The most underrated PS Vita games of all time show how far this Sony handheld could have gone if its maker hadn’t abandoned it. Let’s dive into the hidden gems of PS Vita’s massive game library.
There is no doubt that handheld gaming is having a solid comeback, with new portable powerhouses like Steam Deck, Asus ROG Ally, and more on the horizon. While there are new players in the arena, this market was once conquered by Sony (alongside Nintendo, of course.)
Sony’s first solid foray into the handheld market was the PlayStation Portable (PSP). Things weren’t great for its successor, PS Vita, though. Despite some of the most underrated PS Vita games and its amazing hardware, PS Vita failed to achieve commercial success.
PS Vita failed for many reasons, including poor marketing decisions, the rise of mobile gaming, and more. But that doesn’t mean it still offers hidden gems and overlooked masterpieces. Behold, here are the most underrated PS Vita games of all time.
What are the most underrated PS Vita games?
You’ve probably missed the hidden PS Vita gems among the glorious exclusives like Uncharted: Golden Abyss or the glorious God of War Collection. But Sony’s ambitious handheld offered many amazing games across different genres.
You might be reminiscing about those good times with your PS Vita, or maybe you just bought one in 2024. The hidden PS Vita gems will help you make the most of this amazing handheld powerhouse.
25. Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen
Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen is a foray into the stealth action genre, which is part of PS Vita’s extensive library of JRPGs and visual novels.
The stealth-action PS Vita exclusive challenges you to navigate its stealth missions with cinematic cutscenes and narrative depth. It also allows you to create strategies to complete the missions using various tools and abilities available in a ninja’s arsenal.
While the concept of “stealth-action on the go” sounds promising, Shinobido 2’s gameplay tends to get repetitive a bit quickly. Still, for those who want to make the most of their PS Vita and its capabilities, Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen deserves a place in the Vita backlog.
24. Air Race Speed
Unlike many other handheld gaming devices, Sony PS Vita doesn’t have many racing games. Although it still offers brilliant titles across different genres, it is safe to say that it fails to satisfy racing fans.
That’s where Air Race Speed enters the scene with its dynamic gameplay and challenging levels. It requires fast reflexes and has different gameplay modes. It also features different speedsters suitable for different tracks.
Air Race Speed is the perfect game for those who want bite-sized bursts of racing as it has much less content when compared to games like WipeOut. But it is still an underrated PS Vita gem that’s perfect for portable gaming sessions.
23. Flame Over
Flame Over is a firefighting roguelike that flew under the radar for many PS Vita users. But despite its lack of recognition, it is such an addictive game that you’ll keep coming back to it.
This PS Vita gem perfectly executes the gameplay mechanics of Rogue Legacy and a couple of other prominent examples of the genre. As a firefighter who runs from one rescue mission to another, you’ll find yourself rocking your console’s sticks until the low battery alert pops up.
On the other hand, you’ll also realize that Flame Over lacks presentation finesse. However, it is still worthy of your time thanks to its unique blend of the roguelike genre with intense firefighting simulations.
22. Wanted Corp.
Wanted Corp is easily one of the best and most addicting top-down shooters among the underrated PS Vita gems. It offers a solid blend of action shooting and strategic elements in a fast-paced gameplay formula.
Set in the far future, Wanted Corp allows you to take the role of two bounty hunters, Maddogg and Irina. Both of them come with a series of unique abilities that complement the game’s great chase-and-capture mechanic.
Alongside its great protagonists and rich strategy mechanics, Wanted Corp also comes with ambitious graphics for a PS Vita game. Its character progression system and challenging shooting aspect will be quite refreshing for those who’ve had their share of pixelated JRPG worlds.
21. Severed
Severed looks like the game you’ll forget about a few seconds after seeing its trailer. But this PS Vita exclusive is easily one of the perfect games to play on the Sony’s handheld.
Developed by Drinkbox Studios, Severed perfectly utilized all the features that made PS Vita great. From its vibrant graphics to touchscreen inputs, Severed is a brilliant game that should’ve received more love.
20. A Winter’s Daydream
You’ll soon realize that our list of the most underrated PS Vita games doesn’t have many visual novel suggestions. That’s because the Vita offers lots of visual novels that are worthy of praise. From Zero Escape to the celebrated Steins; Gate, it is impossible to complain about a lack of visual novel games on the system.
But we strongly recommend A Winter’s Daydream both for the fans and the newbies of the genre. This charming visual novel offers a heartwarming story revolving around a young university student called Yuu.
