Best PS Vita Games

If you haven’t been paying attention, you’d be surprised to find out that developers were still producing games for the PS Vita late into 2019.

Regrettably, the PlayStation Vita was a complete failure for Sony – sales-wise. As a result of this and Nintendo owning the largest market share in handheld consoles, we won’t be getting a follow up to the PlayStation Vita.

Which is a pity, because the Vita is one of the most innovative handheld consoles of the last decade.  This is why even after Sony’s production of the PS Vita halted in 2019, publishers were still releasing games. The Vita’s library consists of over 1500 games. That’s nearly three times the size of the PSP’s library.

A library that deep has to consist of a few duds, right? If you’ve recently got your hands on a new or used PS Vita, this guide will help you sift through its massive library and find out which games are the best for the Playstation Vita.

Top 10 Best PS Vita Games

At the time of its release, the PlayStation Vita was a beautifully crafted machine with plenty of potentials. It had a gorgeous OLED touchscreen, two analog sticks, bottom, and top auxiliary push buttons, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 3G (optional). It had enough juice and studios backing it to go against the Nintendo 3DS and come out on top.

Over the years, development and support for games on the Vita have slowly ebbed. Sooner or later they will completely come to a complete halt and the Vita will join the PSP in obsoletion. This is a sad thought.

However, we can still celebrate the innovation that the Playstation Vita brought to mobile gaming. In this guide, we’ll be going over the games which took the most advantage of the PlayStation Vita’s hardware, genre by genre. Without further ado…

#1 Best Overall – Persona 4 Golden

• Initial Release Date: 14 June 2012
• Developer(s): Atlus
• Publisher(s): Atlus/NIS America
• Game Modes: Single-Player
• Genre: Role-Playing, Social Simulator
• Buy It Here

Thanks to the PlayStation Vita’s hardware, Persona 4 Golden was a marked improvement on Persona 3 Portable for the PSP. Atlus once again displayed its knack for producing genre-defining JRPGs.

Persona 4 was originally released on the PS2 in 2008. P4G on the PS Vita upped the ante with new characters, more refined gameplay and better graphics. This and more is why P4G is considered to be the best game on the PS Vita.

Persona 4 Golden Story

Persona 4 Golden introduces a new protagonist as well as a few new side characters. The protagonist is a big city boy who’s transplanted in the rural town of Inaba. It’s a common movie and TV series trope.

People in Inaba start turning up missing or dead. You eventually find out that a killer is throwing them into a parallel dimension which can be accessed through a TV. It’s up to the boy and his friends to stop the killer as well as defeat the shadow monsters which reside in the TV World.

Persona 4 Golden Gameplay

Persona 4 is a mixture of level grinding and social simulation. It’s divided into two parts. As the boy, you can live out your life outside the TV World as you see fit. You can socialize, go to school and play sports, etc.

The group or party you’ll use in the TV World is determined by your real-world interactions with your peers. These side quests and extracurricular activities will also build up your character. At almost any time, you can choose to visit the TV World dungeons.

Combat is turn-based. Personas are a huge part of the gameplay. These are manifestations of a character’s inner self. Calling upon a Persona makes the combat portion of the gameplay feel a lot like a Pokémon game.  Players could use the PS4’s wireless feature to call for help during dungeon battles.

Persona 4 Golden Graphics

Persona 4 Golden’s graphics have noticeably improved over the PS2 version. Even more so if you compare it to Persona 3 Portable. Gone are the blocky, sharp textured character models. Thanks to the PlayStation Vita’s quarter high definition screen, Persona 4 has vibrantly colored textures and levels. The game feels alive in your hands.

Persona 4 Golden Overall Review

Persona 4’s soundtrack is a mixture of Japanese pop and techno. It never gets old, even after ten hours of play.

This is important because this game’s scope and scale are huge. We’re in awe of all the detail that went into P4G.  We can’t stop thinking about all the code and hours of work that went into making Inaba feel visceral and real.

Because of all the content in the game, it will take you over sixty hours to complete. It’s a bit like the Yakuza series but it’s made to appeal to a broader audience. Persona 4 Golden was so popular in Japan, that it boosted PS Vita sales. Unfortunately, it was not enough to keep the PS Vita chugging along for another decade.

