We have some true hidden gems for the underrated and underappreciated, especially where Sony was concerned, PS Vita. This is a system that unto itself proved to be something of a hidden gem. Because as any fan of the Vita will tell you, there’s some exceptionally underrated PS Vita games out there to play.
1. Tales of Hearts R
Developers: 7th Chord, Bandai Namco
Publisher: Bandai Namco
The excellent Nintendo DS JRPG Tales of Hearts got a wonderful update in 2013 with Tales of Hearts R, and the improvements look and sound beautiful on the PlayStation Vita. Keeping the main story and characters intact, Hearts R added new plot elements, new characters, and also threw in fun stuff like revamped 3D graphics and full voice acting for some Anime cutscenes that look very good on the Vita.
Part of the feverishly extensive Tales series, Tales of Hearts R was once a great reason to own a PS Vita in the first place, but its recognition has fallen quite a bit in recent years. This makes sense, since the game hasn’t seen a release in over a full decade. An action RPG in the spirit of most of this franchise, Tales of Hearts R has a more dynamic combat system that feels more like a fighting game than a traditional JRPG. It’s easy to pick up, and its story of a young man named Kor helping a mysterious woman named Kohaku has character depth and variety to go along with the engaging plot.
There’s something for everyone with Tales of Hearts R, with a unique accessibility to the combat system that makes it a good choice for someone who may want to cut their teeth on this genre.
2. MonsterBag
Developer: IguanaBee SpA
Publisher: Sony
While some critics felt in 2015 that MonsterBag was a little shallow beyond its cute graphics and concept, we think the fun of this game far outweighs the fact that it doesn’t take a very long time to finish.
MonsterBag has weird, adorable monsters populating its world, which sees a monster named V trying to get close to his friend Nia. The problem comes down to Nia being from a world in which monsters are feared and persecuted. Discretion becomes invaluable, as MonsterBag is all about getting as close to Nia as possible without being seen. The stealth element to this game dominates the experience, so this isn’t a game for anyone who isn’t particularly fond of this style. There’s also a heavy emphasis on combining that stealth with some pretty serious puzzling.
While maybe not as challenging as some might hope, there’s something about the experience and the surprising blend of sweet cartoon graphics with violent dark comedy that makes MonsterBag worth playing. It’s not designed to be a marathon. It’s just really fun to play for a few hours.
3. Army Corps of Hell
Developer: Entersphere
Publisher: Square-Enix
Imagine what’s basically a goth-as-HELL Pikmin variant, and you’ve got a pretty good idea of what to expect from the underrated Army Corps of Hell. The game received a very mixed reception from critics in 2015, with a lot of attention being focused on the game’s repetition. While those complaints aren’t necessarily wrong about this action strategy game from Square-Enix, it’s not enough to change how difficult and entertaining the whole game is.
Taking on the role of a Demon Lord who desires to reclaim his throne, players will direct their goblin army to attack and destroy the many enemies that want to derail your train to hellish glory. Different units become available to you throughout the game, with further customization options from there. But really, the whole game comes down to managing your angry little army across a variety of landscapes.
The inclusion of the rear touchpad is just one of the ways Army Corps of Hell offers a unique challenge of controlling your minions. There isn’t a lot of depth to gameplay beyond the narrative and gameplay we’ve mentioned here, but what the game does offer makes it a must-play on the Vita.
4. Unit 13
Developer: Zipper Interactive
Publisher: Sony
Unit 13 reminds us that there’s nothing quite like a good first-person shooter. Unit 13 is definitely one of those underrated Vita games that’s fallen through the cracks in the decade and change since its release in 2012. The story isn’t particularly important, concerning a squad of elite soldiers going up against various terrorist organizations around the world. What makes Unit 13 such a blast, pun intended, is the gameplay and the unique characters available to you.
Each operative in Unit 13 brings something wholly unique to the table. You’ve got a lunatic with a shotgun, another who emphasizes stealth and sniper tactics, a technician, an infiltrator, and others. Each character can be upgraded as you complete the various types of missions, including run-and-gun combat missions, extreme stealth missions, and even missions that arm you with a limited amount of health.
So while Unit 13’s story might not be anything spectacular, the gameplay has ample depth to go along with its great graphics and sound design. Unit 13 speaks to the PS Vita being able to do just about anything very well.
5. Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward
Developer: Chunsoft
Publisher: Chunsoft
Despite being a sequel, you don’t need to actually play Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors to enjoy Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward. The 2nd game in a series of titles blending adventure with the visual novel, Virtue’s Last Reward offers an emphasis on character and story, with a particular focus on consequences.
Your choices deeply impact how the story of Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward unfolds. The game is split into two basic parts, and the first part concerns the visual novel side of things. You are one of nine characters kidnapped by a mysterious figure known only as Zero. The visual novel element breaks down as talking to NPCs, learning about them, and making decisions.
Then there’s the “Escape” portion of the game. This occurs when you come to certain rooms, switching to a first-person perspective as you’re now required to use everything possible to escape in one piece. The choices you make and your performance in the Escape sections will lead you to one of 24 possible endings, with the ability to carry over data from a previously finished game. There’s a stunning amount of depth to Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward, which is good considering how addictive the gameplay soon becomes.
