
View larger.
Vita-specific PlayStation Network Functionality
Near
"Near" is a core PlayStation Vita feature composed of location-based services, that utilize PlayStation Network. Near, developed specifically for this service and the network, will be pre-installed in the system to let users find out what their friends in the vicinity are playing now or what they were playing recently. Users can meet their friends and new players virtually, regardless of what games they are playing, simply by sharing their game information across different dimensions of time and distance.
LiveArea and Activity Log
Every game title for PlayStation Vita will be provided with a space called "LiveArea" where users can share the fun and excitement with other players. Users will have access to the latest information of games provided from SCE and third party developers and publishers through PlayStation Network. Additionally, Vita users will be able to view "Activity Log" which is constantly updated with accomplishments from users who are playing the same game, which in turn can trigger active real-time communication among users.
The Best in New and Classic Content
In addition to containing the best in new handheld gaming hardware technology, Sony's PlayStation Vita provides users with the best in quality content. All your favorite game franchises are coming to Vita, including but not limited to Uncharted in Uncharted Golden Abyss, LittleBigPlanet, Hot Shots Golf, ModNation Racers, Wipeout and many more -- including all new game launches -- yet to be announced. Joining these new offerings, players will also have full wireless access to the PlayStation Store. Here, via Vita's improved Wi-Fi capabilities owners can download new game add-ons, movies, comics and PS One classics ported over for handheld play. PlayStation Vita also features full backwards compatibility (via download) to all PSP games. Together this powerful merging of hardware and software is destined to create entertainment experiences unlike anything else available in the handheld gaming market.
Vita Features
- Multi-touch 5-inch organic light emitting display (OLED) as the front display
- Multi-touch pad on the rear of the device
- Dual analog sticks
- Two digital cameras (front and rear)
- Software titles on small, Vita-specific flash memory-based cards
- Three motion sensors, gyroscope, accelerometer and electronic compass
- Advanced and fast Wi-Fi connectivity
- Free PlayStation Network access, including trophy support and new Vita features "LiveArea" and "Near"
- Vita can play PSP titles, minis, PS one classics, video and comics from the PlayStation Store
Technical Specifications
- CPU - ARM Cortex-A9 core (4 core)
- GPU - SGX543MP4+
- External Dimensions - Approx. 182.0 x 18.6 x 83.5mm (width x height x depth) (tentative, excludes largest projection)
- Touch Screen - 5-inches (16:9), 960 x 544, Approx. 16 million colors, OLED Multi touch screen (capacitive type)
- Rear Touch Pad - Multi-touch pad (capacitive type)
- Cameras - Front camera, rear camera
- Game Media/Storage - New Vita-specific dedicated flash-based game medium; dual slots, one for the new game medium, the other is for storage media to be utilized for personal content and download content
- Sound
- Built-in stereo speakers
- Built-in microphone
- Sensors - Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer), three-axis electronic compass
- Location
- Built-in GPs
- Wi-Fi location service support
- Keys / Switches
- PS button
- Power button
- Directional buttons (Up/Down/Right/Left)
- Action buttons (Triangle, Circle, Cross, Square)
- Shoulder buttons (Right/Left)
- Right stick, Left stick
- START button, SELECT button
- Volume buttons (+/-)
- Wireless communications
- IEEE 802.11b/g/n (n = 1×1) (Wi-Fi) (Infrastructure mode/Ad-hoc mode)
- Bluetooth 2.1+EDR (A2DP/AVRCP/HSP)
- Battery - Internal/embedded (not removable)
* Connectivity subject to Wi-Fi availability coverage limitations.
** 3G functionality and coverage requires purchase and activation of an additional AT&T data plan. Connectivity subject to 3G coverage limitations.
