Secret of Mana
If you’re a diehard JRPG enthusiast but never got around to playing Secret of Mana, this February will give you a chance to see what all the hype is about. Faithfully adapting the beloved story and top-down gameplay of the original title while incorporating eye-catching 3D graphics and a modern control scheme, this remake follows in the footsteps of the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, as it’s re-imagined from the ground up. If you’ve played the original back on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, you’ll be pleased to learn that this version of the classic includes voice-over and a newly arranged soundtrack, too. Of course, if you’d like to experience the game using Japanese voices and English subtitles, that option’s available to you as well.
Though some may be wondering why Square Enix didn’t forgo the PS Vita and make Secret of Mana available on the Switch instead, the move isn’t entirely unprecedented. Vita is home to a vast collection of JRPG titles and serves that niche market so well both in Japan itself and overseas, so it actually makes a lot of sense that the game’s publisher wants to strive to cater to that audience as best as they can.
Steins;Gate Elite
Speaking of a niche audience, it’s no secret that Japanese visual novel and anime-stylized games thrive on the PS Vita, too. Steins;Gate Elite hopes to satisfy that market’s thirst for more content when it releases in 2018. The title will incorporate actual cutscenes from the show of the same name into its narrative to immerse the player further and will add routes previously not seen before. The entire game will be fully animated, meaning characters and action will move onscreen in tandem with the script, and voiced dialogue from the show will be included for additional effect.
From what fans have learned so far, Steins;Gate Elite hopes to get the concept of a visual novel and elevate it to something much more than what it currently is. PS Vita fans who may have been hesitant to check out the genre for fear that it would be too text-heavy and reliant on dialogue should have confidence knowing Steins;Gate Elite incorporates real-time movement and animations to make it just as engaging as playing your favorite anime. Given the fact that the show is one of the most heavily praised works of fiction on MyAnimeList, this game doesn’t seem like it’ll disappoint.
Stardew Valley
The addiction that is Stardew Valley finally makes its way to the PS Vita in 2018, appealing to casual and hardcore gamers alike through its unique combat, farming, fishing, and socialization mechanics. The title has you go to an abandoned plot of land that your grandfather left you before he died, tasking you with restoring the property to its former farmland glory. Along the way, you’ll interact with the citizens of the nearby town and slowly gain their trust, allowing you to earn a profit from the crops you grow and even join the ranks of the Adventurer’s Guild to fight underground threats in a nearby mine. All of this taking place on a monitor screen is overwhelming enough, so just imagine what the experience would be like playing it in the palms of your hands with the PS Vita.
Stardew Valley isn’t exactly a game for everyone, though it is a title you should check out if you’re into slower paced games or just want a breather from all the action-heavy indies releasing on the handheld. Its minimalist aesthetic and charming soundtrack are both soothing in their own right, and fit so well into the overall atmosphere of the game. Given the PS Vita’s handheld size and impressive OLED screen, you can count on Stardew Valley to be quite a therapeutic experience to take with you on the go.
Pixel Noir
Pixel Noire smashed its Kickstarter goal of $30,000 last year to accumulate a grand total of $61,212 by the time its campaign was over. Set in a decrepit metropolis called Pinnacle City, the game is something akin to a fusion of Sin City and Earthbound, as the main character must work to redeem himself of a crime he didn’t commit 10 years prior to the title’s story, using his detective skills to solve cases both insidious and innocent.
One of the main draws of Pixel Noire (aside from its plot) lies in how the game actually plays. PS Vita fans will be pleased to know that it employs turn-based, JRPG-style combat and allows players to customize their weapons however they see fit. Users will be able to recruit heroes scattered around the city for their team, then use them to execute deadly combos on enemies during fight sequences. From what’s been shared on the indie title so far, Pixel Noire looks to be a great throwback to old-school RPGs on the original PlayStation, making it one nostalgia trip worth keeping on the radar for 2018.
Persona 3: Dancing Moon Night/Person 5: Dancing Star Night
Seeing as how Persona 4: Dancing All Night actually pushed the PS Vita to sell units in Japan, the announcement that Persona 3 and Persona 5 iterations to the spin-off series were coming late last year shouldn’t have come to fans as much of a shock. Indeed, Persona 3: Dancing Moon Night and Persona 5: Dancing Star Night look to incorporate their own unique soundtracks and various remixes into rhythm-themed dancing games later in 2018. If Dancing All Night serves as any indication, each game will be just as addictive.
Imagining tracks like “Life Will Change” playing while Persona 5’s protagonist, Ryuji, or any of the title’s best girls dance in the foreground certainly is enough to make players themselves dance. Given how the team behind Dancing All Night seeks to improve upon the formula with each new iteration, expect to see enhanced graphics and more impressive choreography play out onscreen as well, complete with references to each title’s original scenarios and settings. If there are two games in 2018 to keep an eye out for simply due to all the fun potential they may have, Dancing Moon Night and Dancing All Night are it.
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