In the wake of a peaceful wintery landscape, Yuu visits his grandmother and sees that she has transformed into a younger girl. This extraordinary event results in a brilliant journey for the two, allowing Yuu to reflect on his emotions about his family and loved ones.
19. Sorcery Saga: Curse of the Great Curry God
Sorcery Saga: Curse of the Great Curry God is another underrated PS Vita roguelike that often flies under the radar. This dungeon-crawler RPG has a quite humorous storyline centered around Pupuru, a stout fan of curry.
Our protagonist is so obsessed with the curry flavor that she embarks on a journey to save her favorite curry restaurant. Make no mistake, this is one difficult journey even for staunch roguelike RPG fans. But thanks to the game’s lovely characters and story presentation, pushing through its difficult levels and culinary perils is delightful.
Among the JRPGs and dungeon crawlers, Sorcery Saga: Curse of the Great Curry God is definitely underrated.
18. Dragon Quest Builders (DQB)
While you can already spend hours in Minecraft’s PS Vita edition, Dragon Quest Builders is here to take you away for a captivating adventure with a sprinkle of RPG elements.
Dragon Quest Builders is easily one of the best games on PS Vita for a ton of reasons. Its approach to building is vastly different than the system in Minecraft.
Alongside its building mechanics, DQB also comes with an interesting premise, reinforced with challenging boss fights and well-developed characters.
DQB is an underrated PS Vita gem that offers a refreshing departure from Minecraft and a solid welcome to the Dragon Quest universe. For many, it is secretly the best and the most underrated PS Vita game.
17. Bunny Must Die: Chelsea and the 7 Devils
Another overlooked PS Vita gem is Bunny Must Die: Chelsea and the 7 Devils. This platformer comes with a unique blend of quirky narrative and challenging gameplay. Although it was released more than 17 years ago, it still delivers with its addictive platformer elements as well.
Bunny Must Die boasts punishing boss fights and gameplay mechanics that were quite ahead of their time. The game’s solo developer successfully incorporated these aspects into the game’s clever level design.
The result is a fun, fast-paced, and punishing platformer that you should get your hands on.
16. Resogun
Resogun is the dynamic shooter you’ve been looking for on PS Vita. It offers the ultimate side-scrolling shooter experience on the go. It doesn’t give any compromises from its PlayStation 4 version as well.
Resogun perfectly executes the gameplay mechanics first coined by Defender, an all-time arcade classic. It also transforms that superb side-scroller action into a bulletproof gameplay experience that feels and looks great on a handheld. The developers Housemarque and Climax Studios ticked all the right boxes with Resogun.
It is also the type of game that feels like it was particularly designed and built for PS Vita. Its addictive gameplay works especially well on the console’s OLED screen.
15. Easily one of the best PS Vita games: Muramasa Rebirth
Muramasa: Rebirth is one of the best games on PS Vita. Set in ancient Japan, this brilliant RPG tells the perilous journey of two characters, each with their compelling motives and storylines.
Alongside its captivating visuals and brilliant story, Muramasa Rebirth also excels in many other aspects that make a game unique. Its meticulously designed enemies, fluid combat, and charming graphics set it apart from other RPGs on the platform.
Indeed, the loyal PS Vita community already holds Muramasa Rebirth close to their hearts. But Vanillaware’s cult classic is still in need of love and attention as one of the most underrated PS Vita games.
14. Berserk: Band of the Hawk
There is no doubt that Berserk is one of the most captivating and also harrowing pieces of fiction. That being said, it doesn’t have great adaptations in other forms of media, unfortunately.
Still, seeing Kentaro Miura’s acclaimed manga series adapted into games in distinct genres is better than nothing. That’s where Berserk: Band of the Hawk enters the scene with its blend of Berserk and Dynasty Warriors.
As an underrated PS Vita game, Berserk and the Band of the Hawk does come with satisfying hack-and-slash combat. But it also tends to leave the player wanting more with its rather repetitive gameplay. Still, if you enjoy the classic Musou recipe and the Dynasty Warriors games, this one should be in your PS Vita backlog.
Its winning feature is, of course, allowing you to become Guts, the legendary Black Swordsman himself.
13. Reverie
Reverie is the spiritual successor to both Earthbound and old-school The Legend of Zelda games. This incredibly charming PS Vita gem beautifully delivers a nostalgic experience that can also be quite refreshing.
