FIFA Football PS Vita

Released on 22-Feb-2012

• PlayStation Vita's 3G model an "investment in the future" - Sony

  Shuhei Yoshida, head of Sony Worldwide Studios, has explained that the company made the decision to offer a more expensive 3G model of the PlayStation Vita as well as the standard Wi-Fi model, because it needed to invest in the future of gaming, despite the additional research and expense.

  "3G is our investment in the future," Yoshida told IndustryGamers. "I hope some consumers will believe in that investment of their money for the future. These systems last many years, and we will upgrade firmware, add new features, but it's not easy to update hardware."

  The PS Vita, which launches tonight in the UK, will use 3G for more than just multiplayer gaming. "The main purpose we believe in for having 3G in PS Vita is the social connectivity features we have put at the centre of PS Vita," said Yoshida. "When you open a game, you don't automatically start a game, but you're taken to one page which is constantly updated from publishers as well as your friends doing activities or giving you in-game items. So all that social connectivity is enabled by the 3G."

  The 3G PS Vita model costs £279, while the Wi-Fi-only model costs £229. As always, Gamestation is offering oodles of bundles for the savvy shopper, including games such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss and FIFA Football, as well as official Sony memory cards.

• Uncharted: Golden Abyss tops charts in PS Vita launch week

  The PlayStation Vita has blitzed the UK sales chart in its much-anticipated first week of release, with Uncharted: Golden Abyss leading the assault.

  Nathan Drake's debut handheld adventure topped the UK all-formats chart following its introduction alongside the snazzy new portable, accounting on its own for 31 per cent of all PS Vita game sales.

  Coming in second in the GfK-ChartTrack rankings was the PS Vita version of FIFA Football, with other Ps Vita titles reaching the top 40 including WipEout 2048, F1 2011 and Ridge Racer.

  Away from PS Vita's success, EA and Starbreeze Studios' revival of the Syndicate franchise on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC claimed a seventh-place start.

  Other top sellers included former number one UFC Undisputed 3, football favourite FIFA 12 and acclaimed platformer Rayman Origins, which saw a massive sales boost thanks to its new PS Vita version.

  Next week, a new batch of games will arrive on the scene to challenge PS Vita's dominance, including EA's SSX reboot and Nintendo's Mario Party 9.

  Published: 27/02/2012

• PlayStation Vita sales pass 1.2 million worldwide

  Sony's newest handheld console, the PlayStation Vita, has racked up 1.2 million sales worldwide since launch, the gaming giant has revealed.

  The high-tech portable system has exceeded expectations since making its debut in Japan last December, reaching the 1.2 million mark within a few days of its successful debut in the US and Europe.

  Software sales for PS Vita have been equally brisk, passing two million thanks to a robust launch line-up that includes more than 25 titles.

  In the UK, the cinematic action-adventure Uncharted: Golden Abyss and FIFA Football led the charge, topping the UK all-formats chart during PS Vita's launch week.

  Andrew House, president and chief executive officer of Sony Computer Entertainment, said: "PS Vita was designed to deliver the ultimate portable entertainment experience and we couldn't be more thrilled with the reaction we're seeing from consumers and the pace at which PS Vita is selling."

  More than 70 games are currently in development for the console, including new entries in the Resistance, Call of Duty, Bioshock and Assassin's Creed franchises.

  Published: 29/02/2012

• FIFA Football (PS Vita) - Review

  
  

  

  Eat My Goal!

  Sometimes it feels as though the imperious FIFA series has been around for as long as gaming itself, but despite numerous iterations over the years - culminating in the sublime FIFA 12 last September - nobody has ever delivered a fully featured FIFA game for a handheld console. At least until now. It's becoming a familiar refrain for PlayStation Vita: this - insert name of famous game series - wasn't possible to get outside of home console releases... until PS Vita came along.