#2 Best 3D Platformer – Tearaway

• Initial Release Date: 20 November 2013
• Developer(s): Media Molecule
• Publisher(s): Sony Computer Entertainment
• Game Modes: Single-Player
• Genre: Platformer
• Buy It Here

Tearaway is one of the most memorable games on the PS Vita. There are games that are console defining. For instance, when you think about the Xbox, you think of Halo or Gears of War. When you think of the PlayStation 2, you think of God of War or Shadow of the Colossus.

If you’re thinking of the PS Vita, you should be thinking of Tearaway or Persona 4 Golden. Tearaway came from the creators of LittleBigPlanet, so you can expect some creativity and charm from the game.

Tearaway Story

Tearaway’s story is very meta but also very soulful and touching. You control a messenger in a paper cut-out world. His/her mission is to deliver a special message to the player (you).

At the start of the game, you can select Iota, the male character or Atoi, the femme character. Tearaway’s simple but deep story is well suited for a handheld system like the PS Vita.

You don’t have to understand some tricky lore or memorize all the character’s names. It utilizes simple storytelling which allows you to focus on the gameplay.

Tearaway Gameplay

Tearaway’s gameplay is its selling point. It takes advantage of nearly all the PS Vita’s sensors and connections. At face value, it’s a third-person platformer. While the main objective of the game is to deliver a message (to yourself), you’ll encounter many other in-game characters, puzzles and objectives.

Each of these puzzles and objectives will require you to use the PS Vita’s various controls and inputs to move objects around, fight enemies and progress through the story. The most surprising thing about Tearaway is how smooth, responsive and intuitive all the controls are. Bugs are rare, which is commendable for a game with this much technicality.

Tearaway Graphics

It’s very akin to the graphics of LittleBigPlanet. Models and textures have a material design. Characters look charming and sweet. It has a pop-up book aesthetic. It’s like playing through a papier-mâché world. It’s a reminder that an adventure game can still work, despite having no blood, viscera or gore.

Tearaway Overall Review

It’s hard to buy games for kids these days. The most marketed and highest selling games are for mature audiences. Thank the gaming gods for a game like Tearaway. Both adults and kids can enjoy it.

It’s imaginative, fun, challenging and immersive. The four characteristics of a good game. It’s no surprise that it took three awards from the 2014 BAFTAs.

#3 Best Open World Game – Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD

• Initial Release Date: 23 November 2011
• Developer(s): Oddworld Inhabitants
• Publisher(s): EA Games, Oddworld Inhabitants
• Game Modes: Single-Player
• Genre: Open-world action-adventure, First Person Shooter, Third-Person Shooter, 3D Platformer
• Buy It Here

The Oddworld franchise is one of the most underrated. The original devs, Oddworld Inhabitants saw the potential beyond Abe (the titular character of the early games). You’d expect that more games would have spawned from the franchise but alas, this isn’t the case.

All we’ve seen from the franchise over the last decade is remakes and remasters. Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath is one of them.

Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD Story

You can tell that the game draws heavy influence from old-school Clint Eastwood westerns such as the Pale Rider and the High Plains Drifter. You play as Stranger, a bounty hunter going from town to town and taking down various outlaws for money.

As you progress through the game, you soon learn more and more about the Stranger and his origins.

Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD Gameplay

Bounty hunting is a huge part of the game. Bounties can either be captured(stunned) or killed. Captured enemies earn the greatest reward.

As Stranger, you can switch between a third-person and first-person perspective. The third-person view is used to traverse the world and for melee combat. The first-person perspective is used for shooting or launching long-range attacks.

Stranger’s Wrath allows you to approach enemies head-on or through some stealthy gameplay which caters to multiple play styles. The game mechanics are the best thing about Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath.

For a game originally released in the mid-noughties, it has a lot of forward-thinking open-world gameplay mechanics. That’s why it was so prime for an eighth-generation remaster.

Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD Graphics

The portion of Oddworld introduced in Stranger’s Wrath is dark, gorgeous and charming. It really does have a western feel to it. It’s easy to get lost in its beauty and detail and completely forget that the game was developed for sixth-generation consoles.

Graphics and textures are smooth. So are character designs. They’re not blocky or rough-edged. There are subtle touches such as lens flare which increase the immersion of the game. Towns and areas feel alive with vibrant characters and plant life.

Much like Abe, the characters in the game are loveable. Cutscenes are near Pixar quality. So is the humor and some of the dialog. Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath is one of the best-looking games on the PS Vita.

Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD Overall Review

For those interested in playing a game in the Oddworld series but you’re unsure where to start, Stranger’s Wrath is a great entry point. The Oddworld franchise doesn’t have a lot of heady mythoi to run through.

