PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection PlayStation Vita Bundle
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The Future of portable gaming
The system itself is without a doubt the greatest and innovative system that sony has created. Truly a work of art and grace from sony.
6/13/13
PS Vita !!!
These are the reasons i love my vita... The games are great. It has netflix, youtube, and other great apps. And the batterie life is long.
4/20/13
Feels great to pick up a handheld again!
I have been playing video games on console and PC for a long time now. I haven’t played on a handheld system since the heyday of Gameboy Advance. I didn’t quite realize what I was missing. I grabbed the Vita because my new job requires me to be on a plane a lot and I wanted something to stave off the boredom. I went to Gamestop with the intention of getting the standard system and a couple games when I saw this collection package and was astounded at the value! It comes with a year of Plus and 4 games out the gate, which really is some major savings. Once I got home, it was even better than advertised! It actually comes with free access to a total of 7 games. Note that all of these are downloads, not any actual game cards, so don’t be shocked when you open the box.
It also comes with a 4 GB memory card which is admittedly a pretty tiny card. You can basically fit only 2 (maybe 3) of the games that come with the system on it at any given time. Not a big deal for me, played through a game and transferred it to my PC for storage and moved onto the next. However, if you are planning on using the Vita for movies, videos, music, etc. then you will certainly need to get a bigger card which is not the cheapest thing in the world. Speaking on these features, they are not as strong as advertising seems to make it. The Vita is NOT a replacement for a smart phone. It is a fun alternative, but if you get it just for these features you will no doubt be disappointed. Get it for gaming, it’s what it was made for.
The games that come with the system are not bad, but I really wouldn’t say they are spectacular. More like B-team games. I will admit I haven’t played through them all yet, but based on reviews and opinions it seems to be the case. The value simply can’t be beat though. Myself having not played any handhelds for a while, any game feels great.
The PS Vita itself is very fun to use and so far has worked great for me. The motion and touch features all feel very responsive and intuitive. The camera could be of higher quality though, it is slightly worse than an average smart phone. I also have to say that the system does feel a little wonky in my hands, my thumbs have to bend quite a bit while I hold it, but at this point I attribute that to simply not being used to the system. The control sticks feel just like a console controller (only smaller) and the buttons are well placed. Little kids might have a hard time touching the screen while holding the Vita with both hands though, due to its size. It would be good to get a cover of some kind too, like you would for your smartphone.
Overall, I am incredibly happy with the system and happy with the value of this collection. If you are going to get the Vita, get this package. Happy Gaming!
4/6/13
Cheap cell phone alternative
I bought this bundle specifically for its value. A year subscription to a excellent gaming service usually costs 50 bucks in itself(way better than Xbox live in every way imaginable), unit 13 is a 30 dollar game and we are left with a brand new 3G vita for 220 bucks. The 3G service is great because there's Skype on the vita which means 15 dollars a month for a cell phone that has insane graphics and gaming capability. do the math and compare it to Verizon's cell phone plans. I'll go with my vita at 15 bucks a month no contract. the memory card is too small but just trade it in for a bigger one if you really really need to play 3 games at once.
2/15/13
Overpriced and deceiving
I recently got two 32gb Playstation Vita memory cards. One was to be used for games and applications, while the other was going to be used to store music. My MP3 player is no longer functional, and seeing as the Vita is a multimedia system, I was excited to have a “one-stop shop” for my gaming, music and more.
However, I was surprised to be stopped while importing music to my Vita by the following error message: “Cannot copy. The maximum number of content items you can save in [Music] will be exceeded.” At this point I had 8gb of memory free on my 32gb memory stick. This limitation was never mentioned on any of the packaging for the memory sticks or the system, and I had to delve deep into your support center for even a mention of this arbitrary limitation.
I've already spoken to two Sony customer service representatives: one on the phone, and one through your online chat system.
The first person I spoke to said (in so many words) that I was out of luck. If there's a limit, there's a limit and there's nothing that can be done about it. I asked why there is a limit in the first place, and she gave no answer.
The second person told me that there was no song limit on the Playstation Vita. When I corrected her, she recommended reformatting the memory stick and re-importing all of the songs. Barring that, nothing else could be done. I asked again why there is a limit, and she was unwilling to find the answer. She actually told me to purchase another memory stick so I could import the rest of my music. When I told her how ridiculous this idea was, especially since I spent the extra $40 on a 32gb stick (instead of a 16gb) so I wouldn't have to do that in the first place, she referred me to the “Share” Playstation Blog website. With its 200 character limit on customer submissions, this was insufficient for a legitimate complaint. If you're planning on purchasing a Vita for its multimedia capabilities, BEWARE! There are currently arbitrary handicaps on basic functions of the system.
1/24/13
TRUE Preview!
I've been a PS+ member since it started. Yes, you have to keep your PS+ membership going in order to use the Instant game collection games. That includes Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Gravity Rush, Wipeout, and others. You get Unit 13 for free and don't have to have a PS+ membership to keep it. The Instant Game Collection from PS+ is constantly changing though. So, right now you're getting Uncharted, Gravity Rush, etc... But Sony changes out a game or two usually every month. Without doing a hard count, I've received at least $300 in free games JUST on my PS3 since I've starting paying for PS+ (I've paid for 2 years at $50 a year). This IS a great deal. You may have to keep paying $50 a year to keep your free PS+ games, but anything you buy at a discount while a member of PS+ you keep forever. So if you buy a game at 75% off and let your membership lapse, you still own that game because you paid for it. Anyone who says PS+ is a bad deal has not used the service or doesn't understand the service completely. If you're a current PS+ member, the free year that comes with this bundle will extend your current membership! I've been waiting to buy a Vita and know I have a bundle that intrigues me.
12/5/12
Another bait and switch of expectations.
If you are smart and want to save some serious cash DON"T BUY THIS BUNDLE~. this will give you ps plus it might help you're ps3 but its not worth it really. a 4gb memory card will hold 1-2 games and you don't get any physical games either. 3g isn't really worth is and its not free and if you don't mind paying 50$ a month under at&t then do it. go with the WiFi model, it does all the things a 3g model does. And are you really on the road that much? restaurants,doctor offices, and other places have free WiFi. ITS MOSTLY USELESS
11/28/12
Hmmm
Considering I just purchased an Assassins Creed PS Vita Bundle, this bundle sounds a LOT better at first glance. But from what I know of PS + and free games, you NEED to keep extending your memberships to keep those free games. And you only get a voucher for Unit 13. So really you're only getting Unit 13 for free. And after your 1 year of membership is up you will lose wipeout, uncharted, and all those other games they will be releasing for free that are tied to PS +. As far as the cross platform games go, Im not sure if you'll be able to keep them. They might be a PS + Bonus as well. Overall though, this bundle is pretty GREAT for those that actually buy PS +. If you do not, then this bundle is HORRIBLE for you. And you're better off buying your vita in another bundle. Or used. Personally I wanted a white vita, so I didnt have much of a choice when buying my system. Who knows though, Japan already released a Blue and Red Vita. Maybe by christmas they'll have bundles for them In the US. My advice is to look before you buy. Once again Ill reiterate, I wouldn't recommend this bundle if you're not a fan of being forced to pay 50$ a year. Its not a big hassle, but thats exactly why I bought a ps3 in the first place over a 360. But if you truly dont mind paying for ps + then seriousy this bundle is pretty amazing. You get some pretty fun games for free. The only really hurting fact this bundle presents is the lack of a good memory card. With all those free games you'll be receiving you'll be needing a bigger card. So expect to pay a good 50-80$ more for one. Which is pretty much all your savings from this bundle going down the drain for another card.
11/27/12