psvitareview

Latest

  • PlayStation Vita review (2013)

    by 
    Mat Smith
    Mat Smith
    10.18.2013

    It's about time Sony's next-generation handheld got a redesign. Not that the new PS Vita is so different from the original models. The screen's no bigger, and it hasn't lost any backward compatibility either. In fact, nearly everything that Sony's changed here is for the better (and that includes the fizzy new array of colors too). Perhaps the biggest negative, however, is that the new Vita is a Japan-only device, at least for now. But importers delight: our non-Japanese PSN account worked fine (as did our game cards), and with 1GB of built-in memory, there's the possibility that you won't need to pony up more money for Sony's pricey Vita memory cards. But how does that cheaper screen fare against its predecessor's sparkling OLED? And can you play it for more than five hours? Keep reading, folks: we've got some good news and some bad news.

  • Joystiq's PlayStation Vita launch guide

    by 
    Joystiq staff
    Joystiq staff
    02.13.2012

    The PlayStation Vita launches this week in the form of a "First Edition" bundle. The for-real hardware launch will take place on February 22. We'll be covering the hardware and its games continuously through that period, and rounding it up here for ease of reference.

  • PlayStation Vita review

    by 
    Sean Buckley
    Sean Buckley
    02.13.2012

    Look familiar? It should: that's the PlayStation Vita, Sony's up-and-coming challenger to the mobile gaming throne. It's made the rounds a few times before, from E3, to Tokyo Game Show, to San Francisco's Vita Hill Social Club, and it even took an early pass through Engadget's review gauntlet -- courtesy of the Land of the Rising Sun, of course. After a strong start in its homeland (followed by a quick holiday slump), the budding portable hit the books, brushed up on its English and barreled its way back into Engadget's game room, demanding another review. And why not? We're happy to oblige. And here it is, an extremely familiar looking slab of plastic, glass and electronics that calls itself the North American 3G / WiFi PlayStation Vita. Sony's new region-free tradition ensures that it won't be too different than Japan's native model, but we're diving in for a more detailed look anyway. Read on for a peek at its content management system, backward compatibility, the particulars of its fancy new thumbsticks, the latest firmware update's contribution to the platform and much more.

  • Sony PlayStation Vita review (Japanese edition)

    by 
    Mat Smith
    Mat Smith
    12.21.2011

    It's hard to believe that Sony's venerable first portable has just reached its seventh birthday. The PSP launched in 2004: a year when the Motorola RAZR V3 claimed top phone prizes and tablets were called tablet PCs. Since then, its closest rival has undergone several substantial transformations, but the PSP has remained largely untouched, aside from getting a little slimmer. Sony's hoping its new portable superstar is less evolutionary, more revolutionary. And it may have to be. Mobile gaming is snapping at its heels, with game developers continuing to boost the scale and polish on smartphone offerings. Even Sony has been attempting to get in on the mobile action, with underwhelming results so far. So here's the PlayStation Vita, attempting to breath new life into the portable gaming market. There's no 3D screen, it doesn't do phone calls (although our test model is the 3G-connected variant) but there is, however, a load of power underneath that 5-inch OLED hood. It looks to be the answer to more "traditional" gamers' prayers, but there are plenty of questions we've been itching to answer. Is a portable gaming console still a valid gaming option? How long will the battery last? What's that rear touchscreen all about? Read on and see how Sony's next-generation portable stacks up. %Gallery-142174%