The early 2010s were a weird time for Sony. As the PS3 started gaining some real traction and the PS4 was around the corner, the PlayStation Vita launched. This little handheld that couldn't served as Sony's last major handheld before the company shifted all its focus onto console games.

It's a sad story of a console with unfulfilled potential because I think it's one of the best handhelds ever. It's also one with a creator who had no idea what to do with it.

When the Vita was alive but floundering, Sony had the baffling idea to launch a micro-console using Vita hardware. Mircoconsoles were a phenomenon that only sparked the interest of various companies as the public did not care. While Nvidia's Shield still exists, the Ouya became famous for failing, and Sony's machine was forgotten. Unfortunately, this was the case because the PlayStation TV deserves remembrance.

[caption id="attachment_401303" align="alignnone" width="640"] Photo via Destructoid[/caption]

PlayStation TV is baffling.

The PlayStation TV is a little goblin of a console that is a Vita's guts in a tabletop form. This thing came out in Japan on November 15, 2013, and exactly a year later everywhere else. By the time the international release came, the Vita was on life support, and the Ouya had long become a laughing stock. Booting it up felt like venturing through the husk of a building abandoned early in construction.

To get one thing out of the way, I took pictures on my phone because my screenshots wouldn't transfer, and taking pictures of curved monitors is wonky. After trying to work with the PlayStation TV on this, it didn't want to work with me. 2023 just doesn't suit the PS TV.

It's also clear the PS TV lacked support. The Vita's last release was in 2021, and the newest release on the PS TV is from 2017. It's not like the store is chock full of all releases from before then, either. A controversial part of the PS TV is that it supported a fraction of the Vita's already limited library, and it shows. I never thought I would shop at a digital store this barren, and it was disheartening.

The lack of support and limited use is honestly embarrassing. It also says so much about how badly the PS TV flopped when the Vita continued to receive support for several years, and the handheld is famous for failing.

Even more egregious is that this literally is a Vita with an ethernet port and HDMI connectivity. The UI is the same, and the system even refers to itself as a Vita on several occasions. It did launch in Japan as PS Vita TV, which is honestly what it should have been called internationally.

[caption id="attachment_401305" align="alignnone" width="640"] Photo via Destructoid[/caption]

I still love this thing.

Frustrations aside, a charitable description of my experience with a PS TV is what my Vita was like in 2012. I have many complaints, but I love my PS TV. This is probably because it's playing a Vita on a TV.

Many who know me know the Vita's my favorite handheld. It's where I first played Persona 4 and discovered my love for all the otome on Vita. I spent hours playing on it as a teen, trying out anything that came to it. Niche titles were pretty much all the Vita was home to post-2015. Sony gave up on it, but RPGs and visual novels flourished.

It's charming playing the original version of Persona 4 Golden on a big screen along with Persona 2: Innocent Sin's PSP remake. I spent a while scrolling through the purchases I made when I was around 14, redownloading many old games to have ready at a moment's notice.

The PS TV didn't receive support, but I'm coming in with a decade of digital purchases. Since many were PSP and PS1 titles, the lack of actual Vita software doesn't matter much to me. I can play Parasite Eve again on a screen bigger than 5 inches. A PS5 still can't do that.

This is undoubtedly the most comfortable way I have played these games. I have an unending love for the Vita, but my hands have gotten bigger since 2012. A DualShock 4 meanwhile fits comfortably in my hands, and I can lay back at a comfortable angle.

Nostalgia is no doubt why I love this thing. It's been a while since I felt like a kid again, but this somehow gave me that. The past is comforting to return to, and the PS TV brought me to mine.

[caption id="attachment_401304" align="alignnone" width="640"] Photo via Destructoid[/caption]

Do I recommend the PlayStation TV?

No. I don't recommend this thing unless the person is comfortable modding consoles. Rose glasses aside, the PlayStation TV isn't great. It could have been that, but being a more niche Vita was a death sentence. Microconsoles were also short-lived, as most people would rather play on a traditional console.

I know I'm critical of it because the PS TV could have been more. Even if it were doomed, so was the Vita after some time, and it still received eight years of support. Both could have grown, and if full parity between systems was there, it would have been a console/handheld ecosystem predating the Switch.

Despite that, I don't think the PS TV would have succeeded even if the Vita did. It may have been a pretty sweet deal at $100, but its library consisted of games primarily played on the go. That's even if a game has support on it.

I love my PlayStation TV, but it's difficult to say many genuinely nice things about it. Exporting media sucks, there's a limited library, and it's UI is from a mobile device.

It's also the last device where PS1 games released on PS3 are playable, physical Vita cartridges are usable, and using a DualShock 4 beats the Vita's tiny buttons. So there are genuine compliments I can give it.

I'm unsure what tone I wanted to take with this retrospective of sorts, but I feel a little reflective writing about this. I think about what could have been with the PS TV, and its placement makes me think about the girl I was at 13. Seeing the initial Vita setup blown up 12 years after she did on its tiny screen made me wonder what she felt. I just remember it looking much bigger back then.

The post PlayStation TV was a baffling idea and I deeply love mine appeared first on Destructoid.

A match made in Hell

The DualSense is my favorite current-generation default controller. I am a huge fan of handheld gaming. By rights, Sony's just-announced Project Q, a handheld console that appears to have all the same features as the DualSense, should be right at the top of my hardware wishlist. And yet I feel no warmth towards that little machine at all.

[caption id="attachment_362124" align="alignnone" width="640"] Images via EA, Koei Tecmo, and Valve[/caption]

That's because Project Q is not actually a handheld console. It's the latest and worst in a long line of "kinda handhelds," a trend that I feel pretty lukewarm towards that started with the Nintendo Switch. These are "handheld consoles" that primarily or exclusively exist to play home console games. They're neat. I love my Nintendo Switch. I'm sure I would love my Steam Deck if I owned one. But they don't fill the same space as real handhelds in my mind. And Project Q is the worst offender yet.

