Instead, it was a title that made full use of the proprietary hardware. In all likelihood, PS Vita owners didn’t gravitate towards Tearaway exclusively for its narrative panache. Playing as your own inhabitant of the story-filled Valleyfold, you traverse through levels to fulfill your destiny of bringing new quests and adventures to a land slowly falling into complacency. Released in 2013 around the PS4’s launch, Tearaway is a witty side-scroller mixing the art style of Paper Mario with the innocent platforming fun of MediaMolecule’s other PlayStation exclusive, LittleBig Planet.

Next is one of Sony’s most underrated platforming franchises, which never quite got the reception it deserved. Considering the Arkham continuity is due to make a comeback in this year’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, there’s no better time than now to revive Blackgate.

This enhanced version featured improved visuals and new levels to enjoy-but, sadly, the game hasn’t been ported to any further platforms. Six months after the game launched in late 2013, it made its way to PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, and PC. The good news is that, for a brief while, the legacy of Batman Arkham Origins: Blackgate seemed secure. Combine that with hand-drawn cutscenes resembling original comic panels, and you’ve got the most slept-on game in the Arkham franchise. Even better, it had its own unique story to tell within the Arkham-verse, taking place several months after the events of Arkham Origins. Melding fast-paced hand-to-hand action alongside stealth, on a much smaller display and less capable hardware, is no easy feat-but Armature Studio managed to do it. While it is slightly pared-down compared to the extensive open worlds of the other Arkham games, and the combat isn’t quite as fluid as Rocksteady’s entries, Arkham Origins: Blackgate is a clever adaptation of the franchise to handheld platforms. There’s much more of a focus on stealth here, and Blackgate fully leans into the processing restrictions of its hardware by streamlining the Arkham formula with great effect. However, it did away with the intense third-person action combat, instead opting for a 2.5D side-scrolling style more reminiscent of something like Metroid Dread. Released in late 2013 on PS Vita and 3DS, Blackgate arrived alongside the divisive spin-off Batman: Arkham Origins. Batman Arkham Origins: Blackgate (2013)įirst up is this handheld spin-off of the wildly popular Batman Arkham series-and the only entry in the franchise that you haven’t heard of. To commemorate the decade-long legacy of the PS Vita-and to hopefully shine a light on some games that desperately deserve a high-quality re-release-join us as we look at five PS Vita hidden gems that deserve their time in the sun. While preservation of previous-gen titles is generally good across PlayStation eras, the disappearance of the Vita catalogue is no doubt one of Sony’s biggest missed opportunities. While the Vita never quite struck the same chord with audiences, its legacy is without doubt underrated, the home of countless hidden gems that have sadly fallen by the wayside.

The PS Vita truly did feel like a PS3 console crammed into your pocket, boasting impressive visuals, a range of triple-A franchise titles, and innovative touch-screen features that, unlike Nintendo’s handheld, didn’t require a cumbersome stylus. The Vita (and the PSP before it) was an accessible way into console-style gaming for those unable to afford a higher-quality display and hardware, and a more mature alternative to the kid-friendly output of Nintendo, then early into the 3DS’s lifecycle. That rivalry hasn’t dissipated, but there was one thing Sony always did that Microsoft has yet to compete with: a handheld console. The technologically-advanced successor to the PSP landed in the twilight years of the PS3’s reign, a period where the PlayStation brand was still neck-and-neck with Xbox in the ongoing console war. Despite only turning ten this year, the PlayStation Vita already feels like something of a relic.

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