  Thanks to the PlayStation Vita's numerous control methods and its high-powered innards, EA Sports has been able to recreate the home experience almost entirely. Purists can stick to the expected control schemes (Alternative, Classic and Two-Button) and stride across licensed versions of famous pitches passing the ball around at a zippy pace, lofting and sliding through-balls and smashing the ball goal-wards at every opportunity. Those who are willing to try new things can use the touch-screen to pass, which works quite well, or use the rear-touch panel to shoot.

  The latter is one of FIFA Football on PS Vita's best new ideas. The game effectively treats the reverse of the handheld as a sort of one-to-one approximation of the goalposts (it's the right shape, after all). When you get within range of shooting you just tap on the rear panel to fill up a shot meter and then let go to fire the ball. It's surprisingly intuitive for something so alien to our ageing gaming instincts, although the purist in us will always prefer the classic setup. Worth experimenting with.

  

  What's The Score?

  This is a more or less fully featured port of the previous FIFA game, FIFA 11, so it lacks some of the series' newest features - like the Impact Engine and Tactical Defending - but there is still an enormous amount you can do. There are full Career modes where you control an individual player, a player-manager or a whole team, and you can play ranked and unranked matches online with very solid internet play thanks to PlayStation Network.

  On the pitch, whether you're playing against the AI or a human opponent, the action is slick and varied. The analogue stick allows for tight control of the ball, you can weight your passes to suit your objectives, and there are numerous subtle ways to unlock your opponent's defence - elevated through-balls, triangle passing, multiple crossing styles, and a free-kick system that also takes advantage of the PS Vita's unique control schemes. Defending is a matter of holding the X and square buttons to pressure the man in possession and using well-timed stabs of the circle button to slide-tackle, although referees can be quite strict so you may want to hold fire on that whenever you can.

  

  Unbelieveable Tekkers

  Thanks to the amazing underlying simulation you can rely on FIFA Football to present all sorts of different scenarios and variation, however many times you play, and while there are certain tactics that work well against certain opponents, there's no sure-fire way to win besides out-thinking your opponent in footballing terms. Drag players out of position, create space and exploit it - or just do some something inspired. It's real football, and that's why it's so good.

  It is easy to imagine that EA Sports will release a new FIFA Vita title later this year when the inevitable FIFA 13 game rears its head, but in the meantime this is still well worth checking out. Devoted football fans have never been able to play a version of the beautiful game that's this, well, beautiful and fully-featured on a handheld before. Forget the ball-flicking smartphone games - kill your commute with the real deal. As the series itself used to say: Let's FIFA!

  Our rating: 8.0

  What's Good?

  • As fully featured as the home version of FIFA 11.
    
  • Play online in ranked and unranked matches.
    
  • New touch controls offer precise shooting.

  What's Bad?

  • Will probably be replaced by FIFA 13 in a few months' time.
    
  • Touch controls sometimes get in the way.
    
  • Long loading times.

• Unit 13 mobilises for PlayStation Vita this week

  Zipper Interactive's latest tactical shooter Unit 13 is making its debut on the new PlayStation Vita handheld console this week.

  From the acclaimed team behind the SOCOM games, Unit 13 is a third-person military combat experience that sees players touring the world as part of an elite counter-terrorism squad.

  Thanks to the unique features of the PS Vita hardware, the game is able to deliver home console-quality action, with responsive dual analogue movement and aiming, as well as motion and touch-based control options.

  Unit 13 offers up a huge variety of missions that will challenge players to execute different objectives and work together as a team, either on their own or in online multiplayer.

  New missions and challenges will be delivered regularly for the game via Wi-Fi or 3G connections, while global leaderboards allow players to show off their skills.

  PlayStation Vita has proven a big hit among UK gamers since its February debut, with Uncharted: Golden Abyss and FIFA Football proving to be its most popular titles so far.

  Published: 09/03/2012

• PS Vita - Six Weeks In

  
  

  

  The PlayStation Vita has been with us for six weeks now. Those of us here at GAME HQ who picked one up at launch having been playing them non-stop, but we've been convinced to put our PS Vitas down for just long enough to give you our thoughts on the console that has taken over our lives.