Portable, kinda

Project Q is a streaming-only handheld. Out of the box, it will use the PS5's remote play feature to stream games. In case you haven't caught on to the problem yet, it's this: the Project Q is being developed not as a console but as an accessory for the PS5. And it's not even an especially useful accessory.

Because PS5 remote play requires a constant internet connection, its away-from-home applications are pretty limited. Sure, you could bust it out at the coffee shop for some quick Returnal sessions, but if you're looking for something to leave in your bag and grab whenever you've got some downtime in your day, you're probably out of luck. You will also look like a massive dork using it anywhere outside of your own home because of its garish and gamerly DualSense handles (I like them, but they do not scream "things I want other people to see me using"). Beyond that, there's also the apparent 8-inch screen, which is a full inch larger than the Nintendo Switch OLED and Steam Deck. Those devices are both already stretching the definition of "portable" considerably, so Project Q may as well have left it behind entirely.

[caption id="attachment_382060" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Apple[/caption]

The largest elephant in the room here is that a PS5 remote play handheld already exists. A whole bunch of them exist, actually, and there's a non-zero chance that you're reading this on one of them right now. Yes, of course smartphones already have PS5 remote play. And it's quite good! There are also already a ton of mobile-ready controllers - as a matter of fact, the DualSense is compatible with iOS and Android devices. It's hard to figure out who the target audience for Project Q actually is, even before considering the still-secret price point.

Why should I care?

To be clear, I'm not a Sony shareholder. The good folks at Sony can make whatever bad business decisions they want. But I am someone who desperately misses the halcyon days of portable handhelds. If Sony insists on dedicating tons of resources to products that general consumers aren't really clamoring for, then I'd really prefer if they made a new Vita.

[caption id="attachment_372560" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via That Retro Video Gamer's YouTube Channel and IGN[/caption]

Frankly, I just miss real handheld games. Consoles that actually fit in pockets and games that are designed to be played on the go. I know those games are still out there - in the time since I last wrote on the topic, I've come to appreciate that there really are quite a few 3DS-ish games on the Switch and Switch Lite, and that the App Store is not as much of a wasteland as I had assumed. But at this point, handhelds that exist to put home games in your "pocket" (or, more realistically, your purse or backpack) are so popular that even the worst version of that concept takes priority over a new dedicated handheld. It bums me out!

I don't really like the idea of Project Q. I don't see the point of it. But more than that, I don't like what it represents. Hardware companies have been hammering home the idea that the dedicated handheld is dead for more than half a decade, and it feels like Sony is finally putting the last nail in that coffin. In the place of the PSP or PS Vita, we now have a tablet for nobody designed to play the exact games you can already play at home, but worse. Instead of honing handheld design philosophy, it feels like the industry at large just wants to get rid of it.

I am into the PlayStation earbuds though. I'll wear those.

The post Sony’s Project Q is the wrong handheld for the wrong time appeared first on Destructoid.

Portable power!

The most popular current-generation console is a handheld. Computer companies with limited experience in the console market are jumping in with handhelds of their own. There's no denying it: portable gaming is in the midst of a renaissance. But as companies continue to release handheld consoles, and as consumers continue to buy them, I'm struck by an interesting question: what was the last mainstream handheld game?

I'm not talking about a game that you can play on a handheld. At this point, you can play basically any game ever made on a handheld. I'm talking about a game built for handhelds, one that benefits from a smaller form factor, lower processing power, and increased portability. Handheld consoles are about as big as they've ever been... so where are all the handheld games?

Very important pockets

Think back with me on simpler times. Remember when companies like Nintendo and Sony would have two main consoles on the market at once? A chunky home device and its lean, mean, pocket-friendly little sister? And, crucially, remember when they had different libraries? There was a kind of separation of powers in those days, and it led to some really compelling design decisions.

[caption id="attachment_359259" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment[/caption]

The limited power of the handheld has also always been of some import. Patapon, Loco Roco, and Echoshift are all wildly beloved PSP and Vita franchises, and it's hard to imagine any of them connecting on the PS3. While home consoles were in the midst of a graphical arms race, pushing more and more cinematic stories, Sony was quietly publishing some deeply innovative and interesting titles on their dedicated handhelds. At home, you get Halo and The Last of Us. On the go, you get a rhythm tactics side-scroller.

Most of these games are designed based on a simple philosophy: a great handheld game is built on the idea that it will be played in your hand. It's a game in which nothing is lost on the small screen, and, indeed, one in which something is gained. Patapon plays great on my PlayStation 5, but its miniature heroes, are built for a smaller world. The characters bear simple designs that are readable on a smaller screen. They address the player directly, assuming a level of intimacy that the PSP facilitates nicely. Most importantly, the tight, brief levels are the kind of thing that belong in a back pocket, not on a TV stand.

A delicious bite

When I talk about games that are truly built for handheld play, it's hard to avoid Pokémon: I have long believed that the original Pokémon games would have faded into the realm of the cult classic on home consoles. These games are full of smart design calls that make them sing on the go. Of course, Pokémon has some pretty foundationally pocket-sized ideas. A game about going on an adventure and finding new things outside was undoubtedly able to more fully resonate with young children who could actually take it with them on their own mini-journeys.

Portability in Pokémon is baked into its ethos, but it also plays a meaningful role in its design. Battles are tactical, but they're usually brief affairs. Every moment offers up the chance to see a cool new character, or to win a really tough fight. Satisfaction and engagement awaits around every corner... which also means every play session, no matter how bite-sized, is satisfying and engaging.

