Written by – Kyle Prahl
Years of promises and half-hearted execution have left the concept of Remote Play something of a punching bag for longtime PlayStation fans, but Sony seems dead-set on fulfilling the feature’s true potential with PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita. From Day One, every PS4 game will support Remote Play on Vita, whether in-home or abroad, via Wi-Fi.
Well, almost every game. Think Just Dance, The Playroom, and others that will require the new PlayStation Camera.
Because Remote Play is supported at the hardware level, you won’t have to worry about individual developers making their games compatible–beyond the obvious considerations of control scheme. More than likely, the missing L1 and R1 bumpers will be mapped to corners of Vita’s rear touchpad, with the Share and Options buttons filling out the back. Elegant? Maybe not, but the technology and solutions are there for this to finally work. In your home, PS4 uses Gaikai technology to become a server when Vita kicks in for Remote Play. Outside your home, you’ll be at the mercy of your given Wi-Fi connection, but at least it’s an option–unlike with Nintendo’s Wii U gamepad.
The possibilities are boundless–with Remote Play, Vita will become the ultimate blockbuster machine and indie game platform, all in one. Between tailored experiences like Tearaway and PS4 showstoppers like Destiny and inFAMOUS: Second Son, I’m beside myself with excitement for the synchronized future of PS4 and Vita.
Here are the 10 PS4 games I’m most excited to play on Vita with Remote Play.
@page
10. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
I’ll be honest–I’m not particularly interested in the PS3 version of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. I played it during the private beta, but the visual and technical compromises from the game’s PC version are disappointing. But the chance to play the definitive, no-apologies version on Vita and share character progress with PS4 is another matter entirely. As game director Naoti Yoshida himself told Famitsu (via IGN), the Vita experience will cater better to relaxed solo leveling, crafting, and gathering, but those are essential tasks in most any MMO. The more activities like these I can complete when I’m away from my PS4, the more time for raids and group content I can enjoy on my big-screen.
@page
9. inFAMOUS: Second Son
Second Son already has everything going for it. It’s built on the incredibly fun base established by prior inFAMOUS games, it ditches the gruff Cole MacGrath for the (seemingly) more likeable Delsin Rowe, and a host of new powers will add gameplay twists in a next-gen Seattle that’s visually stunning. Also, you can play it on Vita. What’s great about an open-world game like inFAMOUS is that some of its content will cater best to a portable device. I don’t imagine I’ll be playing many story missions on Vita’s small screen, but chasing collectibles, exploring the map, and completing side quests? I can see Vita being the best way to chase inFAMOUS: Second Son’s Trophies and bump up your completion percentage, and I’m very excited to do exactly that come February 2014.
@page
8. Outlast
Vita doesn’t have a great horror game. I’m not entirely sure if a game like Outlast, which depends greatly on sound, ambient environment, and your ability to become engrossed in the first-person experience, will work on Vita. But it’s on this list because I can’t wait to find out. Outlast scared the s*** out of me at E3–just ask Red Barrels Games, who took to filming my reactions after I shouted "Holy f***ing s***!" at one point. I’m picturing myself glued to Vita’s screen in the dead of night, with my knees tucked to my chest and a great pair of headphones plugged in.
Outlast is actually available on Steam right now, so if you’ve a mind to try this gauntlet before it comes to PS4 and Vita, check it out. Then let us know if you think a horror game will work on Vita in the comments below.
@page
7. Resogun
Super Stardust Delta was my favorite Vita game… until Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward came along. Regardless, Housemarque’s development chops, especially with colorful arcade shoot-’em-ups, cannot be denied. Resogun looks frantic, gorgeous, and addictive–everything that Vita’s portable profile complements. Seriously, Resogun on that OLED screen? I can see the eyegasms from two months away.
@page
6. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
What I saw of Geralt of Rivia’s engrossing adventure at E3 left me stunned–and singing its praises in our E3 award voting, where The Witcher 3 won Best RPG. Vita might not seem like the ideal platform for hundred-hour RPG experiences that demand serious investment, but I personally had the time of my life putting 154 hours into Persona 4 Golden. The reality is, being able to take these experiences anywhere means lengthier sessions and more playtime in the same period. The speed of Sony’s Remote Play infrastructure will have a serious impact on The Witcher 3’s timing-heavy combat, but if the Assassin’s Creed IV gamescom demo is any indication, Remote Play will be suitably responsive, at least in-home.
@page
5. Killzone: Shadow Fall
Sure, there’s already a dedicated Killzone experience on Vita (it’s fantastic, by the way–check out Mike’s review). But Killzone: Shadow Fall is arguably the most graphically stunning PS4 game I’ve yet seen, and there’s something about seeing such visual splendor on Vita that I know is going to make heads turn and my heart leap. Joining competitive multiplayer action will be easier than ever, and the slower, more strategic gameplay of Shadow Fall’s campaign should be a perfect fit on Vita’s condensed profile.
@page
4. Watch Dogs
The whole idea behind Watch Dogs is connectivity–its dangers, morality, and execution in a world that is (unwittingly) becoming more connected and controlled every day. What better way to emphasize this theme than with technology that lets you play PS4 games on a handheld? Walking around Watch Dog’s incarnation of Chicago–with the chance to bump into real players wherever you go–is going to feel strangely appropriate on Vita, where you might just be moving through a real-life city yourself. In the same way that a hacker, a real person, could be anywhere in your game, a real-life Watch Dogs player could be right around the corner. Meta.
@page
3. Destiny
Bungie’s emphasis on seamless co-op gameplay and adventuring will be a match made in heaven on Vita. The length of quests will make a difference in what’s convenient for on-the-go play, but I picture myself logging in to manage my inventory, check on friend activity, and explore solo content at my leisure. And there will be a wealth of it to explore: the scope of Destiny is positively awe-inspiring, and if there’s one thing Vita could use more of (besides first-person shooters, which Destiny is), it’s epic experiences with plenty of meat on the bone.
@page
2. The Elder Scrolls Online
I’m already concerned that I’ll completely lose myself to Bethesda’s MMO opus next Spring. Frankly, being able to explore Tamriel, complete faction quests, and manage my character wherever I am just puts the nail in the coffin. Zenimax Online has already made enormous strides with its console-friendly, first-person interface and controls, so The Elder Scrolls Online should fit on Vita just as well as any other game on this list. In fact, the pseudo-automation of an MMO might rear back on the twitchiness of most first-person games and cater to Vita even more.
@page
1. Kingdom Hearts III
Simple and clean is the way that Kingdom Hearts III on Vita is making me feel tonight. It’s hard to let it go.
—
What do you think about the PS4 games I can’t wait to play on Vita? Have others to share? Will Sony finally fulfill its Remote Play promises? Give us your take in the comments below.