You need not be familiar with all the various species, races, towns, and politics of Oddworld to truly enjoy this game. It’s been expertly ported and transferred to the PlayStation Vita. Controls are responsive and the gameplay is extremely fun. Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath is one of the best open-world experiences for the PS Vita.

#4 Best Hack ‘n Slash – God of War Collection

• Initial Release Date: 06 May 2014
• Developer(s): SCE Santa Monica Studio, Sanzaru Games
• Publisher(s): Sony Computer Entertainment
• Game Modes: Single-Player
• Genre: Hack and Slash
• Buy It Here

What’s an 8th generation Sony console without God of War? The Sony PSP and PS2 had its share of God of War exclusives, unfortunately, the PlayStation Vita did not. This is a pity. I believe the devs could have done some very creative things with Vita’s hardware.

To this day, what the PlayStation Vita is missing is an excellent 3D hack and slash adventure game. We couldn’t get an exclusive or an original game. Nevertheless, the PS Vita’s God of War Collection is still a great consolation prize.

God of War Collection Story

The God of War collection contains both the original 2005 game as well as its 2007 sequel. The story follows Kratos’ journey to exact revenge on the Olympian god Ares. Upon defeating Ares, he becomes the titular God of War.

Due to his own hubris and rage, he is betrayed by his fellow gods and is stripped of his godhood. The God of War collection follows Kratos on his quest for revenge and destruction.

God of War Collection Gameplay

God of War is a hack-n-slash game that requires quite a bit of button mashing. As Kratos, you will take on a slew of enemies at once. The God of War series is most memorable for pitting you against giant bosses.

In most cases, to finish bosses off, you’ll have to initiate a series of quick-time events. Throughout the collection, Kratos will find himself armed with various weapons, relics, and magic. You’ll also find some reprieve from the action through some puzzle-solving and exploration.

God of War Collection Graphics

God of War has always been optimized for Sony’s hardware. Some gamers may feel that the Playstation Vita’s small screen won’t do the God of War games justice. It actually does. In fact, it delivers smoother textures when compared to its PS2 counterparts. It’s near HD.

God of War has always been lauded for its astonishing level design and attention to detail. Not to mention the enemy and character design. The Vita version of the God of War collection has everything you’d expect from the God of War collection. Blood, sex and visceral violence, all on a tiny handheld screen.

God of War Collection Overall Review

The PS Vita gave you a chance to relive the first two God of War games on a mobile device. It was another showcase of what the Vita could do graphically.

Nothing is shaved off here. Both games are preserved and refined for the Playstation Vita. If you need to remind yourself of how Kratos became the angriest man alive, then you should try playing these games on the PS Vita.

#5 Best Racing Game – Need for Speed: Most Wanted

• Initial Release Date: 30 October 2012
• Developer(s): Criterion Games
• Publisher(s): Electronic Arts
• Game Modes: Single-Player, Multiplayer
• Genre: Racing, Open-World
• Buy It Here

Need for Speed: Most Wanted is one of the best racing games EA has released in the last ten years. It was developed by Criterion Games, the studio behind the incredibly fun Burnout Series.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted is probably one of the reasons we haven’t received a follow up to 2008’s Burnout Paradise. It had one of the largest cross-platform launches of any game in the 2010s.

It was released for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Kindle Fire, iOS devices, Android devices and Microsoft Windows, all on the same day. A  Wii U title came out nearly six months later. How does the PS Vita version compare to other ports? Is it worth having? We will answer these questions in this short review.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted Story

The game is set in Fairhaven, your typical city, which includes an industrial section as well as a beach. It’s quite similar to Burnout Paradise’s Paradise City. It isn’t as colorful though and it seems to have a larger central business district.

Nevertheless, much like Burnout Paradise, Fairhaven is yours to explore in an open-world style. Most Wanted does not have a plot like Need for Speed: Rivals or Need for Speed: Heat. Nor does it need one.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted Gameplay

You can compete against other racers in three different events which include: Sprint Races, Circuit Races, and Speed Runs. You’ll also encounter Ambush races where you’ll be tasked with evading a group of police cars as quickly as possible.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Most Wanted game without the police trying to arrest you in the middle of a race. Another similarity that Need for Speed: Most Wanted has with Burnout Paradise is that most races don’t force you to conform to a fixed circuit. You can use shortcuts and take roads that you feel will get you to the end goal quicker.