[caption id="attachment_359268" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Square Enix[/caption]

"Brief but satisfying" is the aim in a good handheld game. That's also why a lot of homebound games earned a revival in the back seat of Mom's car. Series like Final Fantasy and Persona earned second lives through handheld ports - where sprawling RPGs with intense stories were once considered TV-oriented affairs, ports like Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions and Persona 4 Golden posited that a sixty hour game with three minute fights might actually be more digestible on the go. These games were already satisfying in bursts, so they made for a natural fit on the PSP and PS Vita. Likewise, Tetris' earliest releases were on Soviet home computers, but its most iconic incarnation was on the original Game Boy. As it turns out, people like score-chasing dopamine hits in their pockets.

A necessary lifeline

Handheld design philosophy also left the door open to iterate on home concepts. When home gaming systems entered the 3D era, a lot of franchises made the jump with them. Handheld consoles needed games, too, but sprawling adventures didn't always play as well on the go. That meant older design philosophy met with handheld design philosophy to keep certain corners of the gaming world alive.

I often think of Metroid Fusion. This was a 2D Metroid game released on the Game Boy Advance exactly one day before Metroid Prime, which would become the "main" Metroid series for the following twenty years. My personal opinions on Fusion aside, it is a great portable title. It's fairly linear by necessity, because it is designed to be played in shorter bursts by more casual players. More notably, though, it's an actual 2D Metroid game - I can't help but feel that if the GBA wasn't around, 2D Metroid might have disappeared entirely. As a matter of fact, when a new 2D Metroid game finally arrived on the Nintendo Switch in 2021, it was a retooled version of a DS game.

[caption id="attachment_359263" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda followed similar trajectories: as the home console games got more expansive, the portable games tightened the bolts on classic concepts, offering up some of the best games in their respective franchises.

What now?

In 2023, the distinction between "handheld" and "home console" is becoming increasingly muddy. The Nintendo Switch, of course, exists to destroy that distinction entirely, serving as both Nintendo's current generation handheld and its home console. Games made for the Switch need to be both home console titles and handheld titles (and the handheld bit usually cedes itself to the big-screen bit). The Steam Deck, similarly, is a handheld that plays PC games. At least for now, basically nothing is built for the Steam Deck. It also bears mentioning that, while they do fit in your hand, neither of these consoles are especially portable, so the "on-the-go" philosophy that defines games like Pokémon isn't something developers need to consider.

I think the impact of this has been almost instantaneously obvious. It seems unlikely that we'll ever get, say, a new 2D Zelda game on the Switch. When an old 2D Zelda game was brought over, it was prettied up and converted to 3D to make it look and feel less like a handheld game. Sony has seemingly given up on its handheld platforms entirely. The company offers PS4 and PS5 remote play on mobile devices, as well as a meager offering of remastered PSP titles for its home consoles, but looking at a list of Sony-published games from the last several years, it's apparent that the portable design philosophy has vanished.

[caption id="attachment_359260" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

There have been proper handheld games developed and released more recently - Panic's Playdate, for example, is a comically underpowered monochrome handheld with a dedicated and compelling library. It's become something of a safe haven for independent developers looking for a quirky platform where smaller games can flourish. Developers want to make new games like Patapon, and the Playdate offers them that space. While there are plenty of Playdate games that would be comfortable enough on home consoles, the most beloved titles on the platform tend to be games like Bennett Foddy's Zipper, a tactical RPG full of brief, satisfying encounters.

In terms of mainstream consoles, though? We're pretty much out of luck. Every game made for Nintendo's flagship handheld must necessarily be made for its flagship home system, and nobody else is even trying to offer a smaller counterpart to their massive offerings. There's a portable hole in the market, and I truly hope someone comes along to fill it.

The post Where have the handheld games gone? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 1/8 to 1/14/2022

-Eggs&BrewsterJr discusses 10 games they enjoyed but are not likely to ever replay.

-Virtua Kazama takes a looks at fighting games and DLC to look forward to in 2022.

-FATAL-R reviews Left 4 Dead.

-Black Red Gaming discusses 10 gaming news stories that went the rounds last week.

-Lord Spencer discusses the top 10 games he played in 2021.

-Ctg867 wonders what could have been if Sony realized the Switch-like potential of the PS Vita.

-Black Red Gaming reviews their top 10 movies in 2021.

-Alphadeus, the Destructoid community's talented musician, is making character themes for Dtoid regulars based on their requests.

-Inquisitive Raven makes art for commissions, and he is sharing his prices for 2022 here.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community forum for open discussion.

Thanks for another great week of blogs, folks, and thanks to Lord Spencer for the recap as always. If you want to take part in next week’s recaps, then head on over to the blog section and join the party. Maybe you can find yourself featured — or even front-paged — in the coming year! Already looking forward to reading about the platters that matter.

The post What game did you really enjoy, but are unlikely to ever play again? appeared first on Destructoid.

That said, you'll be able to add funds using a computer, mobile device, PS4, or PS5

Sony ultimately decided to keep the PS3 and PlayStation Vita digital stores online (after announcing their closure back in March), which was a surprising and backlash-fueled turn of events — but there are still some caveats to keep in mind, and today, we've got another one to watch out for. Soon, you won't be allowed to use a credit card, a debit card, or PayPal to add funds to your account on the PlayStation Store for PS3 and PS Vita.

In another one of those now-iconic support page messages, Sony said that as of October 27, 2021, users "can no longer use a credit or debit card, or a payment method such as PayPal, to buy digital content or add funds to your wallet when visiting PlayStation Store on your PS3 console or PS Vita system." That sounds like a huge deal, right? Yes and no. For some, it'll be an issue; for others, it's an annoyance that can be side-stepped.