6. Severed
Developer: DrinkBox Studios
Publisher: DrinkBox Studios
Between the unique combat system and sheer bizarreness of the world in which you find yourself, Severed can throw you off early on. But there’s a foundation of good controls in Severed’s story of a one-armed girl named Sasha embarking on a rescue mission in a twisted hellscape. The game making excellent use of the Vita’s touchscreen capabilities, making this not only your primary means of controlling the game, but also your main option for communicating within the game.
Severed’s gameplay emphasizes exploration and solving complex puzzles, with combat coming down to swiping the PS Vita touchscreen to use the massive sword Sasha carries around. Different enemies appearing all at once creates increasingly difficult situations, with success in this game coming down to a very different sense of timing than what you normally think of for an action game. Severed juggles a lot and still finds time to be a singular brand of fun.
Severed delivers fast-paced, challenging action, putting that in one of the most graphically beautiful games to ever come to the Vita. The art style here can only be described as singular, and it’s as much a pleasure to take that in as it is to master this game’s slightly difficult learning curve and rising tide of challenging levels and enemies.
Playing as a woman named Sasha in the brutal dungeons of Severed, you’ll meet some impressively gruesome monsters. When people talk about exceptional horror aesthetics in video games, Severed deserves to be in the conversation.
7. UnEpic
Developer: Ninagamers
Publisher: Francisco Téllez de Meneses
You might be tempted to dismiss UnEpic at first glance, but that would be a mistake. Even without the benefit of then-modern graphics, UnEpic has a distinct visual punch in its seemingly simple 2D side scrolling fun. This Metroidvania-inspired release finds you transported from our world to a sprawling, sinister castle. Filled with all sorts of vicious, dangerous creatures, you’ll need to adapt to your surroundings, learn the value of exploration, and incorporate the game’s RPG elements to come out alive.
UnEpic is a tension-building game that draws you in with its deceptive simplicity and leaves you with seemingly no choice but to press onward and deeper into this bizarre nightmare world. You’ll have a variety of weapons at your disposal, and the game also puts a lot on being able to craft potions. There’s tons of side quests and interesting NPCs to meet, and you can expect to spend approximately 20 hours getting through most of what this game has to offer.
Again, UnEpic only seems like a minor game. The longer you play it, the more you appreciate its depth, and the more you see why it’s one of the reasons why we love the PS Vita.
8. Muramasa Rebirth
Developer: Vanillaware
Publisher: Marvelous AQL
Originally released to the Wii in 2009, Muramasa: The Demon Blade got a fantastic port to the PlayStation Vita in 2013 in the form of Muramasa Rebirth. The action RPG from Vanillaware promised a superior translation, and if you don’t really care about that, you’re still playing one of the most graphically stunning games the PS Vita ever had. There’s a lushness to this art style that makes you wish it had been utilized on more Vita titles. Realistic is fine, but Muramasa Rebirth proves the Vita could do more.
But the game isn’t just gorgeous graphics. Muramasa Rebirth has accessible gameplay, fun combat mechanics, and the ability to play across two very distinct stories as two very different protagonists. You also get the four additional DLC stories that were originally released for the game. What really makes Muramasa Rebirth standout however is its attention to weaponry. Blades are the main order of the day for this game, and you’ll be able to collect more than 108 of them before it’s all said and done.
Muramasa Rebirth keeps you busy with its two gameplay modes, offering either a subdued, strategy-based affair, or something where carnage is the main word to keep in mind. No matter which mode you choose, and no matter how you take advantage of the game’s button remapping options, Muramasa Rebirth is a Vita classic.
9. Tearaway
Developer: Media Molecule
Publisher: Sony
From using the camera of your PS Vita to take photos that can help a character you encounter in the game, to the Vita’s rear touchpad making you feel as though you’re physically interacting with this world, Tearaway is one of the best PS Vita games to make use of the handheld itself.
And at the heart of Tearaway is an endearing 3D platformer you’ve never quite played before. That feeling can be attributed to the game’s visuals being meshed with familiar gameplay being executed in unfamiliar ways. It’s an attractive and unusual package set in a world that’s entirely made out of paper.
Different actions will require handling your challenges and enemies in a range of different ways. Throughout Tearaway, the game consistently finds clever little ways to keep you on your toes. This lighthearted story of a messenger named Iota trying to bring you a very important message even surprises you by being more emotional than you might have been expecting. Tearaway on the PS Vita in general is almost immediately likable, and it even got a port to PlayStation 4 (that was similarly underrated).
10. Freedom Wars
Developer: Sony
Publisher: Sony
Freedom Wars is a third-person battle action game that once again showcases just how much the PS Vita deserved better treatment from Sony. With a fascinating story set in the year 102014, your customizable character is sentenced to ten millennia for the crime of being alive and consuming crucial resources in your world’s underground society. Going to war with the monsters that terrorize your cities is the only way you’re allowed to pay off your sizable debt, and this is where Freedom Wars gets even better.
The focus and star of Freedom Wars, whether or not you like the story, is the combat. These fights are messy and chaotic and above all else, a lot of fun to play through. You can find yourself switching between swords, guns, and even whips in the same single struggle.
Freedom Wars takes a sharp narrative turn when your character learns of a potentially better life, and the gameplay reflects this bedlam with brutal battles against mechanized weaponry known as Abductors. All you’ve got in your corner is an android assistant for combat, or to aid you in your ongoing mission to rescue civilians. Freedom Wars offers a tougher challenge for action game fans looking for more, but it’s easily among our favorite Vita games.
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