All PS Vita Games in my Backlog
I own a PSTV, so my Vita experience is lacking what is a selling point for many Vita games - portability. However, the Vita still has an excellent library, and there are some enticing exclusives. The game I bought a PSTV for was Persona 4 Golden, the first Vita game I played. Playing that on a big screen was excellent.
Since I only own a PSTV and can’t play Vita games portably, for games that are playable on other systems, like PC, PS3, or PS4, there’s little benefit for me to pick up the Vita version since it likely won’t look or run as well as on the other platforms. Playing on a PSTV also means I can’t play games that rely (heavily) on the Vita’s touchscreen features. Despite this, there are still a few of games I’m interested in that can be played only on the PS Vita/TV, and here’s the complete list!
6. Dungeon Travelers 2: The Royal Library & the Monster Seal
- Developer: Sting Entertainment
- Release: August 18, 2015
Originally released only in Japan for the PSP, Dungeon Travelers 2 also saw an enhanced version released on the Vita and that version got an international release.
I haven’t been very into dungeon crawlers in the past, and that’s exactly what Dungeon Travelers 2 is. However, I’ve somehow convinced myself that maybe I’ll really enjoy a dungeon crawler someday if I find the right one and I’m in the right mindset. Maybe Dungeon Travelers 2 is that game for me, who knows?
5. Soul Sacrifice Delta
- Developer: Marvelous / SCE Japan Studio
- Release: May 13, 2014
An action RPG, this is an enhanced re-release of the original Soul Sacrifice which was also exclusively on PS Vita. The interesting hook here is that whenever an ally or enemy is defeated, you can choose to either save them or sacrifice them. Saving an enemy will heal a bit of your health, while sacrificing them restores charges needed to cast magic. Similarly, you can also choose to sacrifice parts of your character’s own body in order to cast a powerful spell with a varying effect depending on the body part sacrificed, but doing so also incurs a negative status effect that lasts until the body part is restored.
4. Demon Gaze
- Developer: Kadokawa Games & Experience Inc.
- Release: April 22, 2014
Demon Gaze is another first-person dungeon crawler, with turn-based battles and the usual dungeon-crawler RPG elements. There sure are a lot of dungeon crawlers on the system! I’m primarily interested in Demon Gaze due to its Vita exclusivity. Whether or not I end up playing all the way through is another story! If I do enjoy the game, it does have a sequel that is also exclusive to the Vita.
3. Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines
- Developer: Alfa System
- Release: March 3, 2015
Featuring a striking Japanese watercolor art style and turn-based RPG battles, Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines has some interesting ideas to offer. You explore dungeons and fight monsters, and in doing this you accumulate points that allow your characters to marry deities and have a child with them. It sounds like these children are then added to your party. Your characters all have a finite lifespan, so your playthrough will span generations of characters. It sounds like an interesting enough premise, and the art style has really gotten my attention as well!
2. Muramasa Rebirth
- Developer: Vanillaware
- Release: June 25, 2013
A remake of the Wii original, Muramasa Rebirth is an action RPG from Vanillaware. I loved Odin Sphere Leifthrasir, another Vanillaware title on the Vita, and Muramasa should have similar hack ‘n’ slash action, combined with nice RPG mechanics like inventory management, and level-ups. Couple that with the beautiful, recognizeable Vanillaware art style, and Muramasa should be quite a treat!
1. Tales of Hearts R
- Developer: 7th Chord / Namco Bandai
- Release: November 11, 2014
I’ve enjoyed most of the Tales games I’ve played. The only 2 that didn’t wholeheartedly enjoy were Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World on the Wii, and Tales of Zestiria on the PC. Zestiria’s battle system and story never clicked with me, but I found when I replayed Dawn of the New World on the PS3 re-release “Tales of Symphonia Chronicles” I actually had a good time with it. As a fan of the series, playing Tales of Hearts R is an obvious choice, and I’m looking forward to experiencing a Tales game I haven’t played or read much about before!
Technically, Tales of Hearts R isn’t a Vita exclusive since it was available on iOS in Japan for a period from 2013 to 2016 when it was pulled from the App Store. But the iOS version was Japan only, plus it’s not even available for purchase anymore, so it’s still a Vita exclusive in my book!