Reverie’s pixel-art aesthetic and well-crafted adventure are filled with inspirations drawn from Maori mythology and culture. Moreover, it also weaves a balance between modernity and tradition through the journey of its protagonist, Tai.
Reverie is one of the best PS Vita games that needs more love. Even those who’ve never played Earthbound or skipped The Legend of Zelda games will find something to love in Reverie’s beautiful world.
12. A hidden soulslike PS Vita gem: Titan Souls
Looking for an underrated PS Vita gem that will really test your patience? If so, Titan Souls will certainly grind your gears with its soulslike inspired gameplay formula under its minimalistic design.
Titan Souls takes players on a punishing adventure where they have to take down colossal titans. The key to victory, like in many other soulslike games, is to decipher the boss’s attack patterns.
This overused gameplay recipe might cause you to steer away at first impression. But Titan Souls actually does a great job of taking the best inspirations from the genre’s prominent examples. It perfectly executes the right mechanics to motivate you for the next boss.
These aspects make it a great soulslike for casual players as well.
11. Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines
Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines is another underrated PS Vita gem. Despite its captivating storyline and innovative gameplay mechanics, it remained an overlooked masterpiece, probably due to constraints within Vita’s market.
Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines also came with a brilliant emphasis on Japanese mythology. While that’s a wonderful trait of the game for JRPG fans, this thematic reliance could have caused the game to fly under the radar as well.
Nevertheless, if you got your hands on a PS Vita in 2023, Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines is an easy must-play, especially for its unique art style and distinctive gameplay mechanics. Its redemption narrative is also one of the best things about it.
10. Lost Dimension
Lost Dimension takes you to a post-apocalyptic world where you dive into strategic turn-based gameplay. This non-linear RPG also offers a clever combat formula that delivers at every stage.
Although it doesn’t come with a compelling story, Lost Dimension’s core gameplay loop will make you addicted. The game requires you to plan your moves and utilize each character’s strengths. But the most exciting aspect of Lost Dimension’s gameplay is its traitor system.
The system doesn’t only add an extra layer of tension but also requires you to think more and balance your trust. That’s because every character can stab you in the back right in the middle of the battle. This nuanced feature of the gameplay and strategic complexity makes Lost Dimension a must-play PS Vita game.
9. Virtual-on
Virtual-On is a mecha combat title that probably did not catch the attention of fans of Gundam or Armored Core games. While you do control a mecha in Virtual-On, this underrated PS Vita game is drastically different from both of the prominent mecha series.
Firstly, Virtual-On offers one of the most fast-paced mecha combat in any mecha game. It also boasts various game modes where players can delve into intense Virtuaroid battles.
You might be a fan of the mecha genre and looking for some adrenaline-fueled button-smashing game. If so, Virtual-On is the PS Vita gem you’re looking for.
8. Ys 8: Lacrimosa of Dana
There is no doubt that Ys 8: Lacrimosa of Dana is one of the most ambitious RPGs on PS Vita. With its vibrant graphics and brilliant action RPG elements, it offers a delightful experience on the go.
Ys 8: Lacrimosa of Dana combines pretty much everything you’d want to see in an action RPG. From fluid gameplay to punishing yet rewarding combat, it knows how to put the right pieces together for a solid RPG campaign.
Despite its generic writing and a few framerate issues on PS Vita, Ys 8: Lacrimosa of Dana is an overlooked PS Vita beauty that must be on your gaming backlog. It is also a great entry point to the Ys series.
7. Mystery Chronicle: One Way Heroics
Mystery Chronicle: One Way Heroics will take you on a one-way roguelike ride on your PS Vita. Its distinctive take on the core tenets of the genre will be a refreshing departure for the genre’s fans.
This PS Vita gem successfully undertakes the concept of always moving in a single direction. What’s more, despite its strange concept, it is highly accessible and should be a lot of fun for those who don’t enjoy roguelikes as well.
That’s because One Way Heroics offers a wide variety of classes. With its straightforward, turn-based combat system, failing and starting over doesn’t exhaust the player.
For all these reasons and more, this one-way-moving and non-traditional roguelike can be the perfect PS Vita game for short bursts of gameplay sessions.
6. Tokyo Xanadu
Set in modern-day Japan, the story of Tokyo Xanadu revolves around a high school student called Kou and his discovery of an alternate dimension.
Honestly, the plot sounds like just another JRPG with bland characters and a generic storyline. But Tokyo Xanadu successfully stands out thanks to its well-developed characters and vibrant setting that alters real-world locations with fantasy elements.
