What I Like
First and foremost, the screen. The 5 inch OLED screen is bright, crisp and absolutely gorgeous! Colors seem to pop more and little details are easy to see. Even playing older PSP games on the system makes them look much better. It's not able to offer "true" HD, but it comes close.
The system is a bit bulkier than the PSP, so it doesn't quite fit nicely into pockets. The system is light and thin, but is stronger than it seems. The two (!!) analogue sticks are raised a bit, but they don't catch on much. They are much more responsive than the little nub the PSP used, and there are two of them which means that most games won't suffer from awkward control schemes, especially for shooters. While not as convenient as a smart phone in terms of size, the Vita doesn't seem like it would be awful to carry around in a bag/purse.
The touch screens are great, too! It seems a shame to smudge up the gorgeous top screen, but I haven't noticed any major problems from swiping often. My PSP looked like a giant thumb print after a few hours of play, but the Vita still looks clean! The multi-touch panels are responsive and pretty accurate. I've only had a bit of trouble with the rear screen, and that's mostly because I've not had much practice. I'm sure before too long that the rear touch panel will be second nature.
The launch lineup is another strong point for the Vita. It's great that the digital offerings for PSP games are playable on the Vita. It would have been nice to get a trade-in program for UMDs like Japan did, but that's not the end of the world. The wide selection of PSP games and PSP Minis means that the Vita has a large library of games to start off, and that's before the addition of Vita-only titles! Of the Vita titles available at launch, I picked up Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational, Uncharted: Golden Abyss and WipEout 2048. Both the Hot Shots and WipEout series were part of my PSP launch pick-ups 8 years ago, and doing so again felt right. These games are gorgeous (especially WipEout), fun and while they don't push the Vita too hard, they are great ways to pass the time. Uncharted, however, is a showcase. I've not played much yet, but what I have is on par with Uncharted: Drake's Fortune on PS3. That needs to sink in: Golden Abyss looks as good as a PS3 game. It's not as pretty or as fluid as the recent Drake's Deception, but the fact that I have a full-fledged Uncharted in my hand-held is mind boggling. The Vita has such a strong lineup right out of the gate, and Sony has insisted that there will be strong offerings in the next couple of years and beyond!
The system also has some great new ideas/features that are worth mentioning. I've fallen in love with the concept of 'near'. 'near', no capital letter, is a social tracker that uses location, much like Nintendo's Street Pass on the 3DS. When you log onto 'near' and update your location, you can see who has played within a few kilometers and also collect presents. By sharing what you have played, you leave other players gifts (usually things like costume colors). These gifts are shared for the area, and your friends list! Through 'near' you can also collect things like race data (ghosts to run against) and other "competitive" offerings. It's really a neat way to connect with other players and see what everyone else is doing. The other feature that is awesome is cross-game chat. Finally gamers on a Sony system can chat while playing different games from one another. I haven't tried this out yet, but it's a feature sadly missing from the PS3.
One of the highlights for me is the connectivity between the PS Vita and the PS3. Silly things like browsing my trophy list and comparing with friends is a snap. The biggest joy will come from the cross-platform play. WipEout 2048 is the only game I have with the ability, but with it I can race online against people playing on a PS3. That is particularly cool. Games coming later this year will also feature the ability to transfer saves between the Vita and PS3. This will mean that I can play a game on the go (or in bed) and pick right back up on the TV, if I so desire. What I love about this flexibility is that going on vacation or heading off to work doesn't have to end the play session entirely. How often has it come up where you are playing and thinking, "OK, I have to leave soon. Just one more section! Just let me down this boss!" Well, now you can do that on break, or on the commute (providing you aren't driving).
What I'm Mixed On
Nothing too terribly much, actually. The system is solid overall, but the speakers are a bit weak. That's remedied with a pair of headphones.
The back touch panel seems off (as I mentioned above). I haven't quite figured out where it says my fingers are and where I think my fingers are. It's not been an issue in the slightest, but some games require the back panel be used.
It's not really a bad thing, but the games are going to have wildly different prices. Launch titles ranged from $10 for digital releases (like Super Stardust Delta) to $50 for retail boxes (like Uncharted: Golden Abyss). There is a price reduction for buying digital, but it isn't all that much. Hopefully Sony will make the difference more drastic in the future. I'm willing to pay more to have physical media (I am not a fan of all digital), but knowing that a game could be much cheaper digitally makes sense. More folks may jump on a deal for a digital release than a mere $5 savings.
The memory cards for this thing are pricey. Since most games are offered both physically and digitally, players will want to invest a larger card. The 8GB card that came with my system retails for $35, and the bigger cards push $100. I was informed when I put the card into the Vita that it would hold "3 to 5 games" (including update data and saves). That's fine since most of my games will be physical, but people doing all digital are looking at the $100 32GB card. I'm sure the price will drop before too long (it did with the PSP's Memory Stick Pro Duos), but that's a hidden cost to be aware of.
What I Don't Like
This is a personal dislike, but I felt misled by the 3G unit. I'm not the only one, apparently. The data plans are overpriced. $15 for 250MB is insulting. Larger data plans are pushing $30 to $50 a month, but it's still a hard cap. This would be annoying, but because Netflix works on the Vita, this becomes a problem. Having a data hog like Netflix is great when you can use the Wi-Fi to watch it, but it has buffering issues. Using the faster 3G would be fine, but you'll reach your cap in no time and then be forced to buy more time or wait.
The "free" game and "free" month of data are also points of contention. Those of us that sprang for the more costly system still have to buy the first month of data ($15 minimum). With that done, the second month is free thanks to a voucher included in the box. The game, Super Stardust Delta and the DLC for it, cost the same ($15). What is rather irksome is that the game isn't available right away. Once you pay for a month of data and activate it, you will receive a "voucher" sent to you (not sure if it's on the PSN or snail mail) after 30 days. So, I have to wait for a game that I could have purchased for the same amount right away and I have to use AT&T's data plan? Grrrr. Joystiq has put out a helpful video on how to redeem the free month of service for those of us silly enough to go with the 3G bundle. The 3G is a nice option for some, but the Wi-Fi unit is cheaper and you may not ever use the 3G (whether because of cost or lack of access to service).
Overall, this system is fantastic. The quality of games at launch is astounding, and they'll only get better. The gorgeous screen, the intuitive/responsive touch mechanics, the dual analogue sticks and the sturdy design all point to the Vita being a winner. Better yet, having games that deliver console-quality experiences means that the Vita will set itself apart from the smart phone games. If Sony supports the Vita well, instead of being a dying breed, the Vita could revitalize the hand-held market. Check one out if you can! You'll be hooked!
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