The Playstation Vita represents the
next generation of portable gaming.
Already on the market in Japan, this game system will hit the American
market on February 22. This
revolutionary product features dual analog sticks, front and rear cameras, a
high-resolution screen, a quad core processor, and is touch sensitive on both the
screen, and a rear panel.
Having two
analog sticks pleases the Playstation fans because it allows for game play
similar to that on the home console, which improves the quality of first-person
shooter gameplay. However, being a
Nintendo fan myself, I prefer the camera’s point of view to adjust
automatically so that I only need one analog stick to control the character’s
movement.
The front
and rear cameras allow for augmented reality gaming. Needless to say, this is a mind-blowing
development in the world of entertainment. To see why it's so cool, check out the youtube video below.
Augmented reality games allow the player to manipulate the world around them through the game, essentially morphing the real world into a digital, playable platform. However, the cameras do not record at a very high resolution in comparison with cameras of similar sizes on portable, multi-purpose devices. This is especially disappointing because the Vita is manufactured by Sony, a company that also makes professional-grade cameras.
Augmented reality games allow the player to manipulate the world around them through the game, essentially morphing the real world into a digital, playable platform. However, the cameras do not record at a very high resolution in comparison with cameras of similar sizes on portable, multi-purpose devices. This is especially disappointing because the Vita is manufactured by Sony, a company that also makes professional-grade cameras.
In most
reviews, users find the rear touch pad to be instinctively easy to use, despite
not being able to see where your fingers land.
The front touch screen is bright, clear, and sensitive. Nothing less should be expected from a
Playstation product, because their selling point from the beginning has been
superior graphics. The Vita delivers on
this front.
The
graphics do come at an underestimated cost, however. Now that games are
becoming more life-like, they are becoming more immersive. This can be both a
good and bad thing depending on a game’s audience. There is substantial
research, which shows that violent games resonate with children more than with
an audience mature enough to understand that the world in a game is not the
same as the real one. Better graphics and more violent games are not a problem
unique to the Vita, but there isn’t much that Sony or anyone else is doing to
inhibit children from playing games outside of their age recommendation.
After
demoing the Vita myself in a GameStop, I can attest that it feels light, but
substantial enough to not seem terribly fragile. However, the analog sticks are too far apart
to be comfortable on the thumbs. This is
an understandable drawback because to have them closer together would sacrifice
some of the ever-popular, giant screen.
The starting
price is $250, not cheap, but not unreasonable either… until you look
closer. It is more expensive than its
Nintendo brand counterpart, the 3DS. Also,
the memory cards are proprietary, meaning that only Vita memory cards can be
used on the Vita, and they can be used for no other purpose. This is an annoying and expensive
inconvenience to consumers. Another
expensive addition to this device is portable Internet, which is locked into
AT&T if you choose to have it.
Another
awesome aspect to this new gaming device is the continuity it will provide to
the gaming experience. If Playstation
follows through on what they have promised, a gamer can be playing a game like
Madden (football) on their PS3 at home, pause, save, and resume from that
checkpoint on their Vita from anywhere.
As with any product, the
Playstation Vita has its upsides and downsides.
Overall, this product will have a positive impact on furthering the
technology of the entertainment industry.
The social implications are another issue entirely. Perhaps providing a
more immersive gaming experience will prevent children from forming real-world
social connections. Alternatively, using
Playstation’s own social network, Near, could connect gamers in new ways that
would not be possible without this technology.
Co-written by Mandy and Mitchell.