Customer reviews
4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
166 global ratings
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 17, 2012
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 16, 2012
DO NOT GET RID OF YOUR PSP's....YET, you cannot download or play any Playstation 1 game onto the Vita, you cannot download most of your PSP games(Even if you have them digitally downloaded), hell, you can't even download the mini Angry Birds yet. Some things will probably never be supported on the Playstation Vita, making the PSP currently an entirely different handheld for the budget gamer($99-$129 with cheaper Lexar and Sandisk Memory PRO DUO cards as well as micro SD to PRO DUO adapters)
Here's my take on the Playstation Vita, it's a very good system capable of a lot of things. I will go over each item in detail.
A lot of people will complain about certain areas of LiveArea, however, I feel that it simplified the interface and also made it better. The only thing I wish for is sorting of games into a new LiveArea Window. For example: PSVita, PSP, PSOne, PS2, PS3/PSN(For thedual platform games), Mini's, NeoGeo. The applications and settings however are very well done. Friends, Party, PS Store, near, Settings, Group Messaging, Trophies, Network Operator(For At&T 3G setup), Content Manager(For connecting the Vita to your PS3 or PC to transfer data, game saves, movies, pictures, games from the PC, etc), Give it a try and you will find it makes sense after an hour or less.
Remote Play currently only works for Mini's and PSOne games(But will not directly play PSOne games), it is very easy to set up(Register your Vita to your PS3 via Remote Play Settings, using my Skyrim Dynamic Theme on the Vita's remote play, there is a little big of lag unfortunatly, but I'm not sure if that is wifi related or what, every video played from your PS3 is playable on your Vita, and the quality is amazing. One thing about Vita Video playback though is that you cannot use the arrow keys to 1.5x, 10x, 30x, 120x with non-remote play, however, if you tap the screen a menu comes up, you can either drag your green circle to wherever you want the video to play, you can jump back 15 seconds, you can fast forward 15 seconds, or go to the beginning. I like this feature overall. The Videos screen allows you to choose between All, or Rented, I am not sure if other options open up based on how you obtain videos.
One interesting thing to note is that there are multiple windows you can keep open, just like an Android phone and just like Microsoft Windows. This is what makes LiveArea really good. Also if you hit the PS Button, in the top right corner you can check your notifications, and it tells you a LOT, your download progression, if you have a new message, people that are playing in Near, any pictures, videos, or music you download from the web(Yes you can save images), when applications install, you are told. Any trophies you earn, any parties you join or leave, all the notifications are sorted by ALL, NOTIFICATIONS, or DOWNLOADS for easier navigating.
Touch the Livearea right or left, you can switch between applications, Friends, Movies, Playstation Store Trophies, even your most recent game, all of that is able to run at the same time and more, making it very multitasker friendly. Those same windows can be closed by swiping the screen in the motion you are removing a window, or waking up your Vita from the powered off state.
Party, this feature is AWESOME and should be adapted to the PS3 already like Xbox already has! You can create your own parties, or join an existing party, you can also save favorite parties to join people's easier. You can invite people from both PS3 and PSVita, however as of this review, I am unsure if PS3 users can join Parties. There is also text based chat, as well as voice chat, which sounds really good.
