Playstation Vita: Top 5 Most Anticipated Post Launch Games

With games like Uncharted: Golden Abyss, WipEout 2048, and Lumines: Electric Symphony launching alongside the Playstation Vita, there isn’t a shortage of great games to play on the brand new portable. However, the strength of a system comes with future releases, and the future lineup for the Vita is shaping up to be a diverse bunch. Augmented reality games, games that utilize the system’s front and rear touch screens, and console-like experiences fill the Vita’s future releases. So, what games will you be playing past this initial launch lineup?

We break down our top five most anticipated Vita games post launch. Hit the jump to see the full list.

5. Gravity Rush

Yes, this game is already out in Japan, but that doesn’t make it any less desirable. Gravity Rush is a third-person action game where players control a memory-stricken girl named Kat, who has the ability to control gravity by flying, walking on walls, and smashing enemies with attacks. These simple gameplay elements are used in such creative and intuitive ways that, when coupled with Gravity Rush’s amazing comic book aesthetic, make for a game that we can’t wait to play.

Gravity Rush’s lead director Keiichiro Toyama previously worked on the Silent Hill franchise, so expect some bizarre (in the best possible way) storytelling as well. Americans and Europeans are still in a bit of limbo regarding a release date, but we’ll reportedly be able to get our hands on it sometime in May.

4. Resistance: Burning Skies

Previous installments of Resistance on a portable system have been extremely different from their console brethren, with PSP releases coming in the form of third-person top down action games. However, Resistance: Burning Skies looks to give players the full console experience on a portable system. Burning Skies is a full-fledged first person shooter, utilizing the system’s dual analog sticks and graphical capability. The FPS genre has yet to be done well on a portable system, so how well Resistance fares on the Vita could be landmark moment for the system’s lifetime. There isn’t a firm release date for Burning Skies, but expect to see it sometime this summer.

3. Killzone

Not a lot is known about the PS Vita iteration of the Killzone franchise outside of small clips seen at Sony press conferences. We do know that Killzone is going to be a first-person shooter and is being developed by SCE Cambridge Studios, who have worked on the PSP version of LittleBigPlanet and the original Frogger on the Playstation. Like Resistance, Killzone looks to make full use of the Vita’s dual analog sticks, but how the game makes use of the system’s other features remains to be seen. Killzone is pretty high on our list precisely because of how little we do know about the game. Again, how well this game performs on the handheld could be crucial to the Vita’s success.

2. Sound Shapes

A music-making game sitting at number two on this list might be a bit surprising, but if you’ve watched the preview video above, then you’ll know that Sound Shapes is much more than just another music game. Developed by the same minds behind the fantastic Everyday Shooter, Sound Shapes is similar to Pixeljunk Eden and Rez in terms of fusing platforming and music. Players guide a small shape through levels through traditional button controls, but what makes Sound Shapes really interesting is the creative modes. Using the touch interfaces of the Vita, players can create “levels” by placing musical notes from different instruments that also act as platforming obstacles. These levels/songs can then be shared online for others to download and play. If that isn’t enough, Sony announced at the 2011 Spike VGA’s that Deadmau5 is going to be contributing original songs and sounds to the game. Yup, Deadmau5.

1. LittleBigPlanet

While the Playstation 3 version of LittleBigPlanet and its critically acclaimed sequel have become landmark console titles, the Vita version might be the definitive entry in the entire series. LBP has always lent itself to quick bursts of play, and the Vita is the perfect system to take advantage of single-sitting sessions. The increased online connectivity of the Vita and the touch interfaces also mean downloading, uploading, and creating stages should be a breeze. There’s no set release date for LBP, but if the creative community of the Vita version is even half of that of its console counterparts, then LittleBigPlanet is undoubtedly our most-anticipated post-launch Vita game.