You Know What Really Annoys Me About the Vita?

I love my Playstation Vita, don't get me wrong. It has the right controls (you know, dual sticks maaan!), great console quality graphics and a large screen perfect for my aging eyes. It's just that, well I know things could be just so much better if a few things had gone a little differently. Here's my short list of what went wrong, and how things could get better.




The NAME
Vita. Really? I know, a rose by any other name and all, but VITA? I don't want my game system to be named flower, love bunny or cheese bread. I sure as hell don't want it to be called "life". Give me a break, it's a game system not an air freshener. Who thought this would be a good idea? I liked NGP myself. Or DEATHBRINGER!

Identity Crisis
When the Vita was officially  announced June 6, 2011 I was excited. Sony touted a handheld that would finally bring the home console experience on the go. I could not wait to play online FPS's on my handheld while the kid hogged up the XBOX 360 on the big screen. Well guess what, I'm still freakin' waiting. There was not one FPS available on launch, and nothing will be out until the end of the month. Yeah there is Unit 13 (which I like btw) but that is a 3rd person shooter, not a first. One of the main selling points of the Vita was the dual analog sticks, Sony should have made a huge effort to make sure a big name FPS was there on launch. A lot of the games like Unit 13,  Mod Nation, Little Deviants and (shudder) Ridge Racer are made for short gaming sessions. While there is nothing wrong with this, why are so many Vita games shrunken versions of what could be full length games? The Vita is really too big t shove in your pocket, and the battery life is not phenomenal. Let's release some games with depth, so I can play something meaningful on those sleepless nights, or while I'm waiting forever at the doctor's office? The 3DS does small games well, as does my iPad and cell phone. I need a reason to play the Vita as opposed to them. A console experience would go a long way.

Ridge Racer
I know. It was such a disappointment that it deserves it's own section. Hell, the iPad version of Ridge Racer is better than this. No real single player mode. Really? I have yet to find an actual online game either. Oh yeah, and it came with only 4 tracks. At least I got some more with the free download included in the package. Oh, and all the cars drive the same. This game never should have been released like this.  If this were a homework assignment it would have earned an incomplete. It is a complete embarrassment to the Vita system. The RR series has been a high water mark for racing games until now. Bad. very bad.

No PSONE Games
Umm, I'd like to play Final Fantasy VII please.. and letting me play through some of those old playstation classics would really help round out those early release blues. Come on Sony, let me play them.

The Price
I am not from the camp that thinks that the Vita is terribly overpriced. It is premium tech and premium tech comes with a price tag, but Sony makes a lot of money on every unit. A drop in price may shake loose some consumers who have been waiting in  the wings for a price drop and encourage more development for the system.

The Future
Sony created a solid piece of hardware with the Vita. It was well designed and powerful, with a whole lot of features. The Playstation Network has also come a long way and minus a few hiccups is supporting the system nicely, and rumor has it that any minute now PSOne games will arrive. Theres also a great selection of Minis and and PSP titles available for download right now. The first of the FPS's Resistance, should be here at the end of the month, and Modern Warfare is on the way this year. These games should give the Vita a much needed push in the right direction. As long as Sony keeps supporting the Vita, and promoting games that keep the system in the right light they should be in a good place a year from now.