The Playstation Store looks different than on a PS3/PSP. Game, Video, and Search still exist as main features. There are tabs for Features, New Releases, Top Downloads, and All. If you click the ... in the bottom right, you have additional options, Redeem Codes, Download List(Be warned, most will not work on your PSVita, out of my 900 maybe 20 work at the time of this writing), Services List(Limited Editions, Saints Row Season Pass, Music Unlimited, Playstation Home stuff, etc), and Transaction Management(Add Funds to Wallet, Transaction History, Security, Subscription Settings, Billing Information)
The Prices of all Playstation Store Vita Games as of 2/16/12: Hot Shots Golf World Invitational: $35.99(With an Online Pass), ModNation Racers: Road Trip: $26.99, Uncharted: Golden Abyss: $44.99, Wipeouts 2048: $35.99(Online Pass if you buy USED), Super Stardust Delta: $9.99, Escape Plan: $14.99, Little Deviants: $26.99, Asphalt Injection: $26.99, BlazBlue Continuum Shift EXTEND: $34.99, EA Sports Fifa Soccer: $39.99, Dungeon Hunter Alliance: $35.99, F1 2011: $39.99, Lumines Electronic Symphony: $35.99, Michael Jackson The Experience: $35.99, Rayman Origins: $35.99, Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3: $39.99, Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition: $34.99, Super Stardust Delta Interstellar Bundle: $14.99, Modnation Racers: Road Trip - Unlock All Content: $5.99, Super Stardust Delta Blast Pack: $7.99, Protection Plans for 1 and 2 years(1 year $29.99, 1 year AD $44.99, 2 year $39.99, 2 year AD $69.99)
Near is a very cool feature as it gives you progression, purchases, or other feats, kinda like a Facebook wall. It also shows you how far people are that are playing from you, within a 10km radius. It also keeps track of how far you travel with your Playstation Vita(Driving), Friends activities(Achievements, milestones, games played, when you play a game for the first time, any trophies obtained, and anything purchased. Using the service is optional, if you make your information public, people can see what you are doing(And that's always fun, to me anyways), the game also tracks your Discoveries, I have not gotten one yet so no idea how it works.
Group Messaging is an interesting feature, it's android style text messaging, you can even share camera images from the Vita. The touchscreen works very well. If you own a Playstation 3, be warned, this WILL spam your messages folder, so you will get every notification on your PS3 as well as your Vita. Would be a nice thing to turn off, unless there was something important you wanted to save. Still it makes messaging very easy, say you're at work and can't play a game, but you can text people. You can also refresh the messages.
Trohpies are on the Vita! Broken up into two categories, PSVita System alone, and Playstation Network. It would be cool if they added a third option for filtering, Playstation 3 Trophies. When in Playstation Network filtering, you can compare your trohpies with one friend at a time, which works well since the images for the trophy information is big. You can compare trophies by your Friends, Shared Play History(I assume like Recent Friends played with on the PS3). What I really like about trophy comparing is the sort options, you can sort by last updated, Format(PS3/PSVita), Name of the Game(Classic PS3 style), Progress(BShornock), or the other person, with the option to refresh. If you are like me and have over 100 games with Trophies, seeing every game will take a couple minutes, however, you are not forced to sit on the Syncing with Server menu like you are on the Playstation 3.
The Browser will not allow you to play Facebook games, as the version of flash is not able to run it, so the hackers will be working on that I am sure. But other than that it works pretty well.
The worst feature currently has to be everything 3G related, the Maps feature is very slow, but it does show streets well, however it is terrible with distance. And setting up your DataConnect Pass is a pain, I tried 3 times and couldn't register. Do yourselves a favor and stick with Wifi.
The second worst feature has to be the price point and the price of memory cards, but that does not take away from the quality of the system, which is top notch.
The battery to me is very good, a full charge is roughly 4-5 hours, and that's while using the brightest settings and wifi. The extra 2 years will serve to be very helpful if you ever need to have your battery replaced by Sony, or for accidental damage, so I recommend buying that, especially if you have kids that like to play with things and have no idea what they are doing when they throw your vita on the ground shattering the screen.
Little Deviants is very Underrated, people said that the game is horrible, but like a lot of SONY Playstation Move games, it captures the touch features in a way that is innovative and fun! Shame on those who rated it down. Go try the demo if you don't believe me.
And the 4GB stick is plenty if you don't plan on downloading demos, PSP games, full PSVita games, or put a lot of your music or videos on your device. Your mileage will vary.
The Limited Edition case is a hard plastic case that is very durable, and made well. The zipper has the Playstation word on it, and like the PSP, this case has a pouch for your Peripherals, and 4 of your games, however, you can always sandwich bag your games to fit more in the pouch, you can fit headphones, you can probably even fit a card case snugly. Don't try shoving your cradle in here however it's too thick to fit. The Starter Kit Vita case only holds the PSVita, no games, no accessories.