But despite its great features, Tokyo Xanadu is still an underappreciated PS Vita title.
Keep in mind that its PS Vita version lacks a couple of side stories, an extra chapter, and some balance adjustments. To be fair, the PlayStation 4 offers a fair amount of new stuff. But Tokyo Xanadu on PS Vita is still quite underrated with its high replay value and varied gameplay.
5. Tales of Hearts R
Tales of Hearts R is one of the good ones in the Tales series. Despite being part of a series with widespread recognition, Tales of Hearts R is a highly underrated PS Vita game.
The adventure in Tales of Hearts R revolves around its protagonist Kor Meteor, a young warrior with quite an interesting sword in his arsenal.
Even though Kor’s journey is rather generic, Tales of Hearts R delivers the classic JRPG experience alongside some unique gameplay mechanics. Thanks to inventive elements like the Chase Link combat system, you’ll enjoy your time with the 11th mainline entry of the Tales series.
Tales of Hearts R also offers a ton of activities to do in its vibrant world with well-developed characters. Despite some of its glaring issues and a rather dull story, this JRPG is definitely one of the most underrated PS Vita games of all time.
4. An underrated PS Vita top-down shooter: Neon Chrome
Neon Chrome isn’t only one of the most underrated PS Vita games, but it is also one of the finest top-down shooters on Sony’s ambitious handheld.
Set in a dark cyberpunk dystopia, Neon Chrome offers all the best things that you would expect from a roguelike twin-stick shooter. Tasked with taking down the Overseer, which is your average cyberpunk villain, you have to depend on your wide arsenal of abilities, upgrade your skills, and adapt to challenging levels.
Neon Chrome’s rather punishing difficulty and limited narrative depth might not be your cup of tea. That being said, its solid twin-stick shooter gameplay and great execution of the genre’s core tenets make it a highly underrated PS Vita gem.
3. Toukiden Kiwami
Toukiden: Kiwami on the PS Vita is one of the most overlooked games on the platform. It is an action-packed hunting game that draws the best inspiration from the Monster Hunter games.
It shines on Sony’s handheld with its new gameplay mechanics and rather ambitious visuals. The developer Omega Force’s successful entry has a gameplay loop that is perfectly suitable for portable gaming.
Toukiden: Kiwami is all about completing quests, upgrading gear, and hunting for rare items. This is especially great for those looking for a bedside PS Vita game.
Indeed, we’ve been through that loop many times in other games, especially in Monster Hunter titles. But Toukiden: Kiwami squeezes that experience into Sony’s great handheld. This not only makes it an essential PS Vita game but also offers a great entry point for the genre newbies.
2. Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky
Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky is one of the most underappreciated PS Vita games of all time. It seamlessly blends traditional JRPG elements with side-scroller gameplay. Set in a world that shines on PS Vita, it tells the story of a celestial conflict that is filled with twists and dilemmas.
Exist Archive’s combat system features turn-based battles alongside platforming elements. It allows players to depend on strategic thinking and increase their reflexes.
Its gorgeous visuals and great plot make Exist Archive a delightful game to play. Its lack of widespread recognition shouldn’t cause you to steer away, as it is a great JRPG with a great implementation of the platformer genre.
1. Ar nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star
Ar nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star on PS Vita is an intricate and truly enchanting JRPG that often goes unnoticed. Despite its rich narrative and solid gameplay mechanics, it is easy to miss Ar nosurge in hordes of mediocre roleplaying games on the platform.
What sets Ar nosurge apart from other examples of the genre is its inventive mechanics like the Song Magic system and beautifully crafted world. On top of that, Ar nosurge focuses on loss, friendship, and the power of emotions.
This underrated PS Vita gem is worthy of your time, regardless of your approach to the JRPG genre. Its character-driven storytelling will surely make you a fan.
Underrated PS Vita Games Showcase the Console’s Incredible Value
PS Vita can still show its incredible value in 2024. It doesn’t only come with underappreciated games, but it also offers some of the best titles from the original PlayStation and PlayStation Portable.
Maybe you’ve been eyeing to grab the new iteration of Valve’s powerhouse to play the best Steam Deck games. Maybe you’re even more serious about gaming on the go as you want to bag an Asus ROG Ally for more ambitious framerates.
Regardless of your portable gaming endeavors, it’s always great to have a PS Vita right at your side. While it couldn’t reach its commercial potential, its glory still shines in 2024. Thanks to the most underrated PS Vita games above, it becomes apparent how ahead of its time the PS Vita truly was.
