Hi there! Are you a fan of first-person shooter (FPS) games? More specifically, are you curious about the top FPS games that were released on the PlayStation Vita during its short lifespan? If so, then you‘ve come to the right place!
As an avid gamer and hardware analyst who has written extensively about the Vita and other gaming devices, I‘ve put together this definitive guide to the absolute best first-person shooters ever released on Sony‘s underappreciated handheld.
Over 2000 words, we‘ll explore what made the Vita a unique showcase for the FPS genre, provide detailed overviews of the top 4 FPS games, compare critical reception and sales data, and answer some frequently asked questions.
Let‘s dive in!
Overview
First, what exactly is a first-person shooter? FPS games put you directly into the eyes of your on-screen character holding a weapon. This limited field of view ratchets up intensity and immersion compared to third-person games like GTA.
While the Vita wasn‘t primarily known for FPS games, its powerful hardware provided near console-quality graphics that made for outstanding portable FPS experiences. However, only about 8 true native FPS games were released before the Vita was discontinued in 2019 after a 7 year life cycle.
In this guide, we‘ll be counting down the 4 very best FPS games ever released on the PlayStation Vita, culminating with the top pick. Each game overview will provide details on:
- Story and setting
- Release date
- Gameplay and key features
- Single player campaign
- Multiplayer support
- Notable DLC & post-launch support
- Critical reception
- Sales figures
Let‘s start the countdown!
#4 Resistance: Burning Skies
Part of Sony‘s sci-fi Resistance series, Resistance: Burning Skies tells an alternate history story of the Chimera invasion of the United States in 1951. Released on May 29, 2012 alongside the PlayStation Vita‘s launch, it was one of two major FPS franchises (along with Call of Duty) to grace the platform.
You play as firefighter Tom Riley fighting to protect his family as the Chimeran forces occupy New York City. The campaign features standard FPS combat across 6 levels, taking about 6 hours to complete on normal difficulty. There‘s a good variety of alien weaponry from the Resistance universe like the Bullseye and Rossmore 236 Combat Shotgun.
The multiplayer modes support 8 player matches across 6 maps and 3 gameplay modes: deathmatch, team deathmatch, and survival mode. Critics praised the strong visuals and controls but felt the campaign was too short. Review aggregator Metacritic scored the game a 60 out of 100. According to VGChartz, lifetime sales reached about 590,000 units as of 2013.
#3 Borderlands 2
The fan favorite FPS RPG hybrid Borderlands launched on PS Vita on May 13, 2014, courtesy of developers Iron Galaxy. The game is set 5 years after Borderlands 1 on the planet of Pandora. You control 1 of 4 distinct Vault Hunter classes with unique abilities and skill trees on a quest to defeat the evil Handsome Jack.
At launch, Borderlands 2 offered the entire original game + DLC adding up to around 100 hours of content. The Vita version utilizes the rear touchpad for camera controls and both touchscreens to navigate menus. Single player is complemented by 2 player local and online co-op allowing you to loot the chaotic open world with a friend.
Critics praised the depth of RPG mechanics and replayability but felt the visuals didn‘t fully pop on the Vita‘s OLED screen. Still, IGN‘s review stated "Borderlands 2 on Vita is an impressive handheld port" while awarding a 8.2 score. Metacritic averages at a 84. By February 2015, the game had sold over 1 million units, making it among the Vita‘s top 10 sellers of all time.
#2 Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition
 | This compilation bundles the 1996 classic Duke Nukem 3D with 3 expansion packs:
|
Released in March 2013, Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition is an outstanding retro FPS experience on PlayStation Vita. The gameplay, weapons, enemies, and locations have been ported over seamlessly to the handheld. It even supports online multiplayer deathmatches with up to 8 players.
The main campaign holds up incredibly well thanks to responsive controls and exciting level design. Blast away Pig Cops and Alien Troopers with Duke‘s iconic arsenal like the Devastator and Shrinker across 24 stages. The expansion packs provide even more ridiculous scenarios like taking on enemies at the White House!
Reviewers praised the faithful quality and fun factor of this classic FPS. Pocket Gamer UK stated "It may have creaky looks and dumb enemies, but there‘s silly old-school shooter joy here." Metacritic averaged a 69 score while user reviews sat at 8.3/10.
#1 Killzone: Mercenary
Without a doubt, the crown jewel of FPS games developed natively for PlayStation Vita is Killzone: Mercenary from acclaimed studio Guerilla Cambridge. The game continues the story after original Killzone installment, once again casting you as ruthless mercenary Arran Danner for hire in the war between ISA and Helghast forces.
You freely switch allegiances to the highest bidder across 9 story missions + dozens of reputation quests offering plenty of replayability. The gunplay shines with tightControls and console quality visuals enabled by the Vita hardware. There‘s a massive arsenal of primary & secondary weapons plus equipment like attack drones to customize your play style.
For competitive players, the online multiplayer supports up to 8 players in matches across 8 finely crafted maps spanning Free-for-All, Team Deathmatch, and Warzone modes. Players can choose from 5 combat classes before entering matches. Post launch DLC added new maps, modes, and gear into the mix.
Critics universally praised Killzone: Mercenary as the premiere FPS experience on PlayStation Vita. IGN‘s review called it "the best handheld FPS ever made" while awarding a 9.2 score. It stands at 78 on Metacritic. As of September 2013, Sony announced sales had surpassed half a million units. Without question, Killzone: Mercenary stands tall as the #1 FPS available on Vita.
Final Thoughts
While there were only a handful of FPS games on this short-lived handheld, the 4 titles highlighted in this guide demonstrate the untapped potential of PlayStation Vita as an on-the-go FPS machine. Both Killzone and Resistance played exceptionally well in this genre thanks to Vita‘s controls and graphics turbocharged with console DNA. Retro gems like Duke Nukem and Borderlands 2 proved you could bring classic FPS joy on the go.
Sadly, had the Vita experienced greater commercial success in its 7 years of life, I have no doubt we would‘ve seen even more incredible native first-person shooter experiences land on the platform. But the few that did make it have cemented their legacy.
What do you think? Have you played any of these FPS greats on PlayStation Vita? Let me know which one is your personal favorite or if I left out any other notable ones! I‘d love to hear your picks for top Vita FPS games.
Thanks for reading!
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the best first-person shooter on PlayStation Vita?
Without question, Killzone: Mercenary stands as the best FPS ever released on Vita. It showcased console-quality graphics, tight gameplay, excellent level design and multiplayer support years ahead of its time.
How well did FPS games sell on PlayStation Vita overall?
Sales varied quite a bit. Resistance: Burning Skies and Killzone: Mercenary cleared over half a million units each. Meanwhile Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified was a commercial hit but flopped critically. Borderlands 2 exceeded 1 million units after bundling several pieces of DLC.
Did PlayStation Vita have good graphics for first-person shooters?
Absolutely! The combination of Vita‘s 5" OLED screen paired with mobile iterations of PS3-quality game engines resulted in some of the best graphics ever seen on a handheld gaming system. Titles like Killzone: Mercenary rendered wonderfully.
What was the lifespan of PlayStation Vita?
The PlayStation Vita was first released on December 17, 2011 in Japan. It arrived in North America on February 15, 2012 and was finally discontinued on March 1, 2019. So its total lifespan adds up to around 7 years on the global market.
I hope this guide better showcases the promising FPS potential of the PlayStation Vita! Let me know if you have any other questions – I‘m happy to chat more!