The main factor to note is that PS3 and Vita purchases will still be possible (again, those legacy stores aren't fully shutting down), but Sony is narrowing the options.

Here's what's changing for PS3 and Vita on October 27

• "You will still be able to purchase content (including DLC) via in-game stores, but you will need to use wallet funds to pay for the content on PlayStation Store."
• "You can add funds by redeeming a PlayStation Store gift card, using a credit or debit card, PayPal, or other available payment methods via a desktop computer, mobile device, a PS4 console or a PS5 console."
• "PlayStation Store gift cards can be used on both PS3 consoles and PS Vita systems. Product vouchers and subscription vouchers can also be used."
• An extra note spotted by Siliconera: digital games with a CERO Z rating in Japan require a credit card for age verification, which means they won't be buyable on PS3 or Vita starting Oct. 27.

To add money to your account in the browser-based PlayStation Store, log in here, click on your account/avatar in the top right, click "Payment Management," then hit "Add Funds."

On some level, I can see why Sony's hand might've been forced with respect to keeping these old storefronts safe and secure and compliant, weighing the numbers, and not wanting to invest any more money. No matter how you slice it though, "fewer features" is a tough sell, and it's something PlayStation fans have been dealing with a lot lately.

Maybe I'm being too pragmatic here, but if this was The Compromise, I'm definitely glad the stores are staying online (for now). The longer, the better. It's just a shame that we won't be able to actually see these old games while we top up our accounts since, you know, the current PlayStation Store on modern devices only lists PS4 and PS5 games.

In another reality, it's not a hassle to buy these old digital games, and they still offer deals. Maybe it's too late for these specific titles, and they'll suffer a slow fade-out; maybe it isn't. In general, PlayStation could be doing so much more with its legacy games.

The post PS3 and PlayStation Vita stores are dropping credit card and PayPal support this month appeared first on Destructoid.

A community blog by Exber

_{[Destructoid user Exber tells the story of when, where, and how Persona 4 ended up becoming one of their most cherished games. It's a personal story, one that really resonates. -Jordan]}

There hasn’t been a game I have mentioned more than Persona 4, if I am honest. I talked about it twice as a student for some presentations, first in 2012 and then in 2015, and by that time, I had thought I wouldn’t be using the game to convey any kind of message anymore. I was wrong. Game Informer had these blog writing challenges where the subjects at hand were the perfect excuse to talk about my favorite game of all time for the third, fourth time without getting me or my readers bored due to the lack of innovation. I was wrong yet again. Persona 4 has this precise amount of information that when playing one can know its writing, pacing, and narrative are top-notch, hence giving myriad debates after playing it. Character study, social critique, you name it.

Fun fact: when I first played it in 2008 I didn’t know any of this, I just enjoyed the game to my heart’s content. So, why did it became my favorite and remained so after all of the games I have played since? Let’s go back to the Midnight Channel one more time.

2007: My First RPG

If by 2006 I got to play Ocarina of Time and saw the potential of gaming and how much fun I had with the medium, it was only a matter of time before I started to venture into new genres as I only used to play horror, racing, and action-adventure games. Come 2007 and I got a PS2 ready to fulfill that, with my brothers helping me along the way. While most of the recommendations didn’t click with me, there was one that also didn’t but at the same time had me curious. Why is this RPG not based on some medieval times? What’s with this orchestrated music? This looks like anime but it just doesn’t feel like it. And with that, Persona 3 had me hooked by watching my brother play the game and later quitting.

My curiosity led me to try it for myself having no idea whatsoever as to how RPGs work or if I would be able to fully understand the language as I was a 13-year-old native Spanish speaker with no English course behind me, only what I have learned with Ocarina of Time, Resident Evil 2, and my dictionary. Guess what? I loved the game.

It took me a long while to get used to this genre and how the Persona series since Persona 3 handles and mixes social simulation within it. Once I finished it, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to play the sequel as I thought the PS3 would be the ideal console to release it, until I watched the trailer for Persona 4 with a release date of December 8 for the PS2. Getting a new exclusive game for a last-gen console? So soon? With lots of quality of life improvements upon its predecessor? I was hyped.

2008: Izanagi!

It was December 8 and there I was at the local video game store, sad due to the game not getting shipped until December 12. However, as it was a Saturday, it was the perfect excuse to play late. My family was actually curious as to why I was so hyped and though they didn’t actually understand the game, my happiness was all they needed to see to confirm and be relieved of the purchase. The time was winter vacation so it was game time for me, and yet, I couldn’t finish the game by the end of the year, but during the first days of 2009.

Compared to my experience with Persona 3, Persona 4 was a breeze in many regards and a better experience, to be exact. The feeling of humbleness the game shows within its Inaba setting caught my interest since the trailer, as I have always been a country boy at heart. The character struggles and their boss fights felt personal, particularly those of Yosuke, Kanji, and Teddy. And finally, the antagonist’s motives had a lot to do with the game’s narrative and how the mystery evolves the more you play it. I got to notice that during my first playthrough and so I decided to play another time on hard and to experience the game yet again trying to do more things within my time limit. Needless to say, I enjoyed it just as much and before I knew it, Izanagi was my phone’s wallpaper, Reach out to the Truth was my ringtone, and so on and so forth.

By that time replaying a game was something I used to do with many games but it was only to beat those in hard and get unlockables. With Persona 4, however, playing it again cemented it as something more of a gaming experience. It was a decisive factor in my future life: to study English education. To understand a story-driven game of 70 to 80 hours duration with no previous studied knowledge of the English language? If this game taught me something, it's to pursue one’s true self, and that was precisely what I wanted to do: learn more English and make a living out of it.