  

  Hardware

  You'd be forgiven if you thought the PS Vita was bulky and heavy based on some of the pictures, but it's actually one of the most comfortable handhelds that we have ever used. The curved sides make the PS Vita comfortable to hold, and the rounded edges on the base ensure no discomfort after an hour's gaming with the PS Vita.

  If you've used a PSP then you'll already have a feel for the button layout, although the buttons have been moved up a little to allow for the dual analogue sticks. These sticks are surprisingly comfortable to use, and although were a bit more sensitive than expected at first, after a couple of games they became second nature.

  Overall, we've been very pleased with the look and feel of the PS Vita, but for us, the most important factor is the games, to the point that we've not even checked out all the Applications that came pre-installed! We've already shared our reviews of Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Unit 13, but here are some of the other games that we've enjoyed so far.

  

  FIFA Football

  Football on handhelds has always been a mixed bag; we've always wanted the full FIFA experience on the go, but enjoyed the 'arcade' feel of previous handheld outings. Well, FIFA Football on the PS Vita delivers the experience that we've craved, and with the new analogue sticks instead of the PSP nub, FIFA plays superbly.

  The controls are standard for PS3 FIFA, but EA has added Touchscreen and Rear Touch Pad controls too. Using the Touchscreen you'll be able to pass by tapping where you want the ball to go which allows you to set up perfect through balls. The Rear touch pad is used for scoring - tap or hold on the touch pad for where you want to shoot. Both of these methods are surprisingly accurate and fun to use, but if you are more old skool, then you can turn this method off.

  FIFA Football for PS Vita gives you the FIFA experience and looks great on the OLED screen. If you're a football aficionado and want to score on the go, FIFA Football is a must have!

  

  ModNation Racers: Road Trip

  This cute and cuddly looking racer hides the heart of a lion as you create, customise and share your creations with the ModNation Community. Using the Touchscreen allows you to move character parts into the exact position that you want, plus you can doodle the track on the screen and let the auto populate run. You'll even be able to download community created content from PS3 users!

  Driving in ModNation is fun and chaotic as you'd expect from a karting game with crazy characters and weapons littering the track, using the left stick to steer and the right stick to swipe at other racers if they're too close for comfort!

  The only thing missing from ModNation Racers: RT is online racing, but with the possibility for infinite number of karts, tracks and racers, ModNation Racers has the possibility for infinite fun.

  

  Ridge Racer

  Ridge Racer drifts beautifully onto the PS Vita with gorgeous graphics and the standard tight controls that are needed when drifting a car round a corner at 140 mph! If you've ever played Ridge Racer then you'll know what to expect - fast cars, fast corners and great music that gets you in the driving mood.

  The big difference between this and previous Ridge Racer titles is that this version only comes with 5 cars and 3 tracks on the cartridge. Fortunately the Gold Pass that comes packaged with a new copy of the game will grant you access to most of the downloadable content, including cars and tracks, when they become available.

  Existing Ridge Racers might feel a little let down by having to wait for the new tracks and cars, but if you've never played Ridge Racer, then this is a great way to start.

  

  Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3

  Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 brings big name beat 'em ups to the PS Vita (we're yet to try Reality Fighters), pitting some of Capcom and Marvel's biggest characters against each other in three-a-side tag-team battles. There's an impressive selection of characters which allows for some cool combinations (our pick - Dante, Ghost Rider and Deadpool), and when your special bar has enough juice you can unleash team attacks.

  The controls for UMVC3 are easy to pick up so novices will be able to jump straight into the fun, while anyone whose played previous Marvel vs. Capcom titles won't be disappointed either. It looks great, the range of characters is great, and with some great modes to play through this one's a keeper.

  

  LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7

  LEGO games have always been a favourite for us, so LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7 was a must-have. The last four films (or last three books, for non-muggles out there) are brought to life, with each film broken down into chapters, and sub chapters for you to play through. With LEGO putting its usual humorous spin on even the saddest moments, you'll want to go through all of these both in story mode, and then again in free mode!

