DARKMATTERS - The Mind of Matt

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Thursday, February 23, 2012

PSVITA: THE WORLD IS IN PLAY

PS VITA - The Future For Gamers

Matt Adcock

The PlayStation Vita is now available and is redefining portable gaming with the console’s innovative features, including a crystal sharp 5 inch OLED screen, Dual Analog Sticks, front touch screen and rear touchpad and front and rear cameras.

If you think 'PS3 in your pocket' then you'll be pretty much spot on...


"Them Rizzle Kicks lads love the VITA - can't blame em!"

The hardware is unprecedented, uncompromising and very very tasty. If you think your smartphone can be any competition to the VITA, you'll soon change your mind when you try it...  The mini analogue sticks are beautiful, highly responsive  and allow for that 'real console' control - even the British Gas guy who came to fix our boiler whilst I was playing VITA wanted a go and after a few minutes with Call of Duty alike UNIT 13 proclaimed "this is the nuts! I'm going to have to trade in my PSP for this now."

It's true though, there is something intrinsically cool about the VITA that speaks to your inner gamer - in the queue I was in on launch morning, I counted at least  4 people trading in Xbox360's and 3  trading 3DS for their new VITAs - I asked the ex-360 guy infront of me why and he confessed that he's always wanted to play an Uncharted game and now he could 'take it anywhere' he just couldn't resist (yeah that and the fact that after trade in the VITA was only £79).

The PS VITA is slick, powerful slab of gaming goodness - and when you play it, if you've ever enjoyed a videogame you'll know, you'll just know that this is something you'll be spending a lot of time playing...

Tweeting, Facebook updating and 'meeting' other players through the excellent 'Near' functionality make the VITA a very handy bit of kit which can keep you socially connected whilst delivering high quality gaming on the go.

The games that are already the stars - with a launch line up better than any I've seen... Including mighty titles such as our pick of the top 3 off the shelf games:



Uncharted: Golden Abyss 

Sleek, epic and brutal adventuring all rolled into one mouth-watering package. The ability to play in bite sized chunks, trade items you find / loot from enemies with other VITA users, notch up trophies and generally be astounded by the cinematic PS3-alike visuals is something every gamer deserves to experience.

"in game footage - stealth action"

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters: öööö1/2 

4.5 – Redefines what's possible on a handheld and rocks very hard



FIFA Football

FIFA has come a long way from the days when it used to be pwned by PES... And the VITA version packs great graphics, smooth gameplay (with added options touch screen passing which can be used to devastatingly deadly effect), online games, tournaments - it's a flippin marvel what they've been able to do with what is for sure the best portable version of football to date. If you're a fan expect to lose many hours of your life to this!?

"even Ars*nal manage to look good in this version"

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters: öööö

4 – The really beautiful game, in your pocket!!



Wipeout 2048 

Wipeout 2048 is the near future anti-gravity racing prequel to the long running PlayStation franchise... Starting with a great short intro film which shows how in the quest for speed we finally got rid of wheels on our racing machines. So as the new sport isn't fully fledged the races take place in a mixture of city streets and nosebleed inducing vertical tracks which take you above the skyline.

Graphically this is just awesome, but the great news is that it plays superbly too and is probably the most 'pick up and play' version to date. Even Wipeout Noobs will be setting commanding lap times on the international online leaderboards - those with PS3 owning mates can play against them in real time / if you have a PS3 and Wipeout HD, the DLC packs you buy will be able to be used in both games!?

Nothing quite shows off what the VITA can do like this game - for a launch effort it is staggering and definitely my favourite of the WipEout games to date.


"look at those clouds - but not for too long as the action if frantic!"

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters: öööö1/2 

4.5 – Eye burning good looks and user friendly controls = greatest racing on the move ever

All of these can be downloaded from the PlayStation Store or bought on the funky VITA cards...



Full VITA reviews of these games and more will be appearing here after some serious play testing!!

"Radio 1's Chris Moyles and Tim Westwood rock the PS VITA launch"


"It's time for a new breed of handheld gaming!"

Info from the PSVITArooms launch: here 

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