The game features a Most Wanted list which consists of ten different racers. If you beat any of the racers on the list, you win their pink slips. Cruising around the city is fun. Players need not zip from event to event; you can simply just explore Fairhaven and admire its beauty – even on the PS Vita.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted Graphics

The game tries to be as consistent as possible throughout its ports. However, it’s unreasonable to expect PC or even PS3 graphics out of the PS Vita. The game has been graphically downgraded to suit the Vita’s hardware.

This does not necessarily mean that it’s a terrible looking game on the PS Vita. In truth, it probably has some of the best graphics on the PlayStation Vita. The courses and cars all remain the same. Cars have a realistic sheen and shine to them. As you’re racing around the city at dusk, you get lens flare effects which up the game’s realism.

Car damage isn’t as visible. You might see a few dents and scratches. The crash physics are still awesome though. It’s hard not to cringe when you’re part of a head-on collision.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted Overall Review

There’s no better racing game on the PlayStation Vita than Need for Speed: Most Wanted. It retains as much as it can from the home console editions to deliver a consistent experience.

It’s a winner of the Gamescom Best Racing Game award as well the NAVGTR award for Game, Franchise Racing. If you had to choose one game from this list, let it be Need for Speed: Most Wanted. It’s the perfect mixture of open-world gameplay and racing. It’s forever fun and challenging.

#6 Best Puzzle Game– Fez

• Initial Release Date: 26 March 2014
• Developer(s): Polytron Corporation
• Publisher(s): Trapdoor
• Game Modes: Single-Player
• Genre: Puzzle Game, Platformer
• Buy It Here

Sony has had a strong affinity for creative indie developers like Thatgamecompany and Quantic Dream. Because most indie devs build games that require fewer system resources (because of their limited budget), it forces them to be creative.

This is exemplified by Fez. Upon its release, one Metacritic user stated that it was the best game of the 2010s. But what makes this game so fantastic?

Fez Story

Fez follows Gomez, a creature living in a two-dimensional world. There’s a bit of a fourth-wall break here because Gomez knows he’s living in a 2D world. After Gomez receives a red fez hat, he witnesses a giant cube explode. This rips a hole into the fabric of spacetime, revealing a third dimension.

It’s up to Gomez to fix things by gathering all the broken pieces of the cube and re-assembling it.

Fez takes a cue from early platformers and doesn’t dwell too much on the story. In addition to this, it’s a puzzle game and the story should not distract from the puzzles.

Nonetheless, as with games like Super Mario, there’s enough plot in the game to keep you motivated and focused on the end goal.

Fez Gameplay

Fez’s aesthetic as well as gameplay is a huge part of the game. You get your basic platform mechanics. However, Fez would not stand out if this was all it had going for it. Fez allows you to rotate the world between four 2D views. Each rotation reveals a new path to follow, making it a 3D game played out in a 2D view.

Fez plays out like an interactive puzzle game. There are no enemies or boss fights to look out for. The game is like an antithesis to games like Dark Souls. It’s very forgiving. If you fall or die, the game respawns you directly next to the ledge you fell from.

Fez Graphics

As I’ve mentioned before, one of Fez’s highest selling points is the art direction and style. It’s a mixture of 16-bit pixel animation with some smooth backgrounds and textures.

The objective in Fez is to gather smaller pieces of a larger cube. The entire game is made up of squares/cubes. So it’s not coincidental that a giant cube controls the fabric of spacetime.

Fez Overall Review

Fez is charming, endearing and beautifully crafted. It also has an awesome gaming soundtrack that can be purchased on vinyl.

The game is perfect for children but some of the puzzles are cerebral enough to keep an adult mind invested and satisfied. For those who don’t own a PlayStation Vita, Fez is also available for the Xbox 360, PS3, OS X, PS4, iOS, and Microsoft Windows.

#7 Best First-Person Shooter – Killzone: Mercenary

• Initial Release Date: 4 September 2013
• Developer(s): Guerrilla Cambridge
• Publisher(s): Sony Computer Entertainment
• Game Modes: Single-Player, Multiplayer
• Genre: First Person Shooter
• Buy It Here

The PlayStation Vita was worth purchasing just to play Killzone: Mercenary. The Killzone franchise was once thought to be the Halo killer. Unfortunately, this was not the case. However, what the Killzone games perfected that Halo couldn’t, was realism.