2011: Persona 4 The Animation

Anime has never been my thing really, but I made an exception with this for two reasons. First, my girlfriend by that time loved anime and didn’t have a PS2 to play Persona 4 as she was interested after listening to me talk about it all the time, so I decided to watch it with her. And second, to see if my memory still remembered that narrative and also, to see how it translates to anime. All of the above was a complete success. She loved it as well and we both confirmed that my relationship with this game was out of this world.

2012: Introducing Shoji Meguro To My Class

As expected, English I started with a bang: to give a presentation about a famous person to evaluate one’s speaking in front of a group of strangers to convey meaning. I talked about him knowing none in the classroom even knew what a video game composer was, but those claps at the end were worth it. Had I, perhaps, used my favorite game of all time to get a grade in college? Yes, I had.

2015: Selling The Game At An English Course

I had been giving another presentation, this time a longer one to talk about anything but with the purpose of getting the audience interested in what I was talking about. Video games were the subject to talk about right away as my classmates wouldn’t accept otherwise. They wanted to see my speaking freely into what has gotten me into English in the first place, and I delivered. Though Persona 4 was not brought to the conversation until the last minutes, the previous explanations I had given about gaming and its side effect, both positive and negative over us, got them interested and when I showed them my favorite game, many questions were asked such as: Why is the trailer so action-filled when your preview was that of a murder story and waifu dating sim?

And to that I answered: Because the game is full of surprises and twists, and you have a life within it, which for someone with depression like me, is a breath not only of fresh air, but of everything. Then again, claps were heard and their support for me toward gaming hasn’t diminished since.

2020: My 3^rd Playthrough Of The Original PS2 Game

I wanted to get a PS Vita so bad last year to play Persona 4 Golden due to all the hype for the game getting released on Steam, but truth was, I couldn’t afford the handheld at the time. However, I still had my PS2 and my copy of the game so I decided to play once again during winter vacations, just like when it first released. 12 years later, I was more versed in gaming so I was ready to pinpoint every detail to see if had aged well, to look for its flaws and whatnot.

That playthough reconfirmed why Persona 4 stands out above all the games I have played, albeit what faults might hinder the experience especially for those coming from Persona 5. For one, comparing a 2017 game with a 2008 one is out of the question, at least for me. To play games in the order they are released is one thing not many people can do due to not owning certain consoles, but there is one thing every gamer can do: to enjoy a game for what it is as long as the fun factor prevails throughout. Even though this is a game that can’t be recommended to everyone due to how long it is, its pacing and narrative are sublime. The combat system is a step in the right direction, as are some unique additions and the social aspect of the game. The thing here wasn’t only to correct where Persona 3 might have gone wrong, but to make this one distinctive despite having the number four on it, and distinctive it was.

Being completely honest, it’s the humbleness the game offers the player that hooks me in every time. High school days are something forever engraved into our memories no matter how good or bad they were, so the setting is easily recognizable, and the character study based on their lives in a rural town resonates with that human factor we often tend to forget. Sure, gay themes aren’t taboo anymore in many countries, as well as social pressure and many of the subjects present within this game, but what about the rest of the world? For a video game, a medium often ignored by many, Persona 4 knows how to speak to the players without wanting to have a big impression but rather, a lasting one. Such has been my case.

As a gay man with depression and anxiety, to play a video game which tackles these situations with an open heart was what I needed back in 2008 to better trust myself and later, to better understand my feelings in many regards. And not only that, as the gameplay quickly reminds you, you are playing a video game to have fun, and fun is guaranteed. This balance of making the players reflect upon themselves while having a blast and laughing is what makes this my favorite game of all time. Granted, some other aspects sure helped but that is for another blog, a review of Persona 4 Golden where I’ll be comparing both versions as they both offer a unique experience.

2021: Persona 4 Golden Has Been Played

When this game came out back in 2012 I was happy yet a little worried this version would damage what the original one had already established with flying colors. Wrong again. While Chie’s original voice actress is certainly missed, the improvements upon an already well-thought formula not only make this one the definitive version, but one that is better enjoyed if the other was played first. By this time I was already fresh on the story I hadn’t forgotten even after all these years, and some dialogues I still remember clearly, so I was intrigued as to how the new scenes, interactions, and expanded story would work. I am satisfied. The voice actors remembered their characters very well thus continuing to deliver that Persona 4 experience I love so much. It is amazing how a game delivered so much in its first release and then threw it out of the window on its rerelease.

I would like to conclude by saying that no matter what game may be your all-time favorite, the reasons behind that are yours and yours alone. If you like that game so darn much, then those developers did a good job doing what they love: to bring fun and a lot more to the players.

Thanks for Reading.

The post Persona 4 and how a game becomes an all-time favorite appeared first on Destructoid.

Pre-orders open July 30 for Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS Vita physical editions of Super Meat Boy

While not as skin-crawling as some of the nastier too-realistic-for-this-world close-up shots in Ren & Stimpy (or even SpongeBob), I feel like the box art for the Super Meat Boy Limited Run physical edition is very much on that same wavelength. It fits, though. It's the cover that this game, and fans of Edmund McMillen's worlds in general, deserve.

Announced in a jam-packed Twitter thread this morning, Limited Run is opening pre-orders for physical copies of Super Meat Boy for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita — it's $30 across the board, and there's a color manual tucked inside.

All three versions are region-free. While the Switch and PS4 editions are "open" pre-orders, Super Meat Boy's physical Vita version will only have 1,000 copies up for grabs.

https://twitter.com/LimitedRunGames/status/1420057477798842372?s=20

Pay special attention (read: zoom in on) Bandage Girl, who's made up of chewing-gum-pink bandages, and Dr. Fetus, who has creepy little baby hands.