There will be people that will wait for a $149/$199 price point, and that's fine, but you might be missing out on a great handheld gaming experience that is beautiful to look at and play with.
Here's my take on the Playstation Vita, it's a very good system capable of a lot of things. I will go over each item in detail.
A lot of people will complain about certain areas of LiveArea, however, I feel that it simplified the interface and also made it better. The only thing I wish for is sorting of games into a new LiveArea Window. For example: PSVita, PSP, PSOne, PS2, PS3/PSN(For thedual platform games), Mini's, NeoGeo. The applications and settings however are very well done. Friends, Party, PS Store, near, Settings, Group Messaging, Trophies, Network Operator(For At&T 3G setup), Content Manager(For connecting the Vita to your PS3 or PC to transfer data, game saves, movies, pictures, games from the PC, etc), Give it a try and you will find it makes sense after an hour or less.
Remote Play currently only works for Mini's and PSOne games(But will not directly play PSOne games), it is very easy to set up(Register your Vita to your PS3 via Remote Play Settings, using my Skyrim Dynamic Theme on the Vita's remote play, there is a little big of lag unfortunatly, but I'm not sure if that is wifi related or what, every video played from your PS3 is playable on your Vita, and the quality is amazing. One thing about Vita Video playback though is that you cannot use the arrow keys to 1.5x, 10x, 30x, 120x with non-remote play, however, if you tap the screen a menu comes up, you can either drag your green circle to wherever you want the video to play, you can jump back 15 seconds, you can fast forward 15 seconds, or go to the beginning. I like this feature overall. The Videos screen allows you to choose between All, or Rented, I am not sure if other options open up based on how you obtain videos.
One interesting thing to note is that there are multiple windows you can keep open, just like an Android phone and just like Microsoft Windows. This is what makes LiveArea really good. Also if you hit the PS Button, in the top right corner you can check your notifications, and it tells you a LOT, your download progression, if you have a new message, people that are playing in Near, any pictures, videos, or music you download from the web(Yes you can save images), when applications install, you are told. Any trophies you earn, any parties you join or leave, all the notifications are sorted by ALL, NOTIFICATIONS, or DOWNLOADS for easier navigating.
Touch the Livearea right or left, you can switch between applications, Friends, Movies, Playstation Store Trophies, even your most recent game, all of that is able to run at the same time and more, making it very multitasker friendly. Those same windows can be closed by swiping the screen in the motion you are removing a window, or waking up your Vita from the powered off state.
Party, this feature is AWESOME and should be adapted to the PS3 already like Xbox already has! You can create your own parties, or join an existing party, you can also save favorite parties to join people's easier. You can invite people from both PS3 and PSVita, however as of this review, I am unsure if PS3 users can join Parties. There is also text based chat, as well as voice chat, which sounds really good.
The Playstation Store looks different than on a PS3/PSP. Game, Video, and Search still exist as main features. There are tabs for Features, New Releases, Top Downloads, and All. If you click the ... in the bottom right, you have additional options, Redeem Codes, Download List(Be warned, most will not work on your PSVita, out of my 900 maybe 20 work at the time of this writing), Services List(Limited Editions, Saints Row Season Pass, Music Unlimited, Playstation Home stuff, etc), and Transaction Management(Add Funds to Wallet, Transaction History, Security, Subscription Settings, Billing Information)
The Prices of all Playstation Store Vita Games as of 2/16/12: Hot Shots Golf World Invitational: $35.99(With an Online Pass), ModNation Racers: Road Trip: $26.99, Uncharted: Golden Abyss: $44.99, Wipeouts 2048: $35.99(Online Pass if you buy USED), Super Stardust Delta: $9.99, Escape Plan: $14.99, Little Deviants: $26.99, Asphalt Injection: $26.99, BlazBlue Continuum Shift EXTEND: $34.99, EA Sports Fifa Soccer: $39.99, Dungeon Hunter Alliance: $35.99, F1 2011: $39.99, Lumines Electronic Symphony: $35.99, Michael Jackson The Experience: $35.99, Rayman Origins: $35.99, Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3: $39.99, Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition: $34.99, Super Stardust Delta Interstellar Bundle: $14.99, Modnation Racers: Road Trip - Unlock All Content: $5.99, Super Stardust Delta Blast Pack: $7.99, Protection Plans for 1 and 2 years(1 year $29.99, 1 year AD $44.99, 2 year $39.99, 2 year AD $69.99)
Near is a very cool feature as it gives you progression, purchases, or other feats, kinda like a Facebook wall. It also shows you how far people are that are playing from you, within a 10km radius. It also keeps track of how far you travel with your Playstation Vita(Driving), Friends activities(Achievements, milestones, games played, when you play a game for the first time, any trophies obtained, and anything purchased. Using the service is optional, if you make your information public, people can see what you are doing(And that's always fun, to me anyways), the game also tracks your Discoveries, I have not gotten one yet so no idea how it works.