Even though it is set in a science fiction setting, Killzone’s politics, story, characters, and graphics felt tangible and weighty. Its gritty realism is quite similar to Children of Men.

It would be irresponsible to say that Killzone: Mercenary is the best game in the series. However, it is the best first-person shooter on the PlayStation Vita.

Killzone: Mercenary Story

Killzone Mercenary is set on Helghan and Vakta. In terms of chronology, the game is set between the events of Killzone 2 and 3. This time, players take control of Arran Danner, a mercenary for hire. This is a fresh take on what was becoming an otherwise stale concept.

Since Arran is a mercenary, his primary goal is to make as much money as possible. It’s not about furthering one side’s foothold in the war and thus you can choose to fight alongside the ISA or Helghan.

“My strategy for this war? Get rich and get out” – Arran Danner

Killzone: Mercenary Gameplay

The single-player campaign is short and sweet – a sore point for some gamers. It is divided into brief sections, which makes perfect for quick gaming on the go.

What we loved most about Killzone: Mercenary is how it preserves most of the fps gameplay you would find on home consoles. Buttons are where you’d expect them to be.

However, to set it apart from its big console counterparts, it does have quicker movement to coincide with the game’s protagonist and theme. The shooting also feels a lot more arcade-like. You don’t have to compensate for recoil as much as you do for Killzone 3.

Although the game’s single-player campaign is short, it’s cushioned by the Contracts Mode which allows you to revisit finished levels to achieve certain challenges. For instance, you may be tasked to complete the level with a shotgun or assassinate a person of interest.

Online multiplayer allows you to earn money as well as online-only Valor cards. It uses the PS Vita’s Wi-Fi connection but it still performs remarkably well. You can download Botzone Soldier Training, a DLC that allows you to play multiplayer against offline bots.

Killzone: Mercenary Graphics

Killzone: Mercenary has some of the best graphics on the PS Vita. Sony and the developers have stated that the game runs on the same graphics engine as Killzone 3.

For some reason, the graphics and textures seem more vibrant on the PS Vita. There is incredible detail in this game. From the environments and vehicles to character models, it’s quite easy to forget that you’re playing this game on a handheld system.

Concessions have obviously been made to fit it on the PS Vita. The graphics aren’t always perfect. You’re bound to meet a few frame rate drops, particularly in busy areas. Yet still, I guarantee that you’ll find yourself in awe of the sheer beauty and detail that has gone into some of Killzone: Mercenary’s war-torn vistas.

Killzone: Mercenary Overall Review

While the single-player campaign is short, there’s still a lot of gameplay and side-content to get through. Killzone: Mercenary is nearly a decade old and yet, it remains the best first person-shooter of any mobile platform.

It has a decent soundtrack and despite it being a first-person shooter on a tiny handheld console, it’s very easy to pick up and play. What more could you ask for?

# 8 Best 2D Platform Game – Rayman Origins

• Initial Release Date: 15 February 2012
• Developer(s): Ubisoft
• Publisher(s): Ubisoft
• Game Modes: Single-Player, Multiplayer
• Genre: Platform
• Buy It Here

Rayman, the iconic character that helped make Ubisoft what it is today. It’s surprising that the PS Vita doesn’t have more great platforming games that are akin to the Rayman games.

Sure, you have great puzzle-based games like Limbo and Pez but we wish there were more Mario and Sonic-esque titles. They work so well for handheld systems like the PS Vita. Nevertheless, this makes Rayman Origins a one of a kind experience on the PS Vita.

Rayman Origins Story

After Rayman’s snoring disturbs a powerful old witch from the Land of The Living Dead, she sends an army of evil forces to take over the world. Rayman and his posse try to rally against the evil horde, only to be defeated and captured.

Rayman finds a way to escape. It’s up to him and his posse to defeat the evil that has taken over the world while freeing some Nymphs along the way. For a platforming game, it sure has a convoluted plot. But that’s because Ubisoft started building the world of Rayman in the mid-90s.

Rayman Origins expands this world even further.

Rayman Origins Gameplay

Just like the previous entries in the series, Rayman Origins is a 2D side-scrolling adventure platformer. You’ll find and collect yellow Lums in each stage as well as find ruins where you’ll be able to rescue a Nymph.

Each rescued Nymph bestows upon you a new ability like swimming, lighting, etc. These abilities are important to the game’s progression.