That standard release will cut it for most physical-game-likers, but there's also a physical Collector's Edition with a Meat Boy figure (from Fangamer), a veiny double-sided poster, and a "meat tray" for the capital-f Fans. It's $75, and Limited Run is hosting pre-orders for Switch, PS4, and yes, even Vita, on the same day: July 30, starting at 7:00 a.m. Pacific.

One last stop for the midnight meat train: Super Meat Boy Forever, the auto-running platformer, is getting a Limited Run release across Nintendo Switch and PS4 for $35.

I'm curious — have you gone back to replay Super Meat Boy in recent years? I truly don't know how I ever kept up with this game. While I can still remember what it was like to be good at it, my skills have completely evaporated. No muscle memory to speak of.

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We all have those niche-within-a-niche videos we're super into, and clean consoles are mine

In our algorithm-dominated world, I feel like I'm constantly being bombarded with stuff I'd really prefer not to see: premature spoiler-filled videos on YouTube, "funny" topics on Twitter, and an ocean full of gnarly shark pics on Instagram even though I keep telling the app how uninterested I am. But sometimes, the algorithms push a hyper-focused category of niche content in front of you that you end up digging. And sometimes, I just want to watch a person calmy, soothingly clean up and restore old video game consoles.

I put minimal effort into tidying up my controllers and consoles — I rarely, if ever, pop 'em up open — and yet I can't seem to get enough of exactly that activity on YouTube.

For the same reason that millions of people are into home renovation shows, there's an odd satisfaction to watching a dusty, sticky, grimy, and sometimes even bug-infested console get a good scrubbing. I'm not sure how these machines ever reach such a disgusting state — can we blame the kids? Let's blame the kids! — but the filthier they are, the more satisfying the cleanup process. (From a safe distance, of course.)

https://youtu.be/L232PR3_5JA

https://youtu.be/4HBr8NE17oc

https://youtu.be/eYRlXGE7-z4

You know you've become obsessed when you no longer skip the "boring" parts.

I don't have a point to make with this article other than to say 1) these types of videos are relaxing and 2) I've been wanting to say something about them for a while now. I just think they're neat. Some of you surely fix your own hardware, and that's neat too. Heck, do you get a kick out of restoring marker- and sticker-filled cartridges? Same. Big same.

On some level, I bet you can relate — even if you don't get my "watching a gloved man scrub consoles" pastime, perhaps you've got a different niche-within-a-niche interest you like to unwind with, whether that's on YouTube or elsewhere. What are we missing?

While not remotely gaming-related, the other day I was shown a video of a guy who hatched chicks with a hand-made incubator built from a fruit storage bowl, and I thought "Okay, it's time. I've gotta write this silly blog already. I can't be alone on this one."

_{[Image credit: Odd Tinkering]}

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All Dogs Go To Dead Console Heaven

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXKpMhPXv-s[/embed]

The announcement of Valve's Steam Deck portable console has shaken the handheld market, inspiring strong levels of speculation and even stronger expectations. The news has many looking back to The PS Vita, the last handheld that tried to take Nintendo on in the portable space. It... didn't do great, but it's got a small, passionate following. They'll be pleased to hear that the system is getting one last gasp of life before it's put out to pasture. On July 20th, the last batch of new games will launch on the Vita's PSN store. The alpha among them is Russian Subway Dogs, a game based on the life of real strays living in the tunnels of the former Soviet Union's underground trolley system.

Russian Subway Dogs features "...stealing food, juggling vodka, cooking bears, and more while you attempt to keep yourself fed and aim for a high score." and "...both a lengthy campaign and pick-up-and-play arcade modes. Like Pokémon, it looks simple on the surface, but there are tons of variables underneath. Fire power-ups melt snow and cook food (including rival animals), ice freezes fish and transforms them into projectiles, poison meat can travel through the food chain, and so on.

The game will also have some timed-exclusive content just for the Vita, likely in the form of new guest doggies. It's a bold move, especially for a scrappy underdog. Trying to survive on a largely abandoned console ain't easy, but my bet is it's going to eat well in the end.

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It's the end of the road for My PlayStation

You may not know it by name, but you very may well have benefitted from My PlayStation. And as of June 28, 2021, it's discontinued — the old URL redirects.

With this change (which was communicated ahead of time in typical bad-news-bearing fashion), it's no longer possible to access parties, friends, or trophies using the official PlayStation website. You'll need to switch to the PlayStation App on iOS or Android.

As Destructoid reader Just Aaron put it, "I always used [the site] to send messages over PSN but now I can't. I also can't check my friends list to see who is online or any of that good stuff."

Two other web features — your profile and game library — are still around, but they're listed in a drop-down menu. Once you're logged into PlayStation.com, you can reach your profile and game library by clicking on your user avatar that's up in the top-right area.

As a reminder, the library feature is where you can see your purchases, played games, and downloads across PS4 and PS5 — as well as your PlayStation Plus and/or PlayStation Now info if you're subscribed. Remember when it used to show "legacy" platforms too?

While I never really used My PlayStation to message PlayStation Network friends, I did lean on the site to glance at my trophies. Basically, I'm invested enough to pop open a tab on my PC, but do I care enough to go download the PlayStation App? Not at the moment.

Beyond the My PlayStation cut, another (admittedly much more niche) removal also went down this week: PlayStation Vita messaging. "Although messaging on PS Vita is going away, your messages will still be available to you by using the messaging service on PS5 consoles, PS4 consoles, and via mobile on PlayStation App," explained Sony.

Not to sound too dramatic, but it's getting to the point where bookmarking the "Important notices regarding PlayStation products and services" page is probably worthwhile.

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Imposter Syndrome

It's time to put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and re-open your detective agency. Publisher Playism has announced that the super-cool, ultra-hip "social deduction" game Gnosia will be coming to PC later this year, following its launch on Nintendo Switch back in March.