  Visually, LEGO HP 5-7 is almost on par with the PS3 version which is impressive. The controls are mirrored to the PS3 as well so they'll be no difficulty in getting your teeth into this. Anyone familiar with LEGO games will definitely enjoy visiting Hogwarts on your PS Vita; LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7 is a great title for younger PS Vita players, or older gamers who are looking to satisfy their inner child.

  
  

  So those are our thoughts on the PS Vita as we've played it so far - but how are you getting on with yours? We've not quite had the chance to do everything, so if there are any games you've tried and we haven't, or if you have any of the other features to rave about, why not leave a comment below?

  Published: 28/03/2012

• FIFA Football (PS Vita) - Review

  
  

  

  Eat My Goal!

  Sometimes it feels as though the imperious FIFA series has been around for as long as gaming itself, but despite numerous iterations over the years - culminating in the sublime FIFA 12 last September - nobody has ever delivered a fully featured FIFA game for a handheld console. At least until now. It's becoming a familiar refrain for PlayStation Vita: this - insert name of famous game series - wasn't possible to get outside of home console releases... until PS Vita came along.

  Thanks to the PlayStation Vita's numerous control methods and its high-powered innards, EA Sports has been able to recreate the home experience almost entirely. Purists can stick to the expected control schemes (Alternative, Classic and Two-Button) and stride across licensed versions of famous pitches passing the ball around at a zippy pace, lofting and sliding through-balls and smashing the ball goal-wards at every opportunity. Those who are willing to try new things can use the touch-screen to pass, which works quite well, or use the rear-touch panel to shoot.

  The latter is one of FIFA Football on PS Vita's best new ideas. The game effectively treats the reverse of the handheld as a sort of one-to-one approximation of the goalposts (it's the right shape, after all). When you get within range of shooting you just tap on the rear panel to fill up a shot meter and then let go to fire the ball. It's surprisingly intuitive for something so alien to our ageing gaming instincts, although the purist in us will always prefer the classic setup. Worth experimenting with.

  

  What's The Score?

  This is a more or less fully featured port of the previous FIFA game, FIFA 11, so it lacks some of the series' newest features - like the Impact Engine and Tactical Defending - but there is still an enormous amount you can do. There are full Career modes where you control an individual player, a player-manager or a whole team, and you can play ranked and unranked matches online with very solid internet play thanks to PlayStation Network.

  On the pitch, whether you're playing against the AI or a human opponent, the action is slick and varied. The analogue stick allows for tight control of the ball, you can weight your passes to suit your objectives, and there are numerous subtle ways to unlock your opponent's defence - elevated through-balls, triangle passing, multiple crossing styles, and a free-kick system that also takes advantage of the PS Vita's unique control schemes. Defending is a matter of holding the X and square buttons to pressure the man in possession and using well-timed stabs of the circle button to slide-tackle, although referees can be quite strict so you may want to hold fire on that whenever you can.

  

  Unbelieveable Tekkers

  Thanks to the amazing underlying simulation you can rely on FIFA Football to present all sorts of different scenarios and variation, however many times you play, and while there are certain tactics that work well against certain opponents, there's no sure-fire way to win besides out-thinking your opponent in footballing terms. Drag players out of position, create space and exploit it - or just do some something inspired. It's real football, and that's why it's so good.

  It is easy to imagine that EA Sports will release a new FIFA Vita title later this year when the inevitable FIFA 13 game rears its head, but in the meantime this is still well worth checking out. Devoted football fans have never been able to play a version of the beautiful game that's this, well, beautiful and fully-featured on a handheld before. Forget the ball-flicking smartphone games - kill your commute with the real deal. As the series itself used to say: Let's FIFA!

  GAME's Verdict

  The Good:

  • As fully featured as the home version of FIFA 11.
    
  • Play online in ranked and unranked matches.
    
  • New touch controls offer precise shooting.

  The Bad:

  • Will probably be replaced by FIFA 13 in a few months' time.
    
  • Touch controls sometimes get in the way.
    
  • Long loading times.

  Published: 08/03/2012

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