The local multiplayer has been completely scrapped from the PS Vita version of the game. This is strange since the PS Vita has the hardware to accommodate both local and online multiplayer.

However, the game does replace it with a ghost mode, where you can race against your previous attempts. Yet still, the devs have taken a social experience and made it a solitary one. Nevertheless, Rayman Origins on the PS Vita is still filled with enough vibrant gameplay to keep you coming back for more.

Rayman Origins Graphics

Rayman Origins on the PlayStation Vita remains faithful to its original console counterparts. Both in terms of graphics and controls. It is well animated, chock filled with endearing charm and creativity.

The game is fast-paced, fun, and feels completely responsive with the PS Vita’s analog sticks. Frame rates hardly ever drop or stutter. This is important because speeding through the levels is a key part of Rayman’s gameplay.

However, the same problems that plagued the home console version still plague the Vita port. In large levels, the camera will zoom out, making it hard to see your character. Despite this minor flaw, Rayman Origins is an absolute feast for the eyes.

Rayman Origins Overall Review

Besides Rayman Origins missing its multiplayer on the PS Vita, there isn’t any difference between the version you’ll find on the PS3 and the version on the PS Vita.

Maybe the omission of the multiplayer is there to inspire you to buy the console version as well as the mobile port. At this point in time, we can only guess. However, what remains a certainty is Rayman Origins is the best platforming game on the PlayStation Vita.

#9 Best Fighting Game – Dead or Alive 5 Plus

• Initial Release Date: 19 March 2013
• Developer(s): Team Ninja
• Publisher(s): Tecmo Koei
• Game Modes: Single-Player, Multiplayer
• Genre: Fighting
• Buy It Here

While the Dead or Alive series might be known more for its objectification of women and boob physics, underneath that all (no pun intended) is a franchise that has produced some of the best arcade fighting games of the last thirty years.

Dead or Alive 5 Plus was not Team Ninja’s first foray into condensing one of their games for the PS Vita. They had previously done this with Ninja Gaiden. However, a key reason as to why Dead or Alive 5’s presence on the Vita was so epic is because of its cross-platform features.

Dead or Alive 5 Plus Story

Stories in fighting games are often overlooked. This is odd since fighting games like Tekken, Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter have some very deep lore. So deep that it can compete with some of the best RPGs out there.

The story picks up two years after the events of Dead or Alive 4. After the destruction of DOATEC’s headquarters, Helena Douglas who has inherited the company from her deceased father looks to rebuild the company for more altruistic purposes.

As with other fighting games, each character has their own story mode which fits into the overarching plot. Since the story is not told chronologically, it’s essentially up to you to piece the story together while using the characters as puzzle pieces. DOA 5 Plus is missing most of the story mode missions you’d find on the console version of DOA 5.

Dead or Alive 5 Plus Gameplay

The most ambitious undertaking that Team Ninja tried to achieve with DOA 5 is a cross-platform play between the PS3 version and the PS Vita version. One of the biggest gripes that many gamers and journalists had with DOA 5 was the broken online multiplayer.

This was eventually fixed and it now works perfectly on Dead or Alive 5 Plus. We’re not sure if Ninja Theory ever managed to get it to 60 frames per second but it plays remarkably well even through the PS Vita’s Wi-Fi connection.

In addition to what you’d get from the home console versions of Dead or Alive 5, DOA 5 plus also introduced new training modes such as combo challenge, a free training mode and command training. The game utilizes the PS Vita’s touch screen in some very creative ways.

Touch Play Mode allows you to engage in fights in a first-person perspective where attacks are performed through touch screen gestures and actions.

Dead or Alive 5 Plus Graphics

The Dead or Alive series has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to presentation. Once again, we’re not talking about breast physics, although this can be considered as an example of some of Ninja Theory’s forward-thinking.

Dead or Alive 5 looks great on the PS Vita. It almost graphically matches the PS3 version of the game. Graphically, some small subtle details are missing from the Vita edition. For instance, dirt on clothes and more detailed textures.

But the game plays fluidly. The controls are responsive and combine with the graphics to deliver a smooth combo-crazy fighting game. As for the boob physics, the game allows you to choose between four settings: stilled, natural, DOA and OMG.

Dead or Alive 5 Plus Overall Review

Dead or Alive 5 Plus received a strong critical reception upon release. It has been one of the most consistent fighting game series of all time. It’s always been true to its formula.