Developed by Petit Depotto, Gnosia is a dark and quirky tale of a group of humans together on a drifting spaceship. Among these humans are several "Gnosia," a shape-shifting being hell-bent on replicating and eradicating its human hosts. Players must use social skills, conversation, and gut instincts to ascertain which characters are real and which are Gnosia, confining those accused to suspended animation. But will you correctly identify the imposters, or condemn innocent parties to the "Cold Sleep"?

This unique gameplay — reminiscent of tabletop titles of the "Werewolf" genre — plays out against a repetitive and ever-evolving narrative, allowing players to become better acquainted with characters and hopefully a little more adept at spotting the imposters. Gnosia offers a novel and unique concept for a video game, married to a cool cast of characters and some very stylish art direction. Check out CJ Andriessen's Switch review to read his thoughts on the surreal, sci-fi experience.

Gnosia launches on PC via Steam later this year. It is available now on PS Vita and Switch.

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PSP will still close this summer

Last month, Sony confirmed a report that it would be closing the online storefront for PlayStation 3, Vita, and PSP. Today, the company announced it would no longer be closing two of those stores.

Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan said in a statement on the PlayStation Blog that while Sony had recently planned to close the stores this summer, upon further reflection it was clear that it made the wrong decision. The PlayStation Store for PS3 and Vita will stay operational, though PSP commerce functionality will still retire on July 2, 2021 as planned.

"When we initially came to the decision to end purchasing support for PS3 and PS Vita, it was born out of a number of factors, including commerce support challenges for older devices and the ability for us to focus more of our resources on newer devices where a majority of our games are playing on," said Ryan.

"We see now that many of you are incredibly passionate about being able to continue purchasing classic games on PS3 and PS Vita for the foreseeable future, so I'm glad we were able to find a solution to continue operations."

This is certainly a positive for people who want to hold onto their old games, or might want to explore what they missed out on at some point in the future. Getting old games backed up was already proving to be a bit of a slog too, so having two of these storefronts stay online and operational is rad. (Sorry for those holding out hope for the PSP, though.)

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From login woes to slow downloads to missing buttons, it can be a pain to get your PSP, Vita, and PS3 libraries situated

After hearing the PSP, Vita, and PS3 store shutdown news last week, I was disappointed, but I wasn't as fired up as some. More like all-around bummed and tired. We're really doing this, Sony? Welp, okay.

With the recent clarification that we'll still be able to download our purchases after the store closures (for the time being, anyway), I had planned to procrastinate on getting my libraries in order. July 2 – the PS3 and PSP store shutdown date – felt far enough away that I didn't need to spring into action.

[Update: It's hard to believe, but Sony has gone back on its store shutdown plan. While "PSP commerce functionality will still retire on July 2," the PS3 and Vita stores are staying open for now.]

With that "I'll get around to it later" mentality, on Friday, I began poking around various forums and communities to refresh myself on which digital-only games and cost-effective buys are worth looking into before it's too late. Tomba costs how much on disc nowadays? Okay, sure, another PS1 Classic for the list. Next thing I knew, I was in the researching groove and I couldn't help myself. I went a bit nuts.

On the PSP and Vita front, I have a PlayStation Portable, but it no longer has a functional battery (the bulge got me). And while I never owned a PlayStation Vita proper, I did get a PlayStation TV back when they were super cheap – I just never bothered to do much with the little box after a cursory glance.

My PS3 is of the non-PS2-disc-playing variety, and I got it late in the cycle, so I never ended up getting many titles for it. Funny enough, most of my PS3 games are just cool, quirky, chill PlayStation Network indies – the exact kind of stuff that folks are now rushing to nab before the stores close in 2021.

You don't need to know my whole personal PlayStation history, of course, but I'm briefly mentioning it just as a jumping-off point. After setting up my systems again, I found some games I wasn't expecting – when the heck did I buy Ring of Red? – and I also realized I didn't own everything I thought I did.

Whether you've sworn off Sony or you're still open to the idea of buying digital copies of older PlayStation games while you're allowed to, either way, I'd urge you to make a decision sooner than later. With the inability to check your "legacy" console libraries in a web browser, the bookkeeping process is a huge pain. I say that as someone who, again, doesn't even own all that much digital stuff.

My first wake-up call was when I tried to log into these systems. I started with the PlayStation TV first, and while my account info was still there, my password gave me an error. As it turns out, I needed to authenticate my PS TV and PS3 login using a semi-obscure Sony page to generate a password.

(If you have 2-Step and you're struggling like I was: go to the PlayStation Store, click on your avatar up top, then Account Settings, then Security, and finally Device Setup Password. This will help you sign in.)

Once I was logged in, I took stock of my PSP, Vita, and PS3 games and cross-referenced that with this very very helpful collection of game recommendation lists on ResetEra. Another good one: this list of games you can play on your Vita but only if you purchase them on a PS3 and then transfer them over.

If there's a theme to this article, it's that everything involved with preparing for PlayStation's store shutdown is more time-consuming and finicky than it needs to be – by like an order of magnitude.

Case in point, the "add to cart" button (and, as a result, pricing info) is invisible for me on the PS3 store.

I had heard complaints about this recently, but seeing it for myself was wild. As a workaround for the missing button, every time I landed on a game I wanted to buy (a process in and of itself), I had to go down and highlight the "Overview" button, and then press up once and hit X to confirm. I've also read about purchases failing to go through, but I haven't encountered any of those errors. Fingers crossed.

If you're anything like me, you'll want to fill in gaps in your PS1 and PS2 Classics collections on PS3 and Vita. It's less than ideal, but in a lot of cases, it's better to manually search for games than rely on the PlayStation Store's incomplete lists. For the former, search "PSOne"; for the latter, "PS2." That should bring up a big list of Classics for you to peruse. I'd also take notes as needed so you know which of your games are already installed – the Download List isn't helpful or intuitive. It's still a clunker in 2021.