Group Messaging is an interesting feature, it's android style text messaging, you can even share camera images from the Vita. The touchscreen works very well. If you own a Playstation 3, be warned, this WILL spam your messages folder, so you will get every notification on your PS3 as well as your Vita. Would be a nice thing to turn off, unless there was something important you wanted to save. Still it makes messaging very easy, say you're at work and can't play a game, but you can text people. You can also refresh the messages.
Trohpies are on the Vita! Broken up into two categories, PSVita System alone, and Playstation Network. It would be cool if they added a third option for filtering, Playstation 3 Trophies. When in Playstation Network filtering, you can compare your trohpies with one friend at a time, which works well since the images for the trophy information is big. You can compare trophies by your Friends, Shared Play History(I assume like Recent Friends played with on the PS3). What I really like about trophy comparing is the sort options, you can sort by last updated, Format(PS3/PSVita), Name of the Game(Classic PS3 style), Progress(BShornock), or the other person, with the option to refresh. If you are like me and have over 100 games with Trophies, seeing every game will take a couple minutes, however, you are not forced to sit on the Syncing with Server menu like you are on the Playstation 3.
The Browser will not allow you to play Facebook games, as the version of flash is not able to run it, so the hackers will be working on that I am sure. But other than that it works pretty well.
The worst feature currently has to be everything 3G related, the Maps feature is very slow, but it does show streets well, however it is terrible with distance. And setting up your DataConnect Pass is a pain, I tried 3 times and couldn't register. Do yourselves a favor and stick with Wifi.
The second worst feature has to be the price point and the price of memory cards, but that does not take away from the quality of the system, which is top notch.
The battery to me is very good, a full charge is roughly 4-5 hours, and that's while using the brightest settings and wifi. The extra 2 years will serve to be very helpful if you ever need to have your battery replaced by Sony, or for accidental damage, so I recommend buying that, especially if you have kids that like to play with things and have no idea what they are doing when they throw your vita on the ground shattering the screen.
Little Deviants is very Underrated, people said that the game is horrible, but like a lot of SONY Playstation Move games, it captures the touch features in a way that is innovative and fun! Shame on those who rated it down. Go try the demo if you don't believe me.
And the 4GB stick is plenty if you don't plan on downloading demos, PSP games, full PSVita games, or put a lot of your music or videos on your device. Your mileage will vary.
The Limited Edition case is a hard plastic case that is very durable, and made well. The zipper has the Playstation word on it, and like the PSP, this case has a pouch for your Peripherals, and 4 of your games, however, you can always sandwich bag your games to fit more in the pouch, you can fit headphones, you can probably even fit a card case snugly. Don't try shoving your cradle in here however it's too thick to fit. The Starter Kit Vita case only holds the PSVita, no games, no accessories.
There will be people that will wait for a $149/$199 price point, and that's fine, but you might be missing out on a great handheld gaming experience that is beautiful to look at and play with.
