Sadly Vader's comments have been lost in the flotsam and jetsam of the GGweekly. I create here a place for us to talk about the Vita as we get them. Or if you've had one for a while talk about how it's doing for you.

So I got a Vita a few weeks ago and had not really played anything on it.  This is a common practice for me and Sony hardware, usually because I buy the hardware when it is on sale and there still are not enough games for it (turns out this is a myth).  I usually break down and get hardware when there are three games for it I want, in this case I wanted Uncharted: Golden Abyss, MLB The Show and Gravity Rush.  When I got the system I had none of those games.  So it sat on the shelf for a while.

Last night I played Uncharted: Golden Abyss and had my first extended time with the system.  Thus, my impressions:

• I find the system as uncomfortable to hold as a PSP. If you had not problem with the PSP you'll be fine.  For my hands the sticks need to be about and inch (25 mm) higher.  As it is I feel like I am holding a dinner plate by the rim.  A heavy dinner plate.
• It will take sometime to get used to the large screen.  It's so big and beautiful that depending on where you are holding it it looks like a 110 inch HDTV or a 60 inch HDTV.  Given that it can go from this in your hands in a matter of seconds, just by moving it closer, it is a lot to take in.  Particuarly when you are articulating the camera yourself.  To give you an idea of how big it is, the screen itself is the size of a Samsung Galaxy I or II (the usual size of a smartphone).
• As a measure of the system's capabilities, Uncharted: Golden Abyss doesn't look as good as PS3 Uncharted games, but it does look as good as most PS3 games.
• The OS is at first unintuitive, but it is fast as can be. You can press the Home button whenever and multitask between several different applications. Once you figure out what is chaff and stick to what you need the OS is actually quite good (as with most smartphones).
• The browser is amazing. Probably due to the horizontal orientation and size, it provides a much better browsing experience than any smartphone.

So overall, it's impressive. Which seems to be what people say about the Vita.  Impressive and doomed.  It does have a big enough library at this point that I am comfortable owning one, and I can see for most people this would be a viable alternative to a home console if it had a good library, but for me, because of the ergonomics the Vita is not going to be something I use regularly.

Foolz said:

What do you think of Golden Abyss as a game thus far?

Its a piece of crap. But this is Aspros thread.

So far the Vita is good for LBP and that is really all I  need.

To get this thing to work first you have to update LBP2, then you have to have your Vita on and access cross controller, then the PS3 sends a 500MB update to the Vita. So that takes forever. Finally start LBP2, play cross controller on Vita and now you are playing LBP2 using the Vita. I did two levels so far, it uses the Vita in very simple ways. On the TV you have invisible orbs which you can see on Vita so you can use the touch screen to reveal them on the TV. The rear touch pad moves blocks just as it does on the vita game. In one section you enter a wormhole where you play on the vita screen.

The next level is a co-op one, one player on PS3 another on Vita. On the vita you control a ship by tilting the Vita, it looks just like galaga. On the TV the sackboy has to navigate the ship which is being rotated by the player with the vita. So the guy on the vita has to avoid being shot in a galaga game while turning the ship for the dude on the TV. Its pretty cool but since I am alone and playing with people online in LBP is a total disaster I couldnt really enjoy it. The galaga thing sucks, the dude on the TV has way more fun. Time to try more.

OH and one thing. My PS3 controller fell asleep since I wasnt using it and it paused my game saying I had to reconnect, the dualshock has to stay on for this to work for whatever reason.

Dvader said:

Its a piece of crap. But this is Aspros thread.

So far the Vita is good for LBP and that is really all I  need.

Yeah, I'm curious to know what he thinks of it cause you hate it so much.

Well that all sounds very convenient and easy to set up.

In other news I'm still satisfied with LPB1.

Foolz said:

What do you think of Golden Abyss as a game thus far?

It's Very Good verging on Good. Certainly not Great.

I completely respect what Sony Bend was able to do in terms of technical accomplishment and mimicking Naughty Dog's games, and if I were them I'd be pround of the game, but it's just not on the same level.

The character development moves along a bit too fast and the enemies seem one dimensional.  There have been a couple of times where for the life of me I just cannot see where they want me to go next (or worse, their signposting deceives you into thinking you are supposed to be going a certain way when you are not).

It's awesome getting Trophies though, and having them pop-up in your PS3 Trophy history.  The more I use the Vita the more impressed I am with it.  Still a pain to hold though.