Overall, though, it's best to rely on comprehensive external lists of titles for your region of choice and manually search on a game-by-game basis. The PlayStation Store's built-in search is lacking.

At the risk of rambling more than I need to, there's also the matter of navigating the PlayStation Store and downloading, installing, and patching games in general on these platforms. It's all much slower than I remember, and I didn't have particularly fond memories in the first place. Come into this process expecting to babysit everything – even in the best circumstances, it's going to feel like a project.

I ended up with a dozen more PS1 Classics including Mega Man Legends, Suikoden, and The Legend of Dragoon, as well as the Resident Evils (I'll laugh if Capcom does modern ports later this year for the series' 25th anniversary) and can't-miss titles like Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together. When will I ever get around to playing any of this? That's a topic for another day – but I'm gonna try, honest!

I've only done the bare minimum, which is to say I got the games I wanted (and some I probably didn't need), but I haven't backed up anything or put in any additional time to future-proof my digital purchases. Those conversations are happening online, though. If you're invested in your digital library for PSP, Vita, and PS3, I wouldn't necessarily encourage you to start buying a bunch of old games you may or may not need before Sony pulls the plug on new purchases, but I would start figuring out a plan.

To anyone moving away from the PlayStation ecosystem in light of these shutdowns – or at least reconsidering their stance on digital purchases under Sony – I feel you. The brand took a big hit.

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Update: Sony has called off the PS3 and Vita store shutdown

[Update: Sony has reversed course on the PS3 and Vita store shutdown, but "PSP commerce functionality will retire on July 2." In a blog post, SIE CEO Jim Ryan admitted that "we made the wrong decision here," adding that "we see now that many of you are incredibly passionate about being able to continue purchasing classic games on PS3 and PS Vita for the foreseeable future."]

Last week, there was a hugely disappointing rumor that Sony would close the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, and PlayStation Portable stores this year. The report served as a wake-up call for people who see value in PlayStation's legacy platforms, and it was accurate – Sony confirmed the news this morning.

When do we lose access to the stores and, as a result, the ability to buy legacy games and DLC? These are the dates to remember: July 2 for PS3 and PSP, and August 27 for PlayStation Vita.

The silver lining (though I hesitate to call it that): we will still be able to re-download the games that we own as well as the games that we got through PlayStation Plus. We'll also be able to access our purchased media content and redeem game and PS Plus vouchers even after the stores are closed. That said, once the dates come and go, we won't be able to redeem PSN wallet vouchers on the old systems.

For many people, even just having download access is crucial. You'll be able to do it using the Download List on PS3, Vita, and PSP. The race is now on to get our libraries situated before it's too late.

It's a shame Sony put an end to the workaround that let folks use the "old" PlayStation Store in a web browser. Actually finding and buying content on the old consoles is an unwieldy mess in 2021. As it stands, this is going to be an all-out scramble even for people who know which games they're missing.

Where to start? Try this PS3 exclusives breakdown on Reddit. Wikipedia also has lists of PS3 games, Vita games, PSP games, PS1 Classics, and PS2 Classics that will be instrumental for collectors.

On my list: Yakuza: Dead Souls, Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection, Puppeteer, Siren: Blood Curse, Afrika, and way, way too many PS1 and PS2 titles from Vagrant Story to Maximo: Ghosts to Glory.

The post It’s true: Sony says it will close the PS3, Vita, and PSP stores in 2021 appeared first on Destructoid.

It's suggested that Sony intends to close the PSP and PS3 stores on July 2 and the Vita store on August 27

Long-term access to digital and even physical video games is one of those concerns that might not necessarily matter day-to-day for the average person, but without intervention – without ongoing preservation efforts – it's likely going to sneak up on a lot of people. What happens when a digital storefront gets taken down? In the case of PlayStation, we might find out sooner than expected.

According to a report from TheGamer, the PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, and PlayStation 3 stores are going to shut down in 2021. In the aftermath of such a move, people would no longer be able to buy digital copies of PSP, Vita, and PS3 games and content – they'd be inaccessible to new players.

It's not official yet – TheGamer's source believes Sony will make an announcement by the end of this month – but the closure dates are expected to be July 2 (PSP and PS3) and August 27 (Vita).

[Update: Sony confirmed the store closure dates. You'll still be able to re-download any games you own after the shutdown periods, but new purchases will be prohibited. The countdown has started.]

That's so soon! To some extent, it's understandable for support to eventually fade away (or at least be diminished), but I don't feel like we're anywhere near ready for that day to come for these platforms.

The current web-based version of the PlayStation Store doesn't officially support the sale of PSP, Vita, or PS3 games, meaning if you want to buy legacy titles, you need to do so using your original systems. That said, there's still a workaround to access the "old" PlayStation Store in a browser right here.

On a related note, there's a well-researched Reddit post circulating again today that recaps a bunch of notable PlayStation 3 exclusives that would be harshly impacted by exactly this kind of store closure. Do you know how I'm always going on about Tokyo Jungle any chance I can get? It's on the list. Many fantastic digital-only PS3 games have been ported to PS4, but many more of them never were.

It's unclear if users would still be able to re-download digital PSP, Vita, and PS3 games they own once the stores are closed, but I'd sure hope so at the bare minimum. Either way, I can't see any long-term path forward that doesn't rely on hackers, tinkerers, and preservationists who care about this stuff. It's far more complicated than just retaining games, too – think about DLC, post-launch patches, and rights.

This is an uphill battle even with all hands on deck. We've got a lot of those looming, don't we?

Report: PS3, Vita, And PSP Stores To Be Permanently Closed In A Few Months [TheGamer]

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