In case anyone’s keeping count, yes, the PlayStation Vita had a few games released this year, and some of them were actually good. While Sony’s portable gaming machine might not be seeing the same kind of support as the PS4, it still has its fair share of gems.
Most of the nominees are JRPGs, which is what the system has in spades. Needless to say, if you’re an RPG fan, then you really ought to pick up a Vita. Check the gallery below to see the best Vita games of 2016! Just a disclaimer: the nominees and winners are based on scores and are picked by the staff (not just the highest review score).
What’s your top Vita games list and what’s your Game of the Year for the handheld? Share your thoughts in the comments. Our Best of 2016 awards will continue all throughout next week until December 23 when our Game of the Year will finally be revealed.
Don’t forget to check back all throughout the month for our other “Best Of” picks of the year! Be sure to follow PlayStation LifeStyle on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram and YouTube for the latest in PlayStation coverage.
More Best of 2016 Awards:
- Best of 2016 Awards – Best Racing Game
- Best of 2016 Awards – Best Sports Game
- Best of 2016 Awards – Best Casual Game
Best of 2016 Game Awards – PS Vita Game
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Best of 2016 Game Awards – PS Vita Game
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The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II
he Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II is a worthy follow-up to my favorite RPG from last year, even if it stumbles in a couple important ways that left me slightly less impressed. The characters and the writing are still the stars of the show this time around, so hats off to XSEED for providing another excellent localization. I didn’t really get into the increased focus on the political implications of the war or the number of goofy twists that make up the climax here, but it sure was great to see all my favorite students from Thors Academy again.
The exciting, fun turn-based combat, too, is an absolute treat to revisit, even if I’d have liked to see more meaningful changes and improvements made to its systems. If you didn’t play the original game and are interested in diving into Trails of Cold Steel II right away, I implore you to go back and play its predecessor first; not only do I find that a superior game, but I can already imagine the bewilderment of the poor soul who attempts to go into this one’s insanely detailed lore without a hint of background information. On the other hand, for those folks who did play and enjoy, know that this second entry is just more of the same great thing, and that was good enough for me to have a really fun time.
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Shiren The Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune
Been yearning for something a little more challenging and unforgiving than usual? Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate might just satisfy your craving. Polishing up the Mystery Dungeon formula, Spike Chunsoft’s latest entry in the roguelike series has all the procedurally-generated dungeons, randomly-dropped loot and tough monsters you could ask for. You might not want to play it for long sessions, but that makes its place on Sony’s portable all the more appropriate, and the appealing simplicity of its game design makes it perfect to pop out whenever you’ve got some free time.
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Yomawari: Night Alone
Yomawari: Night Alone is an entertaining game that will be perfect to play while handing out candy to the neighborhood trick-or-treaters. The incredibly lenient death system will be seen as a boon by those who suffer through horror games and love only having to experience a particularly scary section the bare number of times that is necessary. The save system also encourages a pick-up-and-play mentality, which is a nice fit on the Vita. Pick up Yomawari: Night Alone if you want to see a horror game on the Vita, because it will likely be one of the last of its kind, since the system is on life support.
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Zero Time Dilemma
Zero Time Dilemma is a masterpiece of storytelling. I could barely put the game down through its intense 20-hour running time, and when I had to — whether for work, social engagements or sleep — puzzling out the plot and the solutions to escape rooms filled my every waking moment and dozing dream. In a matter of days, I’d gotten the Platinum and seen all there was to see, but the haunting images of violence, wonderfully complex characters and heavy themes still lingered with me. Whether you’ve never experienced the Zero Escape series before or you’ve been eagerly awaiting this entry since the end of Virtue’s Last Reward, you owe it to yourself to take this ride. Both on its own and as a piece of the cumulative ZE puzzle, this easily has the best narrative I’ve seen in a game so far this year and should go down as one of the all-time greatest stories told through the medium.
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Odin Sphere Leifthrasir
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is an outstanding remaster of a game many JRPG fans missed on PS2. Perhaps its most striking feature is the refreshing availability of information that comes with its fantastic interface, from easy-to-read maps to detailed descriptions of each item that comes your way. There’s no denying that Vanillaware’s signature style looks its best in crisp HD, and the improvements made to the controls and combat make the game feel fresh and modern. If your fingers are itching for big titles like Final Fantasy XV or Persona 5, consider keeping them busy with Leifthrasir’s fast-paced and frantic battles — this is one of the best remasters on PS4, and a can’t-miss for JRPG fans if you already let it pass you by in 2007.
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Grand Kingdom
If you’re an RPG fan looking for something a little different, Grand Kingdom is definitely worth a look. I might be a huge fan of JRPGs, but I’m sympathetic to the way many role-players are turned off by the archaic systems and goofy stories often found in the category — but this is one title that has the potential to cross that boundary. Keeping the silly story to a minimum (and remaining humorous when it does spring up), the emphasis is on battling and building up your party members, loot stash and territory, which is something I think many gamers could find themselves sinking time into. On top of that, you won’t find any tired “old-school” turn-based battles or lame button-mashy action-RPG combat here. Grand Kingdom’s blend of board game-style map exploration and intriguing lane-based combat is something you won’t find anywhere else on PS4, and that’s really what makes it something to be savored.
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Severed
An incredible eleventh-hour treat for fans who have invested their time and money into the handheld. If you enjoyed Guacamelee!, you’ll find a lot of what you loved in that game has returned. Vibrant colors with a unique “diorama” artstyle really pop off the screen, and its inventive gameplay successfully combines touch-twitch antics and old-fashioned role playing. There may not be enough reasons to shell out for a Vita now, but if there had been more content like this arriving alongside the system back in 2012, we might have seen a very different fate for Sony’s second portable.
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And the winner is...
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Winner - Odin Sphere Leifthrasir
Surprised? We don't blame you. But this hit RPG from 2007 is still as awesome now as it was back then. Go give it a play if you have a Vita.