It is often imitated but never duplicated. Yet, it feels like mainstream gaming has never given Dead or Alive the respect it deserves. Dead or Alive 5 Plus will keep you mashing on your PS Vita’s controls for hours on end, trying to perfect your combos and timing.

#10 Best Metroidvania Game – Salt and Sanctuary

• Initial Release Date: 15 March 2016
• Developer(s): Ska Studios
• Publisher(s): Ska Studios
• Game Modes: Single-Player, Multiplayer
• Genre: Action role-playing, Metroidvania
• Buy It Here

Salt and Sanctuary is a Metroidvania style game that takes the aesthetic of the first Dark Souls and transforms it into a 2D side-scrolling adventure.

So if you like indie games, Dark Souls and any of the Castlevania games, you’ll definitely enjoy Salt and Sanctuary.

Salt and Sanctuary Story

Players take control of a character stowed away on a ship that is transporting a princess. After being washed up on the shore of an island as a result of being shipwrecked due to an attack by a monster, it’s your job to find the lost princess.

However, as you progress through the story, it becomes less about finding the princess and more about unraveling the mysteries of the island and escaping it eventually.

The game doesn’t only match Dark Souls in aesthetics but the entire story seems a Dark Souls inspired as well. The lore and your NPC interactions all feel very souls-like.

Salt and Sanctuary Gameplay

It’s a Metroidvania style soul game. From the health bar to the stamina bar. If you’ve played any of the Souls games, your skills may be transferable to this game as well. No reason to ‘get gud’ if you already are.

For a game like this to succeed, it can’t be a complete carbon copy of Dark Souls, so it adds in some unique gameplay mechanics.

One noticeable difference is Salt and Sanctuary allows you to string more combos than Dark Souls does. With some weapons, you can launch enemies into the air Devil May Cry style. Much like Dark Souls, as you meet more NPCs in the game, you join a covenant known as a creed.

The game also has an in-depth skill tree with attributes that can be upgraded using Salt. If you get defeated by an enemy in the game, they steal your salt. After respawning, you can gain back your salt by defeating that enemy. If you die for a second time without regaining your salt, it’s lost forever.

Salt and Sanctuary Graphics

Upon release Salt and Sanctuary was praised for its art direction and graphical style. It features Ska Studios’ signature hand-drawn graphics with a snowy like greyscale-ish background. You can tell that they improved upon this style from previous games in their catalog such as The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai and Charlie Murder.

Some games drawn and designed in this style tend to be filled with stiff and unnatural animation. This isn’t the case with Salt and Sanctuary. The animation and movement are fluid and quick. This is noticeable in levels that require a bit of platforming.

Enemy designs are very soul inspired. While the world is very dark and visceral, the character models are quite cute. They are big-eyed and bean-headed – kinda like me. Salt and Sanctuary also has its share of blood and gore which works surprisingly well with the art style. It doesn’t feel out of place at all.

Salt and Sanctuary Overall Review

Salt and Sanctuary has challenging and addictive gameplay. While you may lose some salt here and there, the game gives you a chance to grind and make some back. The game demands a lot of mindfulness and alertness on the side of the player.

You’ll need to spend some time trying to find the right balance between smithing, alchemy and upgrading your skill trees if you want to progress smoothly through the game. For a 2D game, Salt and Sanctuary contains an astounding amount of depth and beauty.

We can confirm that SKA Software’s first attempt at making a game for Sony’s hardware was a resounding success. Salt and Sanctuary is the best game they’ve ever made.

Honorable Mentions

Because of the sheer depth of the PS Vita’s library, it’s easy to miss a few great games. So if you don’t see your favorite game in the main list, please don’t get upset; you may find it in the following list of honorable mentions.

• LittleBigPlanet – PlayStation Vita
• PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
• Uncharted: Golden Abyss
• Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate
• Gravity Rush
• Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation
• Velocity 2X
• HotLine Miami Collected Edition
• Mortal Kombat
• Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward

Final Words

In this guide, we covered ten of the very best games for the PS Vita. We hope that after reading this guide, you’ll be inspired to buy a PlayStation Vita of your own and revisit some of the games in this guide. It’s a great gaming gift for yourself or a friend.

The PlayStation Vita is a truly beautiful handheld machine and we’re sad to see it being phased out. Either way, we hope you’ve enjoyed reading through this guide. Bookmark it and share it with your friends and family.

Which one is your favorite PS Vita game? We’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment down below. As always, thank you for reading.