Top 10 PS Vita Games of 2013

PS Vita Games of 2013

In writing this list, one thing was clear: the PS Vita isn’t exactly thriving when it comes to unique games. Out of the ten games below, only four (five if you count Phantasy Star Online 2) are exclusive to the handheld; with the others being ports or part of Sony’s “cross-buy” initiative.

Nevertheless, these are games that you should keep an eye out if you own a PS Vita. While the games are confirmed to be coming out within the year, there is a possibility of them being delayed or cancelled. 

If the list seems slim, don’t forget that there’s a high chance that Sony will show off new PS Vita software at its Destination PlayStation event or at E3. However, we thought it would be best to just list the games we’re sure will be coming for the PS Vita.

So which games do you need to keep an eye out? Read on and find out.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time 

Publisher: Sony

Developer: Sanzaru Games

Release Date: February 5

Sly’s back! But in his fourth adventure, it won’t be developed by Sucker Punch, but will, instead, be developed by Sanzaru; the same studio who compiled the excellent Sly Cooper HD Trilogy for the PS3. Expect more thievery with Carmelita Fox, Bentley and Murray.

Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable

Publisher: D3 Publishing

Developer: Sandlot

Release Date: January 8

Possibly the most unknown game in the entire list, the Earth Defense Force games are known for providing mindless shooting action. EDF 2017 Portable is a rerelease of the console 2007 game; but with added levels, a new character and with local and online co-op play. Want to shoot a ton of bugs with your buddies? Then EDF 2017 Portable might just fill that void.

Dead or Alive 5

Publisher: Tecmo Koei

Developer: Team Ninja

Release Date: March 19

The PS Vita port of Team Ninja’s signature fighting game released last year, this new version will feature touchscreen-based moves, new training controls and a new optional first-person viewpoint during fights. For those who want to take Kasumi and the rest of the cast out on the road, this one’s your best bet.

Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault

Publisher: Sony

Developer: Insomniac Games, Tin Giant

Release Date: January 29

Released last year for the PS3 as a digital download, it’s coming at the end of the month for the PS Vita. Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault will provide fans with the usual action but now added with a tower defense element. This could very well be Insomniac’s last game in the franchise, so it’s worth a look-see for series fans.

Tearaway

Publisher: Sony

Developer: Media Molecule

Release Date: TBA (2013)

Developed by the same studio that brought us LittleBigPlanet, Tearaway is Media Molecule’s first new project in years and is inspired by papercrafting. If you saw the game’s debut trailer, that won’t sound as odd as you might think. Needless to say, this is one to look out for.

Soul Sacrifice

Publisher: Sony

Developer: Marvelous

Release Date: TBA 2013

Kenjie Inafune, the creator of Mega Man, is also the same person responsible for Soul Sacrifice’s concept. So it’s natural expectations are high. Soul Sacrifice is a third-person action-RPG with a unique twist where players are given the ability to sacrifice parts of their character’s body or items to pull of damaging attacks. Expect more details to come out once we’re in deeper in the year.

KickBeat

Publisher: Zen Studios

Developer: Zen Studios

Release Date: TBA (2013)

KickBeat might be the dark horse of the bunch, it’s a music game mixed in with  martial arts elements that turn every song into a duel. It also has music analyzer that will allow players to create new tracks from their own music libraries.

Zone of the Enders HD

Publisher: Konami

Developer: Kojima Productions

Release Date: TBA (2013)

Possibly Kojima’s next most iconic game franchise after Metal Gear, Zone of the Enders HD bundles the original Zone of the Enders and its sequel Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner released on the PS2 but with a new HD polish. For fans of the series, this is a good reminder of what Kojima is capable of if he’s not mired in developing Metal Gear games. Who knows? Maybe if this sells well enough Konami might let Kojima make a new one.

Phantasy Star Online 2

Publisher: SEGA

Developer: SEGA

Release Date: TBA (2013)

SEGA’s latest entry in their Phantasy Star franchise, Phantasy Star Online 2 won’t see release on the traditional platforms (ie: consoles) but will be out on iOS, Andoid and the PS Vita. It will continue with the franchise’s foray into the MMORPG realm. If you’ve played past versions of the series, I doubt you’ll let this one slip away.

Killzone: Mercenary

Publisher: Sony

Developer: Guerilla Cambridge

Release Date: TBA (2013)

Unveiled at last year’s Gamescom, not much is known about Killzone: Mercenary other than it’s only the second Killzone game released on a Sony portable. While it will still be a first-person shooter, this one will be developed by Guerilla Cambridge and not Guerilla Games. If it can retain the console version’s quality, this might be one to look out for and satisfy shooter fans’ disappointment with Black Ops: Declassified.