Year of the Vita

This coming year should be seeing the PS4 and Xbox One trounce all over other systems, but instead we’re being treated to a nice slew of games for the 3DS and PSVita. Where exactly are the new consoles going?

The 3DS enjoyed a fantastic rise in system and software sales, thanks to such quality titles and major first party releases from the likes of the Legend of Zelda, Fire Emblem and Luigi’s Mansion series.

While the PS4 and Xbox One enjoyed record-breaking system sales, the software line-up was far from award-winning with such dreary titles as Knack and Ryse dragging themselves to the behemoth consoles.

But surely this will be their signature year, with a short run-up this is their time to shine?

Well, not really.

The PS4 is seeing the latest Infamous instalment, Second Son, which although a successful series, it’s not going to shift many new consoles, nor is it a hugely anticipated title. Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes looks to be less than a cast-off to the series, apparently lasting only 2 hours and going for dirt cheap on stores like Gamestop.

Xbone is getting the new not-so-exclusive Titanfall, whose new press-releases appear to be getting less and less positive causing anger among some hopeful, yet premature fans, Quantum Break, which isn’t a videogame and Halo which is not releasing any time soon.

Basically the new consoles are just expensive pieces of kit, that try very very hard to make wank like Fifa look good enough to buy. Whereas the lovely, spangly portable consoles, yes, even the forgotten bastard Vita, especially, are getting a beautiful roster of fun and interesting games, but most importantly, NEW IPs, such as Danganronpa, Toukiden and Conception (II but we never saw the first one).

Returning franchises will see titles such as Prof. Layton VS Ace Attorney, Yoshi’s New Island and Inazuma Eleven 3: Team Ogre Attacks! The Vita has a further instalment in the little-known trap-strategy series, Deception IV and a few more new titles, Demon Gaze and Mind Zero. Even the Wii-U has some substantial games to offer this year with, Super Smash Bros, Bayonetta 2, Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze and hopefully we might see some of the new Monolith Soft game.

Looking back at some of these titles I notice that they’re all Japanese, but there are very few, noteable western releases coming out, thanks wholly to the major western companies pulling out from the Wii-U and pooh-poohing the portables. Western devs don’t understand how to effectively make middle-range games, which are usually what the Japanese devs are great at. Yes, Indie titles and Triple A releases come out a storm in the west, with some of the best being released these past few years, but if they’re not on the new consoles what good is that?

I feel that as I am getting older and more cynical, I really have lost all the excitement I used to feel when a new console came out. The latest crop had unappetising previews and since they’ve come out they have garnered little excitement outside the respective console-wank circle, which I don’t have a habit of liaising with.

A lot of people bought Xbones and PS4s, but I am not sure if they’re going to shift many more until their lineup has strengthened significantly.

I suppose it’s no big deal. I can just wait. I have things to do in the meantime.
I’m still trying to play through all of my DS games…

